A Web site for students and friends of journalism
© 2010 William A. Mulligan, Ph.D. All rights reserved.
Professor of Journalism, former department chairman
California State University, Long Beach
420____________
I-reporting based Williams' teachings
JOURNALISM 420, “Investigative Reporting,” features the time-proven techniques of Paul Williams, an IRE founder, and others.
The professor of the course is William Mulligan, who last taught it in 1996.
Journalism 311 is a pre- requisite; 320, 331 useful and can be taken concurrently.
Web, photo, broadcast students welcome.
Course objectives
The following learning objectives based, including Paul Williams’ teachings, will enable the successful student in this course to develop the ability to:
1. Gather and sort ideas and facts.
2. Build patterns and analyze options.
3. Make logical decisions.
4. Understand legal issues facing investigative journalists.
5. Have an awareness of ethics considerations in investigative reporting.
6. Work in an editor-reporter relationship.
7. Do computer-assisted research.
8. Exercise in-depth interviewing techniques.
9. Awareness of the importance of story-related photography and graphics.
10. Understand the role of the investigative reporter as a public servant.
Each letter grade will be converted to points on a scale of 1 to 100. All scores will be added and averaged at the end of the semester.
Your final course grade will be based on: articles, 50 percent; quizzes, 5 percent; attendance, 5 percent; Mid-Term Exam, 15 percent; and Final Exam, 25 percent.
Usually, grades of 90-100 equal an A; 80-89, B; and 70-79, C. And, usually, assignments/activities, 15 percent; news quizzes equal 10 percent of your grade.
Grades follow the university catalog:
A — Performance has been at the highest level, showing sustained excellence in meeting all course requirements and exhibiting an unusual degree of intellectual initiative.
B — Performance of the student has been at a high level, showing consistent and effective achievement in meeting course requirements.
C — Performance of the student has been at an adequate level, meeting the basic requirements of the course.
D — Performance of the student has been less than adequate, meeting only minimum course requirements. (However, no D story will be accepted. Such a story or work should be redone as time permits.)
F — Performance of the student has been such that minimal course requirements have not been met.
Unacceptable work or story, which would not be publishable, is poorly organized,
contains factual errors (including misspelled proper nouns) and newspaper style and grammatical errors.
A final grade of F shall be assigned as the result of cheating or plagiarism. The student also is subject to dismissal from the department and the university.
OHIO STATE University’s Lantern, in Columbus, Ohio, reported Nov. 1, 1976, the death of Paul Williams, the newspaper’s adviser and a founder of Investigative Reporters and Editors, IRE. He was a former managing editor of Sun Newspapers, Omaha, Neb., and worked on the Boys Town investigative reporting expose. This edition of the investigative reporting is based on his book, “Investigative Reporting.”
The main text for the class is “The Investigative Reporter's handbook.” Also required are “Computer-Assisted Reporting: A Practical Guide, AP Stylebook and "420: The Glory Days."
The professor is required to comply with university and class shutdown days for furloughs of staff and faculty, due to the state budget crisis. The shutdown days for this class are noted in the schedule.
This schedule includes the topic of the week and related readings from “The Investigative Reporter’s Handbook,””Computer Assisted Reporting:A Practical Guide (CAR)“ and “420: The Glory Days,” a Web-based slide program. The library session is required.
Week 1 —Aug. 31, Sept. 1
Introduction to course: the investigative process. Please read: Preface, About the Authors and Chapter 1, “The Investigative Reporter's Handbook.” Lecture.
Week 2 — Sept. 7, Labor Day, Sept. 9
Secondary sources. Read: Chapter 2, “The Investigative Reporter's Handbook,” Introduction, “Glory Days” — Introduction and Homeless; and Chapter 1, “CAR.” Lecture, lab.
Week 3 — Sept. 14, Sept. 16
Primary documents. Read: Chapter 3, “The Investigative Reporter's Handbook;” Homeless (continued) in “Glory Days;” and Chapter 2, “CAR.” Lecture, lab, quiz.
Week 4 — Sept. 21, 23
Computer-assisted reporting. Read: Chapter 4, “The Investigative Reporter's Handbook;” “Streets of Terror” in “Glory Days;” and Chapter 3, “CAR.” Lecture, lab. First quiz Monday. Memo 1 deadline is Sept. 23.
Week 5 — Sept. 28, 30
People trails. Read: Chapter 5, “The Investigative Reporter's Handbook;” Drug abuse in “Glory Days;” and Chapter 4, “CAR.” Lecture, lab. Quiz Wednesday.
Week 6 — Oct. 4, 6
Ethics. Read: Chapter 6, “The Investigative Reporter's Handbook;” immigration in “Glory Days;” and Chapter 5, “CAR.” Lecture, lab, quiz. Draft, required, of Story No. 1, Oct. 6. Should be as complete as possible, including accuracy check and copies of support documents.
Week 7 — Oct. 12, 14
Investigating government. Read: Chapter 7, “The Investigative Reporter's Handbook;” health care in “Glory Days;” and Chapter 6, “CAR.” Lecture, lab, quiz. Final deadline Story No. 1, Oct. 14. Story must be complete to be accepted for grading consideration. Midterm review on Wednesday
Week 8 — Oct. 19, 21 (Careers Day, please attend morning session)
Monday, Midterm test; Wednesday.
Week 9 — Oct. 26, Oct. 28
Executive branch. Read: Chapter 7, “The Investigative Reporter's Handbook;” higher education in “Glory Days;” and Chapter 7, “CAR.” . Monday: Lecture, lab, quiz, Memo No. 2 (class topic story) due, deadline; Story No. 1 final version due, grade will be recorded. Wednesday: Required library session is with librarian Carol Perruso, former L.A. Times Web edition editor, in university library, on Wednesday. Attendance is required.
Week 10 — Nov. 2 (shutdown day; no class), 4
Legislative branch. Read: Chapter 8, “The Investigative Reporter's Handbook;” shaky earth in “Glory Days;” and Chapter 8, “CAR.” Lecture, lab, quiz.
Week 11 — Nov. 9, 11 (campus closed; holiday, Veterans Day)
Legislative branch. Read: Chapter 8, “The Investigative Reporter's Handbook;” shaky earth in “Glory Days;” and Chapter 9, “CAR.” Lecture, lab, quiz.
Week 12 — Nov. 16, 18
Judicial system. Read: Chapter 9, “The Investigative Reporter's Handbook” and Chapter 10, “CAR.” Lecture, lab, quiz. Draft version, Story No. 2, as complete as possible with accuracy check and supporting documents due. Nov. 18.
Week 13 — Nov. 23, 25 is fall break , no class; Thursday is Thanksgiving
Law enforcement. Read: Chapter 11, “The Investigative Reporter's Handbook.” Lecture, lab, quiz..
Week 14 — Nov. 30, Dec. 2
Education. Read: Chapter 12, “The Investigative Reporter's Handbook.” Lecture, lab, quiz. Final version, Story No. 2 due with accuracy check and supporting documents Dec. 2. Deadline is absolute.
Week 15 — Dec. 7 (class shutdown day), Dec. 9
Reading: Topic is your choice; choose one chapter from Chapter 16-21, “The Investigative Reporter's Handbook.” Final exam review, quiz on Wednesday.
The Final Exam, which is scheduled during Exam Week, Dec. 14-19, on Wednesday, Dec. 16, 5-7 p.m.
Description
The California State University, Long Beach catalog description of this course is:
420. Investigative Reporting (3) Prerequisite: JOUR 311 with a grade of "C" or better.
Students work in an editor-reporter relationship with instructor in researching and writing in-depth pieces on such complex issues as mass transit, air pollution, city government, poverty, crime, housing and drug abuse. Computer-assisted research and investigative and interviewing techniques stressed.
Letter-grade only (A-F). Lecture 2 hours, Laboratory 2 hours.
Class meetings have lectures and class discussions on story development. The lab part of the course will include practical exercises, including computer assisted research techniques.
Requirements
Student responsibilities are to: attend all classes; take complete notes; read, study and complete the assignments; prepare for and take the quizzes and tests; and research and write at least two in-depth investigative articles acceptable for publication, following the professor’s instructions.
For the articles, reporters shall: prepare complete story memos; have multiple sources; use correct grammar; follow all Associated Press style and policies; check accuracy and complete accuracy checks; meet deadlines; submit with course grading sheet; submit computer copy, as requested; and rewrite stories upon instructor’s request, as deadline time permits.
Supporting photographs and graphics recommended with each story.
Late assignments not accepted. Assignments/activities are scheduled throughout the session.
The student is reminded to always keep backup copies. The University Library session for this course is required.
News-review quizzes in Journalism 420 can be expected each week on the previous week's news and readings. Quiz news topics are chosen from The Wall Street Journal. Tips are posted daily on the Web site. News quizzes will usually be each Monday,
beginning the fourth week. (See Schedule.)
A missed quiz shall result in an F for that day’s work. Class attendance is required under the university's attendance policy. Excused absences for serious and compelling reasons require proper documentation, which will be determined by the instructor.
Grade points are deducted for unexcused absences, tardiness or class disruption (cell phone or iPod use, leaving the room during lecture etc).
Diversity
This course recognizes the contributions of ethnic and religious minorities, senior citizens, gays and lesbians, and other groups, and, it incorporates the professional standards of fairness as outlined in The Associated Press Stylebook and Libel Manual,the Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics, Investigative Reporters and Editors and American Copy Editors Society.
Diversity is encouraged in the readings and student writings.
Readings
Required:
“420: The Glory Days,” a collection of the class’ published writings from 1987-1994, posted.
The Associated Press Stylebook.
Brant Houston and IRE, “Computer-Assisted Reporting: A Practical Guide,” third edition.
Brant Houston, “IRE Handbook,” fifth edition, 2009.
Also, a tape or digital recorder is needed for all interviews.
Recommended:
“Best Newspaper Writing,” Poynter Institute.
Strunk and White, “Elements of Style."
The Wall Street Journal (available through the class).
Williams, “Investigative Reporting,” 1978.
Tests
The course has a traditional midterm and final exam, which is during exam week.
News and review quizzes are usually weekly, on Monday.
Reminders
Please avoid cell phones, iPods, arriving late and
leaving class (attendance points may be deducted). If emergency, see
instructor. Plagiarism equals zero in course. CSULB requires
attendance. Documentation required for excused absences. Department
policy information is available on syllabus addendum.
The schedule is subject to change.
