Shop

Using a free Firefox add-on, and some simple code that anyone can understand (it's practically plain English), we'll learn how to "interview" sprawling datasets to find strong reporting leads, using data from this story. (Or in geek-speak: An introduction to SQLite databases.)

The separate steps of investigative reporting can be integrated into a single process, with tremendous gains in time, accuracy and confidence. We begin by forming an investigative hypothesis. Then, we deconstruct the hypothesis to find paths for verification. Two further tools illuminate the paths: a source map and a timeline. By using them together, we anticipate where to find key human sources and records. We also structure the story as we verify it.