Question 1

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of all investigative reporters?

Accepted Answer

A)  They are storytellers. 
B)  They are curious. 
C)  They are award winners. 
D)  They are truth seekers. 
A)  They are storytellers. 
B)  They are curious. 
C)  They are award winners. 
D)  They are truth seekers. C

Question 2

Investigative reporters are more persistent than other reporters.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False  True

Question 3

What do we mean when we say a story relies on a smoking gun?

Accepted Answer

It provides documents or other tangible forms of proof.

Question 4

An investigative story is proactive.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 5

How can the Internet help a reporter carry out an investigative story?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How can the Internet help a reporter...

Question 6

When we say reporters are methodical, we mean that they are persistent.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 7

Investigative reporters are more courageous than most reporters.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 8

What does it mean when we say that an investigative story goes beyond basic facts?

Accepted Answer

A)  It reports more than just the "for" and "against" sides to the story. 
B)  It avoids paradoxes. 
C)  Every source in the story is an expert. 
D)  It makes problems seem more complicated. 
A)  It reports more than just the "for" and "against" sides to the story. 
B)  It avoids paradoxes. 
C)  Every source in the story is an expert. 
D)  It makes problems seem more complicated.

Question 9

How can the Internet foster investigative reporting?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How can the Internet foster investigative reporting?...

Question 10

Why does an investigative reporter need to find a variety of sources even if one person or document proves that something is happening?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Why does an investigative reporter need to...

Question 11

What do we mean when we say that a reporter can execute?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What do we mean when we say...

Question 12

What kind of reporters were Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein when they uncovered the Watergate scandal in 1972?

Accepted Answer

A)  Metro reporters 
B)  Science reporters 
C)  Sports reporters 
D)  Political reporters. 
A)  Metro reporters 
B)  Science reporters 
C)  Sports reporters 
D)  Political reporters.

Question 13

Why does an investigative reporter have to be a storyteller?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Why does an investigative reporter have to...

Question 14

You have to be more ethical to be an investigative reporter.

Accepted Answer

A) True 
 B)False

Question 15

What do we mean when we say that investigative reporters aren't satisfied with a story that is accurate and balanced?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What do we mean when we say...

Question 16

Which of the following is among the criteria IRE uses to define investigative reporting?

Accepted Answer

A)  They uncover secret information. 
B)  They result in changes to the law. 
C)  They are done through a reporter's own initiative. 
D)  They are done using public records laws. 
A)  They uncover secret information. 
B)  They result in changes to the law. 
C)  They are done through a reporter's own initiative. 
D)  They are done using public records laws.

Question 17

Why can investigative reporters be considered scientists?

Accepted Answer

A)  They are nerdier than other journalists. 
B)  They start their investigation with a hypothesis. 
C)  They are smarter than other reporters. 
D)  They often hold science degrees. 
A)  They are nerdier than other journalists. 
B)  They start their investigation with a hypothesis. 
C)  They are smarter than other reporters. 
D)  They often hold science degrees.

Question 18

How can a story be considered important if it deals with a problem that people already know about?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How can a story be considered important...

Question 19

What does it mean when we say that investigative stories often highlight systemic problems?

Accepted Answer

The answer of What does it mean when we say...

Question 20

How can the Internet be a good place to publish investigative stories?

Accepted Answer

The answer of How can the Internet be a good...

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of all investigative reporters?

Investigative reporters are more persistent than other reporters.

What do we mean when we say a story relies on a smoking gun?

An investigative story is proactive.

How can the Internet help a reporter carry out an investigative story?

When we say reporters are methodical, we mean that they are persistent.

Investigative reporters are more courageous than most reporters.

What does it mean when we say that an investigative story goes beyond basic facts?

How can the Internet foster investigative reporting?

Why does an investigative reporter need to find a variety of sources even if one person or document proves that something is happening?

What do we mean when we say that a reporter can execute?

What kind of reporters were Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein when they uncovered the Watergate scandal in 1972?

Why does an investigative reporter have to be a storyteller?

You have to be more ethical to be an investigative reporter.

What do we mean when we say that investigative reporters aren't satisfied with a story that is accurate and balanced?

Which of the following is among the criteria IRE uses to define investigative reporting?

Why can investigative reporters be considered scientists?

How can a story be considered important if it deals with a problem that people already know about?

What does it mean when we say that investigative stories often highlight systemic problems?

How can the Internet be a good place to publish investigative stories?

Finding the Story

Setting up the Investigation

Finding Human Sources

Documenting the Investigation

Public Records

The Interview Process

Finding and Using Data

Building Your Own Database

Analyzing a Big Story

Writing the Story

Legal and Ethical Considerations

Bulletproofing the Investigation

Pitching the Story

Filters

Exam 1: What Is Investigative Reporting

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of all investigative reporters?

Investigative reporters are more persistent than other reporters.

What do we mean when we say a story relies on a smoking gun?

An investigative story is proactive.

How can the Internet help a reporter carry out an investigative story?

When we say reporters are methodical, we mean that they are persistent.

Investigative reporters are more courageous than most reporters.

What does it mean when we say that an investigative story goes beyond basic facts?

How can the Internet foster investigative reporting?

Why does an investigative reporter need to find a variety of sources even if one person or document proves that something is happening?

What do we mean when we say that a reporter can execute?

What kind of reporters were Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein when they uncovered the Watergate scandal in 1972?

Why does an investigative reporter have to be a storyteller?

You have to be more ethical to be an investigative reporter.

What do we mean when we say that investigative reporters aren't satisfied with a story that is accurate and balanced?

Which of the following is among the criteria IRE uses to define investigative reporting?

Why can investigative reporters be considered scientists?

How can a story be considered important if it deals with a problem that people already know about?

What does it mean when we say that investigative stories often highlight systemic problems?

How can the Internet be a good place to publish investigative stories?

Finding the Story

Setting up the Investigation

Finding Human Sources

Documenting the Investigation

Public Records

The Interview Process

Finding and Using Data

Building Your Own Database

Analyzing a Big Story

Writing the Story

Legal and Ethical Considerations

Bulletproofing the Investigation

Pitching the Story

Filters