Don’t say ‘prove’: How to report on the conclusiveness of research findings
This tip sheet explains why it’s rarely accurate for news stories to report that a new study proves anything — even when a press release says it does.
Know Your Research
Tip sheets and explainers to help journalists understand academic research methods; find and recognize high-quality research; investigate scientific misconduct and research errors; and avoid missteps when reporting on new studies and public opinion polls
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Need US government data? Get to know TRAC at Syracuse University
Whether you are investigating the immigration system or activities of federal criminal and civil courts, TRAC has done the FOIA work to obtain data that can bolster your reporting.
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Using academic research to do investigative journalism: 5 tips from our webinar
For those who couldn’t attend our recent training, here are some of the tips Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist Neil Bedi, criminologist Rachel Lovell and I shared.
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These were the most-read pieces on The Journalist’s Resource in 2022
Here are the year’s 10 most popular posts, which helped journalists as they reported some of the biggest news stories of 2022.
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Story ideas from the Federal Reserve’s Beige Book: Final edition of 2022
The Beige Book offers a high-level glimpse of current economic sentiment across the bank’s 12 districts. We reveal story ideas from the final edition for 2022, including rural health care woes in Mississippi and high-end office perks in Richmond.
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A tale of two math terms: An infographic story about when to use percent change vs. percentage-point change
Meanville, USA, was an average American town. Until one day, a local journalist had to figure the best way to explain how town administrators planned to spend a sudden windfall …
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Percent change versus percentage-point change: What’s the difference? 4 tips for avoiding math errors
Many people get ‘percent change’ and ‘percentage-point change’ confused. Use this tip sheet, featuring insights from data journalism pioneer Jennifer LaFleur, to get it right.
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What’s standard deviation? 4 things journalists need to know
Not sure what ‘standard deviation’ is or why it matters in academic research? We outline four key things journalists need to know about this common measure.
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Story ideas from the Federal Reserve’s Beige Book: July 2022
The Beige Book offers a high-level glimpse of current economic sentiment across the country. We reveal story ideas from the July 2022 release, including well-insured pets in San Francisco and a home equity loan slump in Philadelphia.
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5 things journalists need to know about statistical significance
Statistical significance is a highly technical, nuanced mathematical concept. Journalists who cover academic research should have a basic understanding of what it represents and the controversy surrounding it.
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