Tools and training

Jan 04, 2021

FinCEN Files data team shares tools, tips and songs that inspire

Sep 20, 2020

From a jumble of secret reports, damning data on big banks and dirty money

A massive global research effort for FinCEN Files turned secret records into usable information exposing the futility of U.S.-led anti-money laundering efforts.

Feb 03, 2020

How we mined more than 715,000 Luanda Leaks records

Luanda Leaks was a trove of more than 175,000 emails – so how do we go about tackling such a massive dataset? And how can we be sure we haven’t missed major stories?

Nov 04, 2019

What is Datashare? FAQs about our document analysis software

What makes ICIJ's secure open-source software different from other tools? We answer some of the common questions about Datashare.

Oct 30, 2019

How global collaboration can be a shield against litigation

When HSBC's lawyers faced off against reporters prior to the publication of the Swiss Leaks investigation, their initial approach was to make legal threats.

Oct 03, 2019

ICIJ’s Marina Walker Guevara recognized for outstanding commitment to journalism

Marina Walker Guevara says the key to successful investigations are deep trust, harnessing technology and working together.

Sep 23, 2019

I wanted immigration detention complex blueprints, but all I got was a hefty legal letter.

I wanted to shed light on the future use of solitary confinement, but instead, I got a hefty envelope from a private law firm.

Sep 17, 2019

Counting the dead: How statistics can find unreported killings

When investigative journalists Sheila Coronel and her team began counting drug-related killings in the Philippines last year they turned to statistician Patrick Ball to reveal the truth.

Sep 05, 2019

I’m a Stubborn, Headstrong, Obsessive Know-It-All. If I Can Collaborate, You Can, Too.

Five years ago, against my reporter instincts, I agreed to collaborate with ICIJ. That decision changed my career, and the way I think about journalism. 

Aug 18, 2019

Regaining the Power of Publication With Collaborative Journalism

Collaborative journalism - particularly across borders - has helped re-empower journalists at a critical moment in the history of the profession.

Jul 16, 2019

Top tips and tricks for going global with FOI

Freedom of Information requests are powerful weapons in the arsenal of a canny reporter. Here are some tips to help you launch a global FOI project. 

Feb 05, 2019

Datashare: Help test and improve our latest journalism tool

Our data team are looking for people to test our latest collaborative journalism tool: Datashare.

Jan 22, 2019

‘Being a truth-teller is the greatest service to society’

ICIJ's Pakistani member Umar Cheema has faced trolls and torture, but that only leaves him more determined to hold the powerful to account.

Dec 06, 2018

Looking for answers in blacked-out documents and hidden records

How reporters fought for accountability on health risks and conflicts of interest tied to medical devices.

Oct 30, 2018

Data analysis, accountability and a little humor: The best of Uncovering Asia 2018

More than 400 investigative journalists descended on Seoul to hone their skills and develop accountability journalism.

Sep 25, 2018

Web scraping: How to harvest data for untold stories

Web scraping gives you access to information living on the internet. If you can view it on a website, you can harvest it. Here's how.

Sep 13, 2018

‘You need a plan A, B and C’: Lessons from Hurricane Maria

ICIJ member Omaya Sosa Pascual and her team helped reveal Puerto Rico's true death toll in the wake of Hurricane Maria. Now, she shares lessons on covering similar tragedies.

Aug 08, 2018

Nine essential tools from ICIJ’s data journalism and programming experts

How do you tackle some of history’s largest data leaks? ICIJ's data journalists, gurus and programmers share the secrets of their digital toolbelts.

Jul 30, 2018

‘I’m worried that we will run out of sources when we need them the most’

U.S. National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden calls for whistleblower protections.

Jul 11, 2018

How spies and investigative reporters think alike

ICIJ member Kristof Clerix specializes in reporting on intelligence agencies and espionage, and finds his methods are similar to the spies he's investigating.

Jul 02, 2018

I gave a TEDx Talk about taxation and everyone stayed awake

Explaining the contortions that multinational corporations put themselves through to avoid taxes is a journalistic challenge. Here's one way to overcome it.

May 14, 2018

How ICIJ’s Datashare project will help journalists breach borders

ICIJ’s pioneering Datashare project will radically reshape the way journalists collaborate across the world.

Feb 28, 2018

Poetic irony: How I went from working in finance to investigating it

ICIJ’s first Neo4j Connected Data Fellow left the finance industry to become a journalist, and found himself working with one of the largest data leaks ever.

Feb 13, 2018

How to work on a high-tech global project with limited internet, phone connection

For Burkina Faso reporter Yacouba Ladji Bama working on a collaborative, global project has some unique challenges with internet and phone reception less than perfect.