1. Finding and negotiating for data
@DeniseMalan | Investigative Reporters & Editors

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4. What do they keep?

5. Ways to find data Record retention schedules Open data portals
Online sleuthing
Good old-fashioned beat reporting & sourcing
FOIA

6. Record retention schedules
Treat like a menu of records/data
Doesn’t necessarily mean it’s public, but it’s something they are required to keep
Example: MI local governments, state agencies

7. Online sleuthing for data
Open data portals (federal, state data store, local)
Forms that can be submitted or searched online
Search through a site: use the site map, bounce queries off it in Google
Keywords: .xls, .xlsx, download, data, spreadsheet, database, information system, submit, report, searchable, Excel, 2016, buzzwords, etc.
Use Google advanced search (filetype: .xls or filetype .xlsx)

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Take a tour of your agency when you’re not on deadline and ask lots of questions about their daily routines.

9. Don’t be afraid to get technical
Befriend some IT professionals on your beat
Major Information Systems: request a list from government agency (example: US Marshalls list)
Something in chart format may mean a database exists
PDF files: Convert with programs like Cometdocs, Smallpdf, Tabula, Zamzar, AcrobatOnline

12. Remember:
Any time there’s interaction with
the government, information becomes public

13. How do I get my hands on it?

14. Public information requests
Federal Freedom of Information Act
State public information laws (MI, RCFP guide)
No. 1 tip: Know the law. Many states have provisions specifically dealing with data and electronic records

15. Public information strategies
Try asking for the data first (some agencies always require requests)
Have a template ready to roll (including one specifically for data)
Know what to ask for. Do some pre-reporting, use their terminology.
Ask yourself: what would the ideal set of records show? What actually exists that might show something like that? Who would keep it? Is there an online form I can study?
FOIA the FOIAs (open records logs)
Know who to ask.
Be organized: track all your requests using a spreadsheet

16. What should a request look like?
Be sure to address it to the right person.
Since it’s a formal request, go ahead and cite the law. Use your letterhead.
Be specific, including fields you want, and the timeframe.
Always request data documentation (record layout, data dictionary, schema, readmes etc.)
Include format you would like the response in (text file, Excel, Access, etc)
Leave the door open for communication.

17. Under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act, I am requesting a copy of the following public records:
Employee salary database(s) for the city of Traverse City for each of the years 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016, including but not limited to the following fields:
Name (first, last, middle, prefix, suffix)
Hire date
Termination date
Date of birth
Title
Department
Annual salary or hourly wage
Overtime payments
Bonuses, stipends, and/or any other compensation
Total compensation

18. I am not requesting employees’ social security numbers and consent to redaction of that information from this database.
Please include the record layout (or data dictionary, schema, etc.) and any other documentation associated with this database.
I prefer to receive the information in a text file (.csv or .txt) or Excel file. If the data is kept in another format, please contact me at
If the fee to produce this data is above $50, please contact me before fulfilling this request. Also please contact me if you have any questions or need clarification regarding this request.

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23. Building your own database
Records exist only on paper or not at all (ie, gathering info on events)
Put data into separate fields for all pieces of names, addresses etc.
Keep analysis in mind. Try it after you enter records.
Keep it clean from the beginning (be careful about notes fields). Also double-check your work every records.
Include ALL information from the form.
Have a system for organizing your paper documents. Don’t want to be double-entering or missing.

25. Help!

26. FOIA advocacy organizations
Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press:
FOIA/legal issue hotline and network of pro bono attorneys
Legal resources and state-by-state guides
National Freedom of Information Coalition
State FOIA guides, affiliate organizations, sample letters, etc.
Knight FOIA fund (financial support for lawsuits)