ABSTRACT
In 2016, a team of students from Capital News Service at the University of Maryland investigated cases of people involuntarily discharged from nursing homes. With an investigative project, adequate preparation will result in a quality investigation. Maud Beelman, an investigative editor with the Associated Press, likened team investigations to compounded interest. Most people speak a second "language"; it comes from their work or expertise. It might be computerese, legalese or the jargons of government, finance, science, engineering, medicine, sports, psychiatry or video game design. Important stories are complicated, but complicated stories confuse readers. Investigative stories often involve ongoing problems that are hard to sell to news organizations focused on the new. Sites such as Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook and Twitter are useful for seeing what companies and organizations post and for getting a sense of what people like or complain about regarding the organization. Companies and organizations issue press releases when they want or have to announce something.
