This was our assignment: find out everything you can about 21 road construction firms in Massachusetts that are getting millions in federal stimulus dollars. The reporting required a complete scrub or background check that introduced me to several government databases, websites and documents I had never worked with before. Checking the OSHA website for workplace safety violations, the EPA’s database for environmental violations and “PACER” (a federal court system website) for federal lawsuits was a valuable learning experience. Over the past two months, I’ve had the opportunity to use those databases for other research I’ve conducted either for NECIR or my classes. It’s important for every reporter, whether a rookie or veteran, to know how to work with these information tools.
Assisting with the reporting for the stimulus story also has taught me the importance of triple-checking facts and being absolutely positive that every piece of information in a story is correct. I have personally reviewed many of the numbers in our report several times. Accuracy is always key and when you’re working on a story with so many numbers and data, ensuring accuracy is a painstaking process.
Being a part of the team that reported this important story also has taught me what it really means to be fair. When you’re reporting on several different companies, each one must be contacted and given a chance to respond. We made sure that every firm had the opportunity to speak to us regarding their past history of trouble. However, not many companies did so, which I believe is a shame. I wish that people and businesses would realize that journalists are just trying to uncover the truth.

Sarah Favot is a student at Boston University’s College of Communication.