Workshops
IRE’s Watchdog Workshop series trains journalists on the investigative reporting basics, such as, interview strategies, public records navigation and database and document analysis. Workshops are open to print, broadcast and online journalists, students and faculty.
Watchdog Workshops bring crucial training directly to thousands of journalists throughout the country. These workshops, held in communities large and small, help journalists provide better, deeper coverage for their communities.
Conduct at our workshops and all events, both online and in person, is guided by our Code of Conduct. IRE is committed to ensuring all attendees have an enjoyable, safe experience.
IRE is seeking funding for Watchdog Workshops to provide accessible training to more journalists. Potential donors, sponsors, funders, and other interested parties can email Lauren Grandestaff at lauren@ire.org.
Future Workshop Dates & Locations
Campus Coverage: Watchdog Reporting for Student Journalists
Please note: This workshop is exclusively for students.
WHEN: Friday, September 25th, 2026 | 9:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. CT
WHERE:
University of Missouri
COST: $25 (plus current IRE membership)
Looking to attend for free?
Apply here to receive free registration and a one-year IRE membership or renewal!
Indiana University. Morgan State University. American University. The University of Kansas. Officials at these institutes of higher learning worked to hinder, pressure or punish student newspapers over reporting controversial stories. Student publications often do a better job covering their school than local news outlets -- sometimes they're the only ones on the story -- but they also face additional challenges because they're students. This day-long workshop will help them learn how to cover their institutions with more depth and provide them with the skills and tools to protect their rights as journalists to keep their communities informed.
Please note that all attendees must meet IRE's membership terms. For more information, please visit the IRE Membership Terms page.
Workshop Schedule
Friday, Sept. 25
8:45 - 9:00 a.m | Welcome - IRE Executive Director Jonathan Kealing
9 - 10:30 a.m. | Getting into a watchdog state of mind | Cindy Galli, MSNOW; Josh Hinkle, KXAN-Austin
We'll discuss how to build watchdog work into your daily routine and produce meatier stories. We'll also share real-world tips on time management, organization and focusing on enterprise and talk through different scenarios to find ways to make everyday stories more investigative.
10:30 - 11:30 a.m. | Using public records to investigate your university | Mark Horvit, University of Missouri-Columbia
This session introduces open records laws and how to use them effectively when reporting on your college or university. Participants will learn how to identify what records are available, understand what is public and what may be withheld and determine where to send requests for information. We’ll also cover how to write clear, effective requests and use language that can help you get the information you need.
11:30 - 11:45 a.m. | Break
11:45 - 12:45 p.m. | How to cover controversial topics | Emily Lytle, Open Campus
From disciplinary actions and book bans to DEI debates and curriculum cuts, student journalists find themselves reporting on issues that can spark criticism or backlash from the colleges and universities they cover. This workshop will provide practical guidance on how to cover controversial topics responsibly, ask the right questions and maintain journalistic independence while navigating pressure from university officials and other stakeholders.
12:45 - 2:00 p.m. | Lunch
2:00 - 3:00 p.m. | Law School for student journalists - Jared Schroeder, University of Missouri-Columbia
This workshop will help student reporters understand how to work confidently within the law while pursuing the truth when covering their college or university. Participants will learn essential legal concepts that affect their reporting, including FERPA, freedom of information and open records requests, police searches, privacy rights, shield law, and censorship. Through real-world examples and practical guidance, they’ll discover how to protect sources, access public information and avoid legal pitfalls. This session will equip students with the tools they need to report responsibly, uphold ethical standards and defend press freedom on campus and beyond.
3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. | Intro to AI tools for your reporting | Leah Becerra, Reynolds Journalism Institute
This crash course explains what AI is, how it works, and how to use it responsibly. We’ll explore popular AI tools and large language models, talk about ethical use for student journalists and share simple ways to use AI while double-checking your work and avoiding common mistakes. You’ll also see how newsrooms worldwide are using AI to help tell better stories.
4:00 - 4:15 p.m. | Break
4:15 - 5:00 p.m. | Blueprint for great college journalism | Speaker TBD
Student journalists can do more than cover campus events such as sports, student life and local news — they can also produce ambitious, high-impact stories. This workshop will put the spotlight on great college journalism by showing how investigative stories are built and breaking down what makes them effective. We’ll workshop story ideas together to help you sharpen your own reporting, storytelling and investigative instincts.
5:00 - 5:30 pm | Goodbyes & IRE benefits
Watchdog Workshop: Covering the Midterm Elections
When: Saturday, September 26, 2026 | 8:45 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. ET
Where: University of Central Florida
Cost: $55 for professionals, $25 for students (BONUS! A one-year IRE membership or renewal is included with the price of registration*)
CHECK OUT THE SCHEDULE & REGISTER TODAY!
Watchdog Workshop: Covering the Midterm Elections will help student and professional journalists produce accurate, independent and deeply reported coverage of a consequential election cycle. Rather than relying on campaign events and candidate statements, attendees will learn how to use investigative reporting techniques, public records, databases and document analysis to examine issues such as voting access, election administration, campaign finance and political influence.
Through hands-on instruction and real-world reporting examples, participants will learn to identify meaningful story ideas, ask better questions and verify claims during a high-pressure election season. They will also explore strategies for covering local and state races with the context communities need — while holding public officials and institutions accountable before, during and after Election Day.
Schedule at a Glance:
Collaborating across newsrooms on election stories. We’ll discuss how to leverage collaborations to cover elections more thoroughly and effectively!
Gathering information: Accessing public records and court documents. Learn strategies for success with your public records requests, and how to obtain court documents in your area.
AI for journalists: avoiding errors when working with LLM tools and resources. There are so many tools out there that are labeled “AI”. Understand what you can use, ethical considerations, and practical strategies for safely trying out new technologies.
Dig into data for stories using Google Sheets. Let’s try some hands-on data exploration using Google Sheets. You’ll come away with a basic understanding of importing data, filtering, sorting, and grouping, so that you can feel confident exploring new datasets.
Pitching, managing, and bulletproofing your election stories. Organization and verification skills are very important on the path to getting your story published. Learn how to manage the process of reporting the story from pitch to final fact-checking.
Election watchdog story ideas for anyone. You've learned the strategies, now jump in to brainstorming ideas to pursue after this workshop! Even if you haven’t reported on elections before, you can follow these proven story recipes.
*IRE reserves the right to refuse admission and/or membership based on our membership requirements
More details are coming soon about this workshop for student journalists!
Bring IRE training to your city! Email training@ire.org if you have access to free or reduced-cost space that can hold about 50 to 100 people, depending on the size of your town.