Class Journalism Research

The concept of Investigative Journalism is here understood in a multiple sense: as a discipline belonging to what can be more widely designated as in-depth journalism, that may include historical journalism, data journalism or in-depth reporting and the procedures under its specific purposes and methodological frameworks, and as a particular set of practices and/or research techniques, selection and processing of information.

1. What 'is seen' and what 'it is'

1.1. The hidden facts and the imperative to investigate

1.2. Journalism as a sine qua non condition for democracy

1.3. Journalism as mediation and contemporary factor of differentiation

1.4. The limits of investigative journalism: legal, ethical, deontological and institutional 

1.5. Stories that made history

2. Introduction to investigative journalism methodologies

2.1. Investigative journalism and other forms of research

2.2. The application of the "case study" strategy

2.3. A practical approach to the journalistic investigation process

3. Sources of information

3.1. Hidden facts: from initial knowledge to the decision to investigate

3.2. Early stages of verification: documents and testimonies and sources

3.3. Processing information, verification and construction

3.4. The imperative of contradictory

4. Investigative reportage

4.1. The decision to publish

4.2. Research as journalistic narrative

4.3. Conducting an investigation

Teaching methodologies combine the theoretical program that explores qualitative and quantitative research methodologies with their application to journalistic research practices, through an initial sequence of expository sessions and subsequent tutorial monitoring of the projects.

Assessment will be continuous, with the delivery of the final work being scheduled as foreseen in ULP's academic calendar.

Students will be evaluated in the following phases: i) weekly progression of the journalistic investigation group project in the UC tutoring sessions (40% of the grade, with as individual evaluation of each group member); ii) public pre-presentation of the journalistic investigation project (20%); iii) final journalistic investigation work (40%).

The appeal and special season exam will consist of the delivery, on the defined date, of a complete journalistic investigation work (100% of the grade).

Evidence of plagiarism will result in the annulment of the work.

Burstiner, M. (2017). Investigative Reporting from Premise to Publication: From Premise to Publication. Taylor & Francis.

Hahn, O., & Stalph, F. (2018). Digital Investigative Journalism: Data, Visual Analytics and Innovative Methodologies in International Reporting. Springer International Publishing.

Houston, B., Horvit, M., Reporters, I., & Eds. (2020). Investigative Reporter's Handbook: A Guide to Documents, Databases, and Techniques. BEDFORD BOOKS.

Investigative Journalism. (2021). (H. d. Burgh & P. Lashmar, Eds. 3.ª ed.). Routledge.

Mesquita, M. (2004). O quarto equívoco: o poder dos media na sociedade contemporânea. MinervaCoimbra.

Pilger, J. (2011). Tell Me No Lies: Investigative Journalism and its Triumphs. Random House.

Pinto, M. (2007). Casos em que o jornalismo foi notícia. Campo das Letras.