Identifying Investigative Pieces

Abstract

ABSTRACT This article aims to contribute to a better understanding of investigative journalism by proposing a multi-step method for identifying investigative pieces, despite the genre’s blurred definition. This method uses internal criteria observable in the texts themselves, regardless of their author, awards received, label, or discourses about them. Based on a literature review, an exploratory analysis and practical testing, we claim that examining articles’ underlying sources provides a set of criteria that allows researchers to select and exclude pieces in a flexible yet consistent way. When applied to a nine-month sample, the method allowed us to create a corpus showing great thematic, methodological and narrative diversity. Moving away from an elitist conception of investigative journalism, our corpus analysis shows that investigative journalism transcends the traditional boundaries of discursive genre. Furthermore, since the corpus includes both small and large investigations, it provides researchers with the first opportunity to observe empirically the varying degrees of investigative journalism.