Advanced journalism

Our advanced section explores specialised topics for experienced journalists seeking to deepen their expertise. Develop your skills in data journalism, multimedia storytelling, investigative techniques, and complex narrative structures that elevate reporting to the next level. All our material is free to download, adapt and use. Scroll down our site map for all the content in this and other sections.

Image by David Brewer released via Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0

Old news is no news, updates are essential

Journalism involves an ongoing commitment to update and rework the material we are producing to ensure that it remains relevant, reflects latest developments, and continues to inform.
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Editorial independence during elections

Election coverage is one of the most critical responsibilities of the media. It shapes public discourse, informs voters, and plays a vital role in safeguarding democracy.
Image of journalists carrying out computer-assisted reporting (CAR) image created using Imagen 3 - created by David Brewer of MHM

Computer-assisted reporting (CAR)

Computer-Assisted Reporting (CAR) refers to the use of digital tools such as spreadsheets, databases, and basic statistical analysis to interrogate large datasets.
Image to illustrate evidence-based reporting created with Google Gemini

Evidence-based reporting

This guide provides a framework for journalists to compile in-depth reports on any topic by ensuring that all they write is based on verifiable facts.
Slide by David Brewer released via Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0.

Planning effective election coverage

Planning is essential for journalists to produce effective election coverage.
Photo by Elijah O'Donnell on Unsplash

Fake news and trust chains

"Fake news" encompasses two distinct concepts: fabricated stories masquerading as truth and the dismissal of legitimate news as false.
Graphic by @urbanmuralhunter, image by Terence Faircloth, released via Creative Commons

Disinformation and misinformation

Journalists attempting to deal with 'fake news' need to understand the difference between disinformation and misinformation.
Fact-checking training Kenya. Image by Media Helping Media released via Creative Commons

Creating a fact-checking system

It’s the job of the journalist to try to find and present the truth, but fact-checking isn't easy. It requires a methodological approach to verification.
Systems thinking (story development) training in Vietnam - image by David Brewer

Systems thinking for journalists

Systems thinking empowers journalists to provide deeper more meaningful news coverage by moving beyond surface-level reporting to uncover underlying related facts.
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Investigating election irregularities

What should journalists look out for when covering elections? We look at five areas.
Image of a confidential document changing hands - created using Imagen 3 by David Brewer of MHM

Handling story leaks and tip-offs

A critical factor for journalists when handling and disseminating leaked material is the need to take account of the motives of the leaker.
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Avoiding manipulation

One of the roles of the journalist is to scrutinise the decisions made by politicians and report the implications to the public.

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