Fundamentals of Investigative Report Writing

Fundamentals of Investigative Report Writing
Author: Gary Guthrie
Publisher:
Total Pages: 278
Release: 2017-09-18
Genre: Law
ISBN: 9781516521807

Fundamentals of Investigative Report Writing teaches readers how to precisely construct investigative reports, whether for criminal, employment-policy, or employee-performance investigations. Dedicated to helping report-writers produce valuable extrinsic documentation, the book explains how to describe "what happened and why" in clear, concise terms. Topics include writing attitude and ethics, the "always" rules of writing, tips for conducting successful interviews, techniques for writing with precision, purposes and techniques for editing and proof-reading, and how to incorporate sketches, drawings, diagrams, and other visuals. The book also addresses considerations when writing United States Constitutional- based reports, as well as strategies involved in other forms of written communication such as e-mail, business letters, memoranda, and social media. This edition features a chapter devoted to performance evaluations that helps supervisors to be accurate, state things efficiently, insure the quality of the organization, and develop the employee. Each chapter includes learning objectives, chapter summaries, specific writing assignments, and a feature story related to the chapter's content-focus. Illustrations have been carefully selected to support the written text. Thoughtfully developed to set students and instructors up for success, Fundamentals of Investigative Report Writing is ideal for technical education programs in administration of justice, criminal justice, and law enforcement and courses on investigative and police report writing and report writing for criminal justice and law enforcement professionals. After twenty-five years in law enforcement, Gary Guthrie retired and brought his experience and expertise to the university classroom. A faculty member at both Point Loma Nazarene University and Southwestern College in San Diego, he teaches criminal justice courses with a significant focus on the role of quality written documentation. Professor Guthrie relies on his own extensive investigative report-writing experience, which encompasses criminal, administrative, and policy investigations, to inform his teaching and his approach to foundational skills development in his students.

Investigative Reporting

Investigative Reporting
Author: David Spark
Publisher: CRC Press
Total Pages: 287
Release: 2012-11-12
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 113602946X

This important book defines what investigative reporting is and what qualities it requires. Drawing on the experience of many well-known journalists in the field, the author identifies the skills, common factors and special circumstances involved in a wide variety of investigations. It examines how opportunities for investigations can be found and pursued, how informants can be persuaded to yield needed information and how and where this information can be checked. It also stresses the dangers and legal constraints that have to be contended with and shows real life examples such as the Cook Report formula, the Jonathan Aitken investigation and the Birmingham Six story. David Spark, himself a freelance writer of wide experience, examines how opportunities for investigations can be found and pursued, how informants can be persuaded to yield needed information and how and where this information can be checked. He also stresses the dangers and legal constraints that have to be contended with and shows investigators at work in two classic inquiries: · The mysterious weekend spent in Paris by Jonathan Aitken, then Minister of Defence Procurement · The career of masterspy Kim Philby Investigative Reporting looks at such fields for inquiry as company frauds (including those of Robert Maxwell), consumer complaints, crime, police malpractice, the intelligence services, local government and corruption in Parliament and in overseas and international bodies. The author believes that the conclusions that emerge from this far-reaching survey are of value not only in investigative journalism, but to practitioners in all branches of reporting.

Just the Facts

Just the Facts
Author: Michael Biggs
Publisher: Prentice Hall
Total Pages: 164
Release: 2004
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN:

Being a good investigator is only half the battle; you must be able to tell your story in writing. Using this text will help you become a better report writer. "Just The Facts: Investigative Report Writing, Second Edition" is designed to perfectly match the needs of your student. This workbook now has perforated pages that can be easily torn out and turned into the instructor for grading. Each chapter is devoted to a major component of the report writing process and builds on the knowledge gained in the preceding chapter.

Principles of Investigative Documentation (2nd Edition)

Principles of Investigative Documentation (2nd Edition)
Author: Philip Becnel
Publisher: Charles C Thomas Publisher
Total Pages: 268
Release: 2024-01-10
Genre: Law
ISBN: 039809439X

This is the only book in existence that discusses the process of documenting an investigation from start to finish. It presents just about everything an investigator needs to know regarding how to document an investigation. This new edition builds upon the principles outlined in the first edition, but the new edition has a criminal defense bent, with numerous case examples provided that include insurance claims and civil litigation, criminal defense, murders, sexual assaults, and other serious felonies, particularly wrongful convictions. These require meticulous documentation. Proper documentation matters most in criminal cases. This book therefore will focus also on the rights of those accused of crimes. The first chapter discusses the five primary principles of investigative documentation: taking comprehensive notes; documenting every effort to contact witnesses and all surveillance; preparing reports whenever there is any possibility of needing to testify; taking verbatim statements from hostile witnesses and declarations from friendly witnesses; and providing all case documents to the client or maintaining a document retention plan. The second chapter details the numerous misconceptions pertaining to investigative documentation. This chapter sets the stage for the remaining chapters on note-taking, running resumes, reports, statements, and documentation retention. Each chapter is broken down into four or five sections that approximate the methods used to complete that particular documentary endeavor. The book also contains an exhaustive appendix that many investigators will find to be very useful. This is an advanced book for people who already have the necessary skills to do an investigation. By following the principles outlined in this book, investigators will see the quality of their investigations improve markedly and ultimately be more successful. Although the authors have chosen to refocus the second edition on criminal defense investigations, where proper documentation is most important, the principles herein remain the benchmark of how to document any investigation in the private sector.

Investigative Reporting from Premise to Publication

Investigative Reporting from Premise to Publication
Author: Marcy Burstiner
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 585
Release: 2017-02-09
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 135181611X

This book gives readers the confidence they need to handle any investigative reporting assignment and to produce demonstrated results. Its step-by-step progression covering the entire investigative process will help them stay on track to complete stories of any size. The book answers relevant questions such as "Where can I find a story?" "What do I do when a source won't talk?" "How can I find the right documents to support my story?" "How can I present this story online?" and "How can a spreadsheet keep it all from falling apart?" Investigative Reporting contains full stories and timely examples from both professional and student reporters. Each chapter concludes with sequential "Big Story" assignments to help readers research, write and publish their own investigative stories. Web links to online resources (including public records information, computer-assisted reporting techniques and interactive investigative story examples) will help readers move smoothly and successfully through an investigative story or team reporting project, whether for print, broadcast or the Web.

Digital Investigative Journalism

Digital Investigative Journalism
Author: Oliver Hahn
Publisher: Springer
Total Pages: 262
Release: 2018-12-28
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 3319972839

In the post-digital era, investigative journalism around the world faces a revolutionary shift in the way information is gathered and interpreted. Reporters in the field are confronted with data sources, new logics of information dissemination, and a flood of disinformation. Investigative journalists are working with programmers, designers and scientists to develop innovative tools and hands-on approaches that assist them in disclosing the misuse of power and uncovering injustice. This volume provides an overview of the most sophisticated techniques of digital investigative journalism: data and computational journalism, which investigates stories hidden in numbers; immersive journalism, which digs into virtual reality; drone journalism, which conquers hitherto inaccessible territories; visual and interactive journalism, which reforms storytelling with images and audience perspectives; and digital forensics and visual analytics, which help to authenticate digital content and identify sources in order to detect manipulation. All these techniques are discussed against the backdrop of international political scenarios and globally networked societies. This edited volume, written by renowned international media practitioners and scholars, is full of illuminating insights into digital investigative journalism and addresses professional journalists, journalism researchers and students.

Investigative Reporting

Investigative Reporting
Author: John Ullmann
Publisher: St Martins Press
Total Pages: 210
Release: 1995
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 9780312062705

Investigative Journalism

Investigative Journalism
Author: Hugo de Burgh
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 269
Release: 2021-03-28
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 0429594364

This third edition maps the new world of investigative journalism, where technology and globalisation have connected and energised journalists, whistle-blowers and the latest players, with far-reaching consequences for politics and business worldwide. In this new edition, expert contributors demonstrate how crowdsourcing, big data, globalisation of information, and changes in media ownership and funding have escalated the impact of investigative journalists. The book includes case studies of investigative journalism from around the world, including the exposure of EU corruption, the destruction of the Malaysian environment, and investigations in China, Poland and Turkey. From Ibero-America to Nigeria, India to the Arab world, investigative journalists intensify their countries’ evolution by inquisition and revelation. This new edition reveals how investigative journalism has gone digital and global. Investigative Journalism is essential for all those intending to master global politics, international relations, media and justice in the 21st century.

Investigative Reporter's Handbook

Investigative Reporter's Handbook
Author: Brant Houston
Publisher: Macmillan Higher Education
Total Pages: 580
Release: 2008-12-03
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 1319079652

Published with Investigative Reporters and Editors, Inc. (IRE), The Investigative Reporters Handbook is the best-selling classroom and newsroom classic. Useful as a textbook in advanced journalism courses and as a reference for professional journalists, this book shows students how to use fundamental news reporting and writing skills like gathering sources, tracking information, and interviewing to pursue investigative stories in a variety of beats from the government and education to healthcare, the environment and real estate. In addition to discussing the latest techniques and challenges in the profession, the fifth edition is now thoroughly streamlined, making it easier to locate the resources that investigative reporters need to get the story.