The Art of Access: Strategies for Acquiring Public Records

by David L. Cuillier, Charles N. Davis

Overview

"The Art of Access is a must-have book for any journalism student or professional reporter. It will ensure that a journalist understands the importance of authentic documents to establish the credibility of news stories and how crucial it is to obtain those documents no matter the obstacles public officials may create to prevent access."
—Brant Houston, University Of Illinois

Whatever you’re trying to learn about the world—as a journalist or as an informed citizen— public records often hold the key. But what records, where? And how to get them? Gaining access to records is an art, one that requires an organized approach and a good understanding of human behavior. The Art of Access: Strategies for Acquiring Public Records, Second Edition is a how-to guide for putting the law into action and using ingenuity to pry records loose. FOI experts and longtime journalists David Cuillier and Charles N. Davis present strategies for dealing with the officials who stand between you and the information you seek. They explore new developments in technology and research and the latest online innovations and tools to help you rethink the information-gathering process and develop a document state of mind.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781506380698
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
Publication date:	07/12/2019
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	248
File size:	9 MB

About the Author

David Cuillier, Ph.D., is former president and chairman of the Society of Professional Journalists’ national Freedom of Information Committee and is a newsroom FOI trainer for SPJ. He gathered public records as a government reporter and city editor for a dozen years at daily newspapers in the Pacific Northwest. He is an associate professor and director of journalism at the University of Arizona, teaching computer-assisted reporting, public affairs reporting and access to information. He is a member of the National Freedom of Information Coalition board and has testified before Congress regarding the Freedom of Information Act.

Charles N. Davis, Ph.D., is the Dean of the Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Georgia. He was appointed in 2013, after a long career in journalism.

 

Davis worked for ten years as a journalist after his graduation from North Georgia College, working for newspapers, magazines and a news service in Georgia and Florida before leaving full-time journalism to complete a masters degree from the University of Georgia′s Henry W. Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication and to earn a doctorate in mass communication from the University of Florida. He spent 14 years as a faculty member, including four as department chair at the Missouri School of Journalism.  Davis also spent five years at Mizzou as Executive Director of the National Freedom of Information Coalition.

 

His teaching awards include the Scripps Howard Foundation National Journalism Teacher of the Year Award in 2008, the Provost’s Award for Junior Faculty Teaching in 2001, and the University of Missouri Alumni Association’s Faculty/Alumni Award in 2008. In 2016 he was awarded the University of Florida College of Journalism and Communication Alumni of Distinction Award.

Table of Contents

A Humble Foreword by Tom Blanton
Preface
About the Authors
CHAPTER 1 Records That Matter: Improve Your Community, Career and Life
Make the world better
Advance your career
Improve your personal life
Develop a new way of thinking
Try it!
Suggested links
CHAPTER 2 Develop a Document State of Mind
Take charge
Exercise your document muscles
Find inspiration and support
Try it!
Suggested links
CHAPTER 3 Become an Access Law Expert
Master the law in five steps
Dip into alphabet laws
Access to public meetings
Tap into legal resources
Try it!
Suggested links
CHAPTER 4 The Hunt: Find Records in the Dark
Explore document habitats
Find records in records
Build on others’ successes
Try it!
Suggested links
CHAPTER 5 Strategies for Effective Requests
Get in the zone
Get personal
Write effective letters
Cut denials off at the pass
Apply hard tactics if necessary
Try it!
Suggested links
CHAPTER 6 How to Overcome Denials
Understand the nature of ‘no’
Respond to common denials
If the agency says . . .
Play hardball
Take them to court
Try it!
Suggested links
CHAPTER 7 Going Digital: Strategies for Getting Data
Become familiar with data
Get the database
Counter cyber-denials
Teach yourself database journalism
Try it!
Suggested links
CHAPTER 8 Understand How Public Officials Think
Comprehend bureaucratic culture
Identify agency constraints
Help them help you
Try it!
Suggested links
CHAPTER 9 Putting it Together: Writing, Ethics and Paying it Forward
Create great record-based stories
Do the right thing: FOI ethics
Anticipate public reaction
Publicize FOI
Become an FOI warrior
Try it!
Suggested links
APPENDIX A The Record Album
APPENDIX B FOI Resources
Notes
Index

Editorial Reviews

"Prying loose documents from government agencies is a hard-fought battle. But The Art of Access will prepare you for war. It's hands down the quintessential guide to understanding arcane public records laws so citizens and journalists can prevail in their quest for information."

Jason Leopold

"Art of Access is a must read for anyone who wants to understand how access to government information really happens on the ground. This book provides not only a primer on our rights to information and how to exercise them, but also a comprehensive review of both the challenges seekers are likely to face and how to overcome them — or to move sideways and use another path around the obstacle. While this book is of obvious value to journalism students and practitioners, individuals outside the journalistic community who are new to the art of getting access to government information will especially benefit from the authors' thoughtful and eminently readable navigation of the maze. "

Patrice Mc Dermott

"This clear, concise and timely book provides a step-by-step guide for turning the over-hyped rhetoric of transparency into a much-needed reality. Cuillier and Davis, both veterans of the access wars, provide journalists and citizens alike with the keys to unlocking the secrets held in public records that government officials too often like to stow away. Replete with tips from professional journalists, a bevy of relevant websites and many handy checklists, this book is a practical guide for navigating the often bumpy road to getting the government records you want and need. "

Clay Calvert

"The Art of Access is a refreshingly practical guide to real-world transparency, explaining the tactics that will help journalists, students, and everyday citizens get the records to which they're entitled. My copy is dog-eared from regular readings and it's on every new staffer's desk on day one at my office. This new edition takes an already amazing resource and helps requesters navigate our increasingly vital field with fresh voices, new strategies, and an understanding of how transparency is changing — and how it isn't. "

Michael Morisy

We’re are at a time when journalistic credibility is challenged by fake news and media illiteracy. Open government and advanced information gathering practices are the key to a healthy society. This book is the most comprehensive examination of investigative techniques one is likely to find. It is filled with practical tips and insights to truly hold stakeholders accountable.”

William Schulte

This is a thorough guide in how to grow as a watchdog or investigative journalist.”

Dante Mozie

This text is equally informative and engaging. The language is clear and wonderfully conversational. The ideas are practical and the tips very beneficial. We are reminded just how important it is to hold our politicians and leaders accountable to the people, as well as how mighty the pen can be.”

Ginger Blackstone

"Open government laws such as the Freedom of Information Act provide us with powerful political tools, but we don’t always know how to use them. This superb handbook distills the most effective techniques for gaining access to official records. It will help readers become more skillful requesters, and better citizens. "

Steven Aftergood

"This is the go-to book for any journalist or citizen seeking guidance on successfully obtaining documents and data from government agencies. Its practical, step-by-step approach shows how to prepare and present Freedom of Information requests that can overcome the hurdles set up by reluctant or overworked officials - whether those officials are local, state or federal. The Art of Access is especially deft at presenting the nuances of negotiating for public documents, which is a skill often called upon. All in all, this is an invaluable book upon which to rely if we want to keep our government accountable and our democracy safe. "

Brant Houston