Investigative journalism shines a light on issues that are often ignored by the media, whether political corruption, racial injustice or corporate wrongdoing. It can take months — even years — to uncover the facts behind an investigation. This type of journalism is also known as watchdog reporting.
A key challenge for investigative journalists is making sure that their stories are credible and fact-based. They may use a range of methods such as interviews, documents and data analysis to support their conclusions. They should be transparent about their sources and methodology, identifying the sources of information they have used as footnotes in the story.
The first step is to conceive the idea of a story, often spurred by a tip from a source or by a specific question such as: ‘Is lack of regulation responsible for shoddy building construction?’
Once the story has been conceived, it is essential to do a feasibility assessment to make sure that the scope of an investigation is achievable, taking into account time and resources, as well as the potential physical and legal risks for the reporter. This can result in modifying the initial story idea.
As part of an investigation, it is important to decide on and carry out freedom of information requests as far in advance as possible to ensure that the documents and records you need are available in time for the story. It is also helpful to ask human sources if they know of any other people who might have information that could be useful for the story, known as following a people trail.