Resources

Online resources that can be useful to reporters and citizens seeking truth or presenting information.

Local Info

Guides

  • Money is everywhere in politics, and it’s hard to keep track of. You can learn the basics and get the data at OpenSecrets.org.

  • Archives of digitized material, including books, images, music and sounds, and even website histories (The Wayback Machine).

  • At Copper Beacon, we strive to follow the Society of Professional Journalists’ Code of Ethics.

    These ethics are what separates a journalist from a blogger, author, or pundit.

  • From the International Journalists Network, a basic guide on building your first feature story. Perfect for first-time reporters.

  • Almost a book, these tips and tricks for handling Freedom of Information Act requests are as thorough a guide as there is. It comes from MuckRock, one of the authorities on the subject.

  • Style guides from The Open Notebook that cover subjects like race, ethnicity, gender, disability, and more.

  • The authenticity of photos, social media posts, video, and more is increasingly suspect when you’re working online. Craig Silverman’s Verification Handbook will equip you to find the truth.

  • Create custom charts, maps and tables to go with your stories.

  • These checklists help reporters and editors ensure their due diligence has been done on our investigative stories.

Outside Resources