Cover: Investigative Reporter's Handbook, 6th Edition by Brant Houston; Mark Horvit; Investigative Reporters and Editors; Inc.
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Investigative Reporter's Handbook

A Guide to Documents, Databases, and TechniquesSixth Edition ©2021 Brant Houston; Mark Horvit; Investigative Reporters and Editors; Inc.

Published with Investigative Reporters and Editors, Inc. (IRE), The Investigative Reporter’s Handbook, Sixth Edition, is the best-selling classroom and newsroom classic, fully updated to reflect today’s digital media landscape. Useful as a textbook in advanced journalism courses and as a...

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ISBN:9781319362065

ISBN:9781319102845

Cover: Investigative Reporter's Handbook, 6th Edition by Brant Houston; Mark Horvit; Investigative Reporters and Editors; Inc.

Investigate anyone and anything

Published with Investigative Reporters and Editors, Inc. (IRE), The Investigative Reporter’s Handbook, Sixth Edition, is the best-selling classroom and newsroom classic, fully updated to reflect today’s digital media landscape. Useful as a textbook in advanced journalism courses and as a reference for professional journalists, the text is packed with timely and fundamental lessons about investigative reporting -- everything from gathering sources and tracking information to conducting an ethical investigation across a wide variety of beats.

Streamlined to focus on the most relevant and up-to-date information available, the sixth edition spotlights the latest techniques and challenges in the profession--from conducting database research to handling whistleblowers-- and includes two brand new chapters on essential topics: working collaboratively (Ch. 8) and investigating social justice issues (Ch. 16).

Features

The authority on investigative reporting. The Investigative Reporter’s Handbook is the embodiment of IRE’s highly respected approach to training and supporting investigative reporters and editors. Updated by co-authors Brant Houston and Mark Horvit--both former directors of IRE--and grounded in the collective experience of IRE’s members, this is the bestselling book on investigative reporting.  

Covering the basics of investigative journalism. With comprehensive coverage of key foundational topics--including how to use a variety of sources, conduct interviews and work collaboratively--Part I introduces the most relevant and up-to-date methods of investigative writing and reporting.  

An emphasis on real-world application. Features throughout the text give students ample opportunities to apply key skills and concepts:

  • Coverage of a wide variety of beats in Parts 2 and 3 offers detailed insights for investigation into the widest variety of topics. Learn to uncover exploitation of underserved communities, how to track money trails to their source and how to pry information from gatekeepers.
  • Check It Out feature at the end of each chapter provides activities and prompts for students to put their skills into action.
  • Further Readings at the end of each chapter offer resources to do further research on skills and beats discussed.
  • Real examples from highly respected working journalists keep the text both classic and contemporary, ensuring only the best quality storytelling from the field.

New to This Edition

Further streamlined to focus on the latest trends and challenges in the profession. Explore the most essential investigative reporting and writing skills within the context of today’s digital media landscape. The sixth edition features discussions on following money trails and uncovering exploitation, as well as new chapters on working collaboratively and investigating social justice issues.  

Illustrative visuals that make investigative topics come alive. Explore techniques like fact checking, storyboarding, document trails and sources in a whole new way, with visual illustrations of key processes and concepts.  

Connecting readers to IRE’s digital resources. Online resources aligned to every chapter are constantly updated and available on IRE’s website (ire.org), ensuring access to the latest and most relevant information in investigative journalism.

“Extremely helpful for a working journalist...and helpful for a really top-notch student.”
–Mac McKerral, Western Kentucky University

“The new Investigative Reporter’s Handbook is as essential for journalists as the GPS app on your phone, a turn-by-turn guide through government bureaucracies, corporate roadblocks and a wide range of beats. The time saving shortcuts are as relevant to the 24-hour news cycle as to long-term projects -- and the easy-to-follow, how-to format makes it ideal for journalism classrooms.”
–Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Deborah Nelson; University of Maryland

“This invaluable handbook reveals the secrets of the best investigative reporters: how they pick their stories, how they report them and how they turn mountains of facts into compelling narratives that prompt reform. It is a necessary guide for every journalist and journalism student.”
–Walt Bogdanich, Pulitzer Prize recipient, New York Times

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Table of Contents

Preface
About the Authors
PART I Investigative Reporting Skills                                       
1 The Investigative Process
The Investigative Process
Storyboarding
Check It Out
Further Readings
2 Secondary Sources
Newspapers and Newsrooms
Secondary Sources for Finding People
Helpful Resources for Searching
Check It Out
Further Readings
3 Primary Documents
Document Guides
Primary Documents on People
Primary Documents for Businesses and Institutions
Primary Documents Databases
Putting It All Together
Check It Out
Further Readings
4 Data Journalism
Obtaining Databases
Local Data Sources
State and Federal Data Sources
Unstructured Data (Text, Audio and Video)
Check It Out
Further Readings
5 People Trails
Identifying and Evaluating Sources
Locating Sources
Interviewing Sources
Check It Out
Further Readings
6 Writing the Compelling Investigation
The Fundamentals
Story Structures
Check It Out
Further Readings
7 Ethics of Investigative Reporting
Ethics and Accuracy
Dilemmas in Reporting
Writing Ethical, Accurate Stories
Check It Out
Further Readings
8 Collaborations and Crossing Boundaries
Getting Started
Cross-Border and Cross-Continent Investigations
Collaboration between Journalists and Universities
Nonprofit and For-Profit Newsrooms
Crowdsourcing
Check It Out
Further Readings

PART II Investigating Agencies
9 Investigating the Executive Branch
The Players and Processes
Investigating Federal Affairs
Investigating State and Local Affairs
Check It Out
Further Readings
10  Investigating the Legislative Branch
Investigating Congress
Local Government
Check It Out
Further Readings
11  Investigating the Judicial System
Investigating Judicial Operations and Personnel
Approaches to Investigating the Judicial System
Tracking the Civil Case
Tracking the Criminal Case: From Arrest to Sentencing
Investigating Punishment: Prison, Probation, Parole, Commutations and Pardons
Investigating Juvenile Cases and Family Court
Investigating Specialized Courts
Check It Out
Further Readings
12  Investigating Law Enforcement
Investigating Police
Delving Into Different Crimes
Investigating Other Aspects of Law Enforcement
Resources for Investigating Law Enforcement
Check It Out
Further Readings
13  Investigating Education
Issues in K-12 Education
Investigating School Personnel and Facilities
Approaches to Investigating the Schools
Issues in Higher Education
Check It Out
Further Readings
14  Investigating the Environment
Investigating Climate Change
Regulation: The Environmental Protection Agency
Using the Toxics Release Inventory
Investigating Air Pollution
Investigating Water Pollution
Investigating Soil Pollution and Hazardous Waste
EPA Summary
Check It Out
Further Readings
15  Investigating Transportation
Investigating Land Transportation
Investigating Aviation
Investigating Water Transportation
Regulatory Agencies
Check It Out
Further Readings
16  Investigating Social Justice
Racial Equity
LGBTQ Equity
Gender Equity
Investigating Hate
Immigration Issues
Experts and Advocates
Check It Out
Further Readings
17  Investigating Poverty Issues
A Wide Array of Approaches
Investigating the Issues
Investigating the Programs
Check It Out
Further Readings
 
PART III Investigating Business
18  Investigating For-Profit Businesses
Investigating Companies
Investigating the Workplace
Investigating Licensed Professionals
Check It Out
Further Readings
19  Investigating Nonprofit and Religious Organizations
Investigating Charities and Foundations
Investigating Religious Organizations
Check It Out
Further Readings
20  Investigating Health Care
Investigating Hospitals and Other Providers
Investigating Other Care Providers
Investigating Suppliers and Services
HIPAA and Patient Privacy
Key Organizations for More Information
Check It Out
Further Readings
21  Investigating Energy and Utilities
State Regulation
Federal Regulation
Investigating Utilities
Check It Out
Further Readings
22  Investigating Financial Institutions and Insurance
Investigating Financial Institutions
Investigating the Issues
Investigating Insurance
Investigating the Players
Check It Out
Further Readings
23  Investigating Real Estate and Housing
The Document Trail: Finding Real Estate Records
Issues in Real Estate Investigations
Check It Out
Further Readings

Index

Headshot of Brant Houston

Brant Houston

Brant Houston is the Knight Chair in Investigative & Enterprise Reporting at the College of Media at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He was the executive director of Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) and a professor at the University of Missouri School of Journalism for ten years. The author of three editions of Computer-Assisted Reporting: A Practical Guide, Houston served as managing director of the National Institute for Computer-Assisted Reporting for three years after working in daily journalism for  seventeen years. He was an award-winning investigative reporter at The Hartford (Conn.) Courant, The Kansas City Star and several news organizations in the Boston area.

Headshot of Investigative Reporters & Eds.

Investigative Reporters & Eds.

Investigative Reporters and Editors Inc. is a grassroots non-profit organization dedicated to improving the quality of investigative reporting. Formed in 1975 by leading investigative journalists in the United States, its primary goal is to provide a network for those seeking to do investigative reporting and editing, to provide training at seminars and conferences, and to provide resources and guidelines for the profession.

Headshot of Mark Horvit

Mark Horvit

Mark Horvit is an associate professor at the University of Missouri School of Journalism, where he teaches investigative reporting, and is director of the school’s State Government Reporting Program. He previously served as executive director of Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE) and the National Institute for Computer-Assisted Reporting (NICAR), where he conducted training in investigative reporting and data journalism throughout the world. Horvit worked as an award-winning reporter and editor for 20 years before joining IRE.