LT317-5-SP-CO:
Investigative Journalism
2025/26
Literature, Film, and Theatre Studies
Colchester Campus
Spring
Undergraduate: Level 5
Current
Monday 12 January 2026
Friday 20 March 2026
15
24 September 2025
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
BA P500 Journalism,
BA P501 Journalism (Including Year Abroad),
BA P503 Journalism (Including Placement Year),
BA P590 Journalism and Modern Languages,
BA P550 Journalism and Criminology,
BA P551 Journalism and Criminology (Including Placement Year),
BA P552 Journalism and Criminology (Including Year Abroad),
BA P530 Journalism and Literature,
BA P531 Journalism and Literature (Including Placement Year),
BA P532 Journalism and Literature (Including Year Abroad),
BA P570 Journalism with Human Rights,
BA P571 Journalism with Human Rights (Including Year Abroad),
BA P572 Journalism with Human Rights (Including Placement Year),
BA P580 Journalism and Politics,
BA P581 Journalism and Politics (Including Placement Year),
BA P582 Journalism and Politics (Including Year Abroad),
BA P565 Film and Journalism,
BA P566 Film and Journalism (Including Foundation Year),
BA P567 Film and Journalism (including Placement Year),
BA P568 Film and Journalism(including Year Abroad),
BA P595 Journalism and Language Studies
This module starts with traditional investigative research methods - analysing documents, using archives, accessing public records, using FOIA. In the latter sessions, it focuses on cutting edge, digital open source journalism where students will learn to collect, analyse and document publicly available online information for use in law, advocacy, or journalism.
Students will learn to authenticate audio-visual data, geolocate photos and videos, and mine social media for useful information. Students will also learn advanced fact-checking methods. Guest sessions will be conducted by open-source journalism pioneers and fact-checking experts from leading investigative agencies.
The aims of this module are:
- To introduce students to essential investigative methods through case studies and practical exercises.
- To provide students with the foundational research tools needed to explore their investigative practice.
By the end of this module, students will be expected to be able to:
- Use a range of sources for investigating individuals, institutions, and events, including public records, electronic databases, digital archives, and basic FOIA requests.
- Assess different types of data and reflect on their authenticity, relevance, and reliability in a research context.
- Develop a knowledge of the most significant investigations of the past.
- Reflect on the ethical and methodological challenges faced by investigators in previous case studies.
Transferable Skills
This module will help students develop transferable skills such as:
- Research, analysis, critical thinking, and problem-solving.
- Communication, collaboration, and presenting findings in a clear and effective manner.
- Developing initiative, resourcefulness, and practical application of theoretical knowledge.
- Gaining subject knowledge, professional skills, and a growing awareness of the ethical dimensions of investigative work.
Indicative Syllabus Information
- Introduction: The discipline of Verification
- Investigative Journalism: Past
- Investigative Journalism: Present
- Finding and Researching Stories
- Developing and Testing Hypotheses
- Human Sources and Whistle-blowers
- Documents: FOIA, Public Records
- Financial Records: Following the Money
- Digital Open Source Research: Geolocation
- Digital Open Source Research: Chronolocation
The module will be delivered via weekly two-hour seminars.
This module does not appear to have a published bibliography for this year.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Presentation |
20/03/2026 |
30% |
| Coursework |
Investigative Feature |
24/04/2026 |
70% |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Mr Martin Bright, email: martin.bright@essex.ac.uk.
LiFTS Admin Team – liftstt@essex.ac.uk
Yes
Yes
Yes
Prof Jairo Alfonso Lugo-Ocando
College of Communication, University of Sharjah, UAE
Dean and Professor of Journalism
Available via Moodle
Of 2 hours, 2 (100%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.
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