The Journalist's Resource, Author at The Journalist's Resource

The Journalist's Resource

The Journalist's Resource examines public policy news topics through a research lens — and research through a journalistic lens. In clear, simple language, we provide journalists with a way to get up to speed on academic studies about complex problems and their potential solutions. Our mission is to inform the news by bridging the communications gap between academia and journalism. Our goal: to get more high-quality information into the media stream.

Expert Commentary

Recording phone calls and conversations: Legal guide from the Citizen Media Law Project

by The Journalist's Resource | July 11, 2012

Legal tip sheet from the Citizen Media Law Project at Harvard’s Berkman Center.

Expert Commentary

Health

Health reporting: Semester-long course on covering the science, policy and business of health care

by The Journalist's Resource | May 3, 2012

Semester-long course on covering health care in the United States, including investigating wrongdoing in health and medicine, and interpret health in political, socio-economic and medical contexts.

Expert Commentary

Research chat: Clay Shirky on press freedom in a global era

by The Journalist's Resource | October 28, 2011

2011 lecture by Clay Shirky at the Shorenstein Center on freedom of the press in a global age.

Expert Commentary

Economics

Business reporting: Semester-long course on how to develop compelling business-related stories

by The Journalist's Resource | June 23, 2011

Semester-long course on how to understand what’s going on at companies and to report and write compelling business stories.

Expert Commentary

Legal reporting: Covering the judicial system and understanding its importance

by The Journalist's Resource | June 15, 2011

Semester-long course on the structure of the judicial system and its terminology, function, and importance in public understanding of how the government operates.

Expert Commentary

Feature writing: Crafting research-based stories with characters, development and a structural arc

by The Journalist's Resource | January 22, 2010

Semester-long syllabus that teaches students how to write stories with characters, show development and follow a structural arc.

Expert Commentary

Basic newswriting: Learn how to originate, research and write breaking-news stories

by The Journalist's Resource | January 22, 2010

Syllabus for semester-long course on the fundamentals of covering and writing the news, including how identify a story, gather information efficiently and place it in a meaningful context.

Editors’ Picks

Politics & Government

When can your state start processing advance ballots? Check out this interactive timeline

October 8, 2024

Find out when your state can start processing advance ballots for the November 2024 general election. States that get their advance ballots ready sooner will be able to count those votes and report results faster come Election Day.

Expert Commentary

Media, Politics & Government

Election Beat 2024: Remember to cover voter registration deadlines

October 4, 2024

In the lead-up to Election Day in the U.S., it’s important for journalists to remind their audiences of voter registration deadlines in each state, writes media scholar Thomas Patterson in this research-based commentary.

Health, Politics & Government

The growing role of health care settings in voter registration: A research roundup

October 2, 2024

There’s a growing recognition that health care institutions can play an important role in mobilizing voters. We summarize studies that highlight these efforts and their outcomes.