WHERE DO YOU GET THE DATA TO MAKE A REPORT? - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2025

Where do reporters get the information to make a report? In reality, there is no single answer to this question: to a large extent, it depends on both the type of reporter and the topic you want to investigate. In general, reporters go to the places where the events have occurred, interview people, investigate documents, books or online.

Sometimes a reporter can spend years following up on a story, eventually publishing it; in other cases, the story is the one that finds the reporter. Currently, thanks to the existence of various communication media, people are able to contact reporters to cover a story.

Other reporters depend on their contacts, sources that provide them with information. For this, the reporter must be able to establish an informants network that will be useful at any given time.

For example, if the researcher is in charge of covering the policy area, he or she will interact with the spokespersons of the various political parties, with the leaders (if possible), in order to be aware of the controversies that could arise.

In other cases, stories are presented so far-reaching that all reporters focus on them. However, only good reporters know how to take this story and work on it from a particular point of view so that the resulting report is unique.

In summary, the ways to obtain data for a report are as many as there are stories in the world and depend on various external factors, such as the type of report, the area covered, the type of reporter, among others.

Ways to get data for a report

Getting a good story is not an easy task; in fact, many reporters claim that it is one of the most difficult parts of their job. Some of the ways to get data for a good report are:

1- Be attentive to rumors, stories and trends that circulate in the streets, since these offer indications about what interests the general public.

2- Read the local newspapers carefully, since this can be a story that, treated in the appropriate way, could have national significance.

3- Follow up on stories that have been belittled.

4- Be attentive to trends in social networks, such as Twitter and Facebook.

Types of reports and data collection

As already explained, the data collection process will depend largely on the type of reporting that is made.

Next, some types of reports are presented, explaining how the information is obtained in each case.

Events report

For reports on crimes, accidents and other events of this nature, the most reliable source through which data is obtained to make a report is the police line.

Reporters frequently contact the police station to find out about the day's events. Sometimes they also extract this type of information from large hospitals.

Scientific report

In most cases, reporters who are in charge of covering the area of ​​scientific advances attend conventions in which these advances are discussed, forums, among other events.

Human interest report

The human interest report is intended to present the circumstances that an individual or a group of individuals is going through.

In this case, the incentive for the development of the report may come from the reporter or from the individuals studied (in case these are the ones who decide to contact the reporter).

To carry out the investigation and obtain all the necessary data, the reporter can live with these people, conduct interviews with those involved and other related people, and study contemporary events that affect these individuals.

Interpretive report

The interpretive report is one in which the reporter analyzes the data obtained to explain the subject to his audience.

In this type of report, the data can be obtained in different ways since the work area is not specific (it could be a report on politics, economics, legislation, science, among others); what is really important is the way in which the reporter presents the information.

Autobiographical report

In this type of story, the reporter makes himself the center of the story. In this sense, data collection will come from a process of introspection.

Similarly, you can draw on the testimonies of other people to complete parts of the story.

Types of sources for obtaining data

Previously, it was stated that the reporter establishes a network of informants that allows him to be aware of current events.

This network of informants is also known as "sources", which are classified as:

• Primary source: made up of people who participated directly in the events that are intended to be reported or who witnessed them.

• Secondary source: made up of people who analyze the data provided by the primary sources.

• Source of origin: it is one that offers direct information about the story to be reported.

• Complementary source: it is the one that offers data that help to interpret, analyze and complement the information offered by the source of origin.

• Exclusive source: is one that offers information to a single reporter or a single chain.

• Shared source: is one that offers information to more than one chain.

• Official source: made up of people who work directly in the information dissemination medium (spokespersons for the government, organizations, and other institutions).

• Unofficial source: made up of people who lack authority regarding the production of information; this does not mean that the data offered by these sources is not valid.

• Public source: a source is public when the informant consents to their name being released if the report requires it.

• Anonymous source: is one that does not accept that their name is published in the report.

References

1. How do journalist find their stories? Retrieved on June 13, 2017, from quora.com.
2. How do news channels and newspapers get the information that they show? Retrieved on June 13, 2017, from quora.com.
3. Investigative Journalism Manual. Ways to find a story. Retrieved on June 13, 2017, from investigative-journalism-africa.info.
4. Original journalism: Finding stories. Retrieved on June 13, 2017, from bbc.co.uk.
5. How do journalist find stories and how do you get them I cover yours? Retrieved on June 13, 2017, from shericandler.com.
6. What are the best ways of finding stories as a freelancer journalist? Retrieved on June 13, 2017, from writersbureau.com.
7. How do the top journalist get their information? Retrieved on June 13, 2017, from reddit.com.
8. Sources of Information. Retrieved on June 13, 2017, from thenewsmanual.net.