Think about that investigative story you didn't get a chance to do. This is the time to plan out a project for your student paper for next term. Here's what you can do over the summer:
1. File those public records requests
If your school is a publicly-funded university or college it is subject to public records laws. That means that you are entitled to just about any document the administration creates as long as releasing it won't identify individual students or violate personnel privacy laws. You could be entitled to such things as your university president's e-mails and his expense reports. For more information check out the National Freedom of Information Coalition. It has a briefing for the laws for each state. Also the Student Press Law Center has a great letter generator that will give you a boiler plate public records request letter to print out according to your state's law.
2. Develop the premise: Start with a question that can’t be answered without significant reporting.
3. Do your preliminary research: You don't have to wait for next year to surf the Internet for basic information, do news background searches using the databases you'll find on your university library website, or compiling lists of people to interview once school starts.
4. Assess the do-ability: You need to ask yourself a series of questions:
- What key pieces of information will I need, where can I get them, how difficult will they be to obtain and how long will that take?
- Will I have access to the people essential to the story?
- Will I need to travel far to get information?
- Does my story depend on granting anonymity and will that affect whether I can get the story published?
- Do I have the nerve to ask difficult questions?
- If my story depends on pouring through reports, do I have the time and patience to do that?
- Will I be able to analyze the data?
- Will the story depend on someone giving you secret information?
- Will my editors give me the space necessary to tell the story?
- Will I have to spend time with people in a setting that makes me uncomfortable
6. Put together your I-Team: Who else on your paper would be interested in participating in an investigative project? What will their roles be? Recruit a graphic designer and videographer.
7. Get advice. You can find me on Facebook. I'll help you plan out your project. Or I can hook you up with an investigative journalist closer to where you live who would be willing to work with you. Or email the folks at IRE.org. They love helping out student investigative reporters.
