I go to investigative conferences mostly to learn new tools and techniques, and I just got back from one of the best for it: the 2026 Investigative Reporters and Editors conference.
Just as I did for the Global Investigative Journalism Conference last November, I’ve collected 32 digital investigative tips, tools, and techniques that can help you in your work. They include a brand-new free tool from a New York Times developer that can supercharge document analysis; super smart strategies from Seamus Hughes of Court Watch for finding sealed federal cases; tools and tips for online search and research; why Florida's court records are a goldmine of crypto wallets; and concrete approaches for figuring out who owns an anonymous company.
Read on for the tips and for links to tipsheets and slides.
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