Education

College campuses are where many great journalists first were bitten by the investigative reporting “bug” and first experienced the thrills, and challenges, of digging into a complex story. Nothing beats talking to students, faculty, staff and members of surrounding communities, of course. But online databases and sources can provide context and data, and generate new stories and fresh angles.

Listed below are some online databases to get you started. But a bit of background before you dive in:

Curated below are some relatively recent research-based reports, studies, papers and essays, as well as forthcoming projects, that may provide useful perspective for journalism educators. It’s tough to keep up with everything, and so we’ve gone back over the past year or so and spotlighted some interesting arguments and insights about the discipline and industry.

The housing and investment crisis beginning in 2008 revealed some of the financial dysfunction in American households. Research has shown that those with lower financial literacy are less likely to have a checking account, emergency fund or retirement plan, and are more likely to take pay-day loans, pay only minimum credit card balances, take on unaffordable mortgages and carry debt.

Many colleges and universities nationwide continue to come under increased pressure to justify the value of a college degree. In particular, more policymakers are pushing for accountability among public institutions and making funding decisions based at least partly on the employment rates and salaries of recent graduates.

The Issue: Millions of Americans have criminal records, even if they have never been found guilty of a crime. Having a criminal history — whether extensive or minor — can have serious repercussions, oftentimes limiting a person’s options in areas such as employment, housing and education. As it has become easier and less expensive for the public to access criminal justice records, it has become harder for individuals to overcome the stigma associated with being arrested.