Investigative Reporting
** available as of 06/15/2026
** available as of 06/15/2026
Prerequisites: COMM 205, COMM 362, and Junior Standing and above.
This course will teach you how to do investigative reporting with a data journalism approach. Through discussion of examples and our own work, we will explore how to find, request, and use data that can reveal important information about society.
Outcomes: Analyze and interpret data for journalistic purposes, using appropriate tools and methods to uncover patterns, trends, and anomalies that support investigative findings; Integrate data analysis with traditional reporting techniques (interviews, documents, field reporting) to construct accurate, compelling investigative narratives; Evaluate the ethical and legal implications of investigative and data-driven reporting, making informed decisions about privacy, harm, transparency, and accountability in their work; Locate, request, and obtain public records and datasets from governmental and institutional sources, using relevant laws and procedures (such as FOIA and open data portals).
This course will teach you how to do investigative reporting with a data journalism approach. Through discussion of examples and our own work, we will explore how to find, request, and use data that can reveal important information about society.
Outcomes: Analyze and interpret data for journalistic purposes, using appropriate tools and methods to uncover patterns, trends, and anomalies that support investigative findings; Integrate data analysis with traditional reporting techniques (interviews, documents, field reporting) to construct accurate, compelling investigative narratives; Evaluate the ethical and legal implications of investigative and data-driven reporting, making informed decisions about privacy, harm, transparency, and accountability in their work; Locate, request, and obtain public records and datasets from governmental and institutional sources, using relevant laws and procedures (such as FOIA and open data portals).