Investigative journalism with David Leigh

Join some of the Guardian’s most experienced reporters for an unmissable masterclass in investigative journalism. During this course, you’ll learn everything from how to plan your reporting, to how to cultivate sources and work with whistleblowers. Talks are illustrated with examples of top Guardian investigations including the exposure of worldwide tax evasion at HSBC bank, and the paper’s award-winning WikiLeaks coverage.

Course content

• Former Guardian investigations editor David Leigh discusses what makes a successful investigative journalist, and gives advice on how to hold the powerful to account
• Senior Guardian reporter Rob Booth shares his advice on how to choose your target topic, plan your reporting and start writing
• Bestselling author and Guardian special correspondent Felicity Lawrence offers a practical guide to cultivating sources and working with whistleblowers
• One more speaker to be announced

This course is for you if…

• You’re a journalist of any level looking to upgrade your existing skills, or move into investigative reporting
• You’re a blogger or activist who wants to improve the quality of your written content, or break into mainstream journalism
• You work for a charity or NGO and want to learn how top investigative journalists work
• You’re a student or researcher who wants to improve your research skills

Tutor profiles

David Leigh is the former investigations editor of the Guardian, where he most recently handled the exposure of worldwide tax evasion at HSBC bank. He has won seven press awards, including Granada's Investigative Journalist of the Year, the British Press Awards Campaigning Journalist of the Year, and the 2007 Paul Foot Award for investigative journalism. In 2006, David was highly commended for investigations into alleged corruption at BAE Systems. His books include The Liar (an account of the Jonathan Aitken affair), Sleaze (the story of the Neil Hamilton case) and Wikileaks: Inside Julian Assange's War on Secrecy.

Robert Booth is a senior reporter at the Guardian where he has worked on major international investigations including the paper's award-winning WikiLeaks coverage and the Assad emails, which was shortlisted for scoop of the year at the British Journalism Awards in 2012. He has broken a string of stories using freedom of information laws about lobbying and campaigning by Prince Charles and his charities. Prior to the Guardian Robert worked at The Sunday Times and edited Building Design, a weekly newspaper for architects.

Felicity Lawrence is a special correspondent for the Guardian, where she has been an editor and writer for over 19 years, and an investigative reporter for over a decade. She was formerly editor of the Sunday Telegraph Magazine, where she was named colour supplement editor of the year in the PPA awards. Felicity has twice won the Derek Cooper Investigative Food Reporter of the Year award, and has been commended in the British Press Awards, the Paul Foot Award and the Martha Gelhorn Prize. She is the author of the bestselling exposés on the food business, Not on the Label and Eat Your Heart Out.

One more speaker to be announced

Full course and returns information on the Masterclasses website