If you want to do research, you might start with how do reporters do investigative reporting? One method is to review the books, the journalism students are given and one will similar to what Canadian students are given – Digging Deeper by Robert Cribbb, Dean Jobb, David McKie and Fred Vallance-Jones published by Oxford University Press, Oxford, England, 2006.

Getting People to Talk – The Art of the Interview

No matter how good you are at searching through material, the simple and best answers come from people who have knowledge. Depending on why you are searching, people will give you information – but most senior level people have a wall that needs to be breached. For investigative interview

What to prepare: you need to understand your topic, the role your interviewee plays and much about the person as possible.

What to ask: content is what do you want to know. You will be probing into 3 categories personal, impersonal and abstract.

Personal is what details and role the person knows and what does it lead. Impersonal is what is important to a person but they are not directly involved. Abstract refers to concepts of the law or a scientific principle.

Your questions are a combination of close and open end statements. Close-ended help confirm the basic fasts. Open-ended allow a person to talk and under the correct circumstances people love to talk.

Where to do it: face to face is better than the phone.

How to act: listen well.

How to strategize: a story has a beginning, middle and end with some high and low points along the way. Be flexible and let the conversation go where it needs to go. If you are speaking to a senior level person remember they were likely coached 5 ways to say the same thing. First start with the basic facts so you both agree on something. Then you present your findings and ask and watch for their reaction. Try not to be judgmental and wrap up without thinking the person is the enemy.

Follow the Money

Most stories involve money, for many investigative reporting – part of the answer is why does the money matter? what does it say about the mythical average person living their life?

Public companies are public because they have to disclose their financial records to the public in annual reports and to the Securities and Exchange when they do something material. Every once in a while, private companies disclose things they really do want others to see. Much of public company information is a comparison to other years and how they make their money, what is the debt load; pay attention to special charges and sale of assets because they are suppose to one time elements. How much does the company rely on them? Cash or can and does the company pay its bills?

Private companies information primarily comes from court cases when they have to disclose information. Private companies details often come in court through estate, trust or divorce cases.

Do not forget the Securities Regulators have access to information that can be semi public. Legally companies have information to file or they can be deregulated.

Linking to dividend paying stocks, companies that make money on a consistent basis tend to have cleaner balance sheets than companies that stretch the grey area. The easier the balance sheet is to understand the less worry as an investor you have. In is similar to personal stories – those that have extra disposable income are under less stress than those who are closer to the line to meet their debts. Investing is about following the money and how does a company make money.

There are more questions than answers, till the next time – to raising questions.