Global | Investigative Journalism Manual

Prepare yourself for traumatic experiences

Cait McMahon from the Dart Center of Journalism and Trauma explains how journalists can prepare themselves from possible traumatic experiences during investigations. Watch the video for her recommendations and find out what she thinks are the responsibilities of an editorial department during an investigation. You want to know more about the work of the Dart […]

How to proof a fact

Fact-checking expert David Schraven from Correcti!v explains in the video how a fact can be proven. Follow the journalists on Twitter: @David_Schraven

Panama Papers: How to convert datasets into stories

We talked with Bastian Obermayer from the Süddeutsche Zeitung about how the Panama Papers investigation team converted the datasets into stories. He remembers: “When we started with the Panama Papers we were no data-specialists, so we hired someone. We hired Vanessa Wormer. Without her we would have had some stories, but we would have never […]

Traumatic experiences during investigations

Cait McMahon from the Dart Center of Journalism and Trauma explains what trauma is and how an investigative journalist can identify it. If you are suffering from the mentioned symptoms the Dart Center of Journalism and Trauma can support you on further steps.

Step by step: How to fact-check correctly

Fact-checking expert David Schraven from Correct!v explains the essential steps to find out whether a fact is true or false. Follow the journalists on Twitter: @David_Schraven Read Chapter 5 for more research tips.

How to identify fake documents

Have you ever doubted the originality of a document during your research? The Mongolian investigative journalist Lkhagva Erdene gives tips on how to identify fake documents. For more information on how to verify hints, leaks and facts read Chapter 2 or watch the interview with Kunda Dixit on whistleblowers and leaks as well as our […]

Are investigative journalists different from other journalists?

We wanted to know whether investigative journalists think they are different from other journalists. Watch the video and find out what we discovered. Check out chapter 1 for more differences and similarities between the two journalist types and our approach to define investigative journalism.

Tips on how to find the best messaging tool

Jason Reich, Director of Global Security at BuzzFeed, gives tips on how to find the right messaging tool for your investigation and when a Virtual Private Network (VPN) should be used. Find out how encryption protects you and what a VPN is in Chapter 4.

Identifying security risks with a threat model

Jason Reich, Director of Global Security at BuzzFeed, recommends to conduct a threat model to identify the risks and to find the right protection methods. Watch the video for more information. Find out more on how to investigate safely in Chapter 4.

The role of Social Media for digital security

Jason Reich, Director of Global Security at BuzzFeed, explains why digital security is important for investigative journalists and what impact social media has on safety. Find out more on how to investigate safely in Chapter 4.