The four legs of a story (reporting)

For inexperienced reporters (we have done it with groups of six young reporters)

1. Talking session: discuss with the group "The Four Legs" of a story - research, observation, interviewing, documentation.
   This can be done in a single session of about one hour or four sessions of 20 minutes each.
   It works better when you have actual examples of how the four legs have worked in specific stories, or how the lack of one of them have leaded to a "limping" story.
2. Case studies: select and make copies of six (or as many as the number of reporters) excellent stories (reference stories, exclusive relevant stories, prize winning ones). Ask them to read them all and look for signs of the "Four Legs" (and for "holes", where information is missing).
   This is kind of "home work" for them to start thinking of what a good story is made of. We give them a week, but any newsroom will have its own pace. There is no need to discuss or "correct" their comments.
3. Deepening the case study: assign each journalist of the group to interview the author of one of those excellent stories. The goal is to get the "making of", having those "four legs" and the holes in mind. (You may want to call the author previously and explain what you are doing. We have been doing it for five years, and authors love talking about their stories. We have done it with journalists from other newspapers and magazines, and they were flattered as well).
4. Sharing the real cases: each one shares with the group what he/she has found out with the interview -- how the story was written, problems, solutions, etc.
   It may be six 30 minutes sessions, or three one hour sessions.