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  3. Investigative Journalism

Investigative Journalism (JOUR90013)

Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)

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Overview

Availability(Quotas apply)
Semester 2 - On Campus
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This subject builds on basic journalistic interview and research skills to introduce the discipline and advanced research techniques of investigative journalism. It discusses the ethics, obligations, role and challenges of investigative journalism in the western democratic tradition and, as appropriate, in other political contexts. Students will explore and interrogate a range of opportunities to source information: public records, open source intelligence, Freedom of Information legislation, crowd sourcing, data analysis, advanced verification and security and safety technologies. They will be introduced to the multiple ethical and legal issues involved in use of confidential sources and unauthorised disclosures, and how this relates to core journalistic ethical principles. Students will be strongly encouraged to initiate and undertake an investigation as part of the subject, with an option to pursue an analytical essay as an alternative.

 

Intended learning outcomes

On successful completion of this subject, students should be able to:

  • Enlist story-based inquiry techniques to initiate, research, compose and edit compelling investigative stories.
  • Access digital registers to locate and analyse information in public records including land titles, company searches, and legal documents.
  • Identify and request information from and about governments, organisations, and companies using Freedom of Information legislation and/or open-source intelligence.
  • Describe the ethical principles and clarify considerations and obligations when locating, cultivating and interviewing human sources.
  • Recognise common ethical and security issues in journalism raised by unauthorised disclosures and relationships of confidence with sources and employ appropriate tools and practices to ensure the safety and confidentiality of sources.
  • Apply the techniques for, and explain the principles of, enlisting data, evolving technologies, and social media to source and verify information.
  • Conduct effective and professional interviews using open-ended inquiry for journalistic purposes.

Generic skills

At the completion of this subject, students should gain the following generic skills:

  • High level ability to analyse writing techniques and affects
  • High level ability to express thoughts, ideas and observations in accessible written English.

Last updated: 6 November 2025