Olivet College of Journalism (OCJ) recently hosted a workshop that taught journalism students how to conduct news research. Invited lecturers for the workshops included professional journalists working at ministries affiliated with OCJ who volunteered to teach their aspiring cohorts.
Many of the lecturers agreed that the Internet age has been a mixed blessing for journalists. On one hand, it has helped news reporting by generating immediate information for journalists to access. But on the other hand, the internet created added pressure for reporters who must struggle to deliver quality stories at the lightning-fast speed internet readers have grown accustomed to.
Good journalistic research skills can help reporters to not only survive in this type of climate, according to the journalists, but to also thrive.
During the workshop, the group of journalists took turns offering their personal tips to conducting news research. Journalism students were able to see how some professional journalists built their news story, even from starting with only a news release as a preliminary lead.
A few notable news researching tips included:
• A good reporter will scan for "hints" in the news release that would direct them to more information. For example, the name of a quoted professor might lead the reporter to search the website of the professor's university or his personal blog for more details; the mention of an organization in the news release might prompt the reporter to search the group's website or Facebook page; and the context in which the news release was published might tip the reporter to search for similar happenings or establish an emerging trend.
• Reporters can always call the public relations contact for an interview or more information.
• The key to mastering journalistic research is to be inquisitive about what you're researching and keep digging for more answers.
• Thorough research on a topic can also help journalists avoid common mistakes made by novice reporters. These include writing inaccurate stories or sounding like an "echo" to stories in other news publications.
The visiting journalists also encouraged OCJ students to hone their researching skills and to nurture their inquisitive instincts.
The workshop was offered as part of the “How to Make a Great Newspaper” module, designed to introduce journalism students and interns to key elements that contribute to the quality and integrity of any established newspaper.
OCJ is expected to host another workshop from the module series this week that surveys the use of traditional, internet and Web 2.0 tools to generate news leads and story ideas.