Part Two - Collecting Information

Chapter 5 - Curiosity and Story Ideas

• AskCNN: Why are yawns contagious and other answers to questions that might stimulate your curiosity.
• Twenty-one Ways to Find Story Ideas - tip sheet from the Poynter Institute
• Ideas for stories from the Providence Journal's "Power of Words" writing tips site
• "Sometimes a good story is right under your nose" - also from the Providence Journal
• Uwire - a wire service for colleges, but you can browse and get good ideas to localize for your school

Chapter 6 - Sources and Online Research

Scavenger hunts and training exercises

• Online source scavenger hunt 1 (government sources)
• Online source scavenger hunt 2 (general and personal info)

Sources:

• Betterwhois
• Yearbook of Experts - a good way to find experts on a variety of topics.
• Public Records Online -- site lists links to all states and their public records databases - mainly real estate and tax records
• Infospace.com (a search engine that functions as a cross directory giving you phone numbers and addresses of people if you have the phone numbers or neighbors in nearby addresses.
• Reverse phone directory (an online cross directory for finding addresses of neighbors and other information if you have the phone number)

Internet training exercises from the Radio and Television News Directors Association

Other resources

• A Journalist's Guide to the Internet - comprehensive directory of indispensible sources by Christopher Callahan, associate dean of journalism at the University of Maryland
• Power Reporting - a comprehensive list of links to sources for journalists by journalist and newsroom trainer Bill Dedman
• Web Treasure Hunt - an interactive test on searching -- also by Bill Dedman from Power Reporting
• Web searching: A tutorial on search strategy and syntax - more from Power Reporting
• Journalismnet - a global source of links for journalists
• Reporter's Desktop, good source of search engines and journalism sites by Duff Wilson, a Seattle Times reporter
• Finding Data on the Internet, another good journalism resource by Robert Niles
• Statistics Every Journalist Should Know - math help for journalists also by Robert Niles
• Student Media Sourcebook - resources for college journalists
• International Center for Journalists -- global sources
• A Selective Guide to the Internet by Rich Meislin, editor in chief of New York Times Digital
• Internet Resources by Facsnet - selected resources for journalists from the Foundation for American Communications
• The Beat Page - IRE - resources for beat journalists from the IRE - Investigative Reporters and Editors
• Opensecrets.org - guide to checking campaign contributions and other money in elections
• Follow the money - excellent guide to checking campaign contributions for state officials
• PRWeb - press releases and comprehensive information for public relations practitioners
• PRnewswire - another comprehensive source of news releases and business information
• Business wire - also a service for business information and releases
• Uwire - a wire service for and about colleges and university news
• Information Please - a searchable almanac for quick information
• College Grad Job Hunter - a good source for finding jobs and help with resumes
• Detroit Free Press Jobs page - a great resource with tips on how to write resumes and cover letters
• Freedom of Information Web- Society of Professional Journalists
• Freedom of Information Center, University of Missouri

Chapter 7 - Interviewing Techniques

• Interviews 50 cents Exercise 9, A penny for your thoughts, is based on this idea from National Public Radio reporter Alex Chadwich and producer Ray Farkas, who traveled around the country offering people 50 cents for interviews. Check this site:
• Active Listening Rules - Poynter - tip sheet from the Poynter Institute
• "What's in Your Notebook?" - tips from writing coach Jack Hart
• Guidelines for Interviewing Juveniles - also from the Poynter Institute
• Interviewing tips from the Providence Journal's Power of Words site
• Newspaper Interviewing 101 - from the Detroit Free Press Freep Academy
• "Loosening lips," article by Seattle Times reporter Eric Nalder