Writing

Eric Rimm, professor of epidemiology and nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, wasn’t expecting to become a celebrity/villain overnight.

But you can’t go after french fries and not expect to catch a bit of flak.

Even before Donald Trump’s election victory took newsrooms nationwide by surprise, audiences criticized journalists as being disconnected from the communities they cover, especially poor and working-class communities.

The 2016 presidential election surprised many because Donald Trump’s win defied the vast majority of polls. In the aftermath, some are blaming journalists for rushing information out quickly without explaining basic polling caveats. Despite all the lavish attention, polls are only as valid as their design, execution and analysis.

Being a journalist means being resourceful. Presented with a name, you know where to dig. One place to hunt for leads is your state’s vital records office, which keeps certificates of birth, death, marriage and divorce. How much these forms tell you depends on state law.

By Christopher B. Daly and Leighton Walter Kille