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.

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Data journalism – resources and tools

We have compiled a list of some of the leading resources and tools that are available for those starting out in data journalism.
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Tool: Story Weighting System

Different news stories have a different value for your audience and for your business. Giving news items a 'weighting' can lead to impact and efficiencies.
"Working late" by Alan Cleaver is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Why follow-up journalism matters

Most news stories need following up. If the original has any value, there will be angles worth developing. If you fail to do so, you let your audience down.
Media coaching image courtesy of Delanoye released via Creative Commons BY-NC 4.0

How to handle a media-trained interviewee

How do you interview someone who has been trained to avoid your questions? You have to recognise the techniques, stay calm, and keep digging for facts.
Image of man typing on a computer by Negative Space and released under Creative Commons.

Prompting AI for journalism

When using generative AI in journalism, it's essential to create the right prompts. The quality of the prompts will define the quality of the response.
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Climate change glossary

The following is a list of some of the common climate change terms used by scientists, environmental agencies, governments, activists, and journalists.
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Causes of climate change

Journalists must avoid providing false equivalence and false balance when covering news stories – particularly climate change.
Slide by David Brewer released via Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0.

The importance of keeping records

Journalists who want to inform the audience need to keep records so that they can add context to breaking news stories without having to rely on others for background information
Image of a news conference courtesy of Mariusz Kaminski

Brand values in news

All news organisations have values. They are the biggest part of the organisation’s brand. Journalists need to uphold these brand values at all times.
Slide by David Brewer released via Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0.

Managing a news website’s front page

The journalist in charge of a news website is like a shopkeeper who sets out their stall. If the items are badly displayed the customer might miss them, if they are not fresh people won't buy them.
Fact checking graphic produced using Google Gemini

Beyond basic fact-checking

Fact-checking is a complex, evidence-based process which goes beyond simple verification, demanding critical thinking and contextual analysis.
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Tips for motivating journalists

Daily news meetings should be inclusive and agenda-setting. Editors must foster a culture of original ideas and risk-taking to keep staff motivated and alert.

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