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JOUR 2310: Introduction to Media Writing
The Research Process for Journalists
This page details how to think about and do your research as a journalist. It also explains what type of resource you should use for various types of information needs.
Internet Portals and Directories
These portals and directories will lead you to trusted sources of encyclopedias, dictionaries, directories, handbooks, and other resource information useful for fact checking.
- Librarians’ Index to the Internet
- A Journalist’s Guide to the Internet
- Journalism Net
- Society of Professional Journalists: Journalist’s Toolbox
- Reporter’s Desktop
Finding Information on a Specific Person
Finding information on a specific person can be difficult, especially if the person is not famous or well known in their field. Some ideas to help you get started is to look for newspaper articles in Access World News
- this database has many small town papers included in it so you may get lucky and find an article that mentions the person you are looking for.
Next, you will want to look in City, County, and State resources. Many of the links below will help you look for information on people in Denton city and county and the state of Texas. Some of these resources include property tax records, civil and criminal case records, and vital statistics records.
City and County Information
- City Council
- DTV Broadcasting Schedule
City Council meetings are broadcast on DTV. City Council meeting tapings can be checked out from the Emily Fowler branch of the Denton Public Library at 502 Oakland Street. - Municipal Code
http://www.municode.com/resources/gateway.asp?sid=43&pid=10644 - Denton Police Department
From this page, you can find jail custody reports, street construction information, monthly crime statistics, registered sex offenders list, most wanted, and much more. - Denton Interactive Maps
- Records Search
Find court records here, to include criminal, civil, and family case records, jail records, the Texas convictions database, and sex offenders for all of the cities in Denton County. - County Clerk
The county clerk issues and provides access to birth and death records, property records, deeds, map, marriage licenses, involuntary mental health commitments, foreclosures, and more. - Social Service Agencies Directory
- Denton Central Appraisal District Property Search
Property tax records for Denton County.
North Central Texas Council of Governments (NTCOG)
http://www.nctcog.org/
- Demographic Data for North Central Texas
- North Central Council of Governments Regional Directory
Provides directory information for cities, counties, and school districts
State & Federal Information
- Texas Vital Statistics
Birth, death, marriage, divorce, and adoption records.
- American FactFinder
Provides fact sheets with demographic information for cities or counties.
- Oncor Group Community Profiles
Provides very complete profiles for cities. Data provided by TXU. - Bureau of Labor Statistics
- TxDPS Crime Records Service Public Site
This is the official Texas criminal history search database. It is fee-based.
School Information
- School District Demographics
Provides access to school district geographic and demographic data useful for describing and analyzing characteristics of school districts, children, and K-12 education. - Texas Education Agency
www.tea.state.tx.us/ - Snapshot: School District Profiles
http://www.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/snapshot/
Contains a profile about the characteristics of each public school district.
