ABSTRACT
The question asked by most new reporters is, "Where do I start?" As simplistic as it sounds, a straight Google search can be the best place to launch research on a story subject or a source. It can provide background information, previous articles, and other support documents and websites. Charlie Leerhsen, a former editor at Sports Illustrated and People, and author of Ty Cobb: A Terrible Beauty, says he answers the question "How much reporting is enough?" with a simple response: "Too much is enough." "Reporters want to do enough reporting so they can really feel confident to put out the story that that they've learned through their reporting. There are often multiple ways to tell a story, and each one is an "angle." The research into a story might also allow for the localization of national stories. Among the most expansive sources for research is the one used most often for online interaction—social media.
