This document provides a list of 75+ tools for investigative journalists organized into categories like monitoring news, locations, social media research, collecting data, mapping stories, production, privacy, reporting, data stories, and multimedia. It introduces the tool, provides a brief description of its use, and links to the tool's website. The document encourages following the Twitter and Pinterest accounts of Journalism2ls for more tools and workshops on digital journalism.

1. VVOJ 2014
75+ Tools for Investigative Journalists
@Journalism2ls

2. Hi Everyone!
Ezra Eeman, Founder @Journalism2ls
Journalist & Documentary Maker @VRT
Tools & Digital Strategy Advisor @Journalism2ls
Before Senior Journalist & Editor in Chief @VMMA
Certified Advanced Google Searcher & Glass Explorer
Fulbright Journalism Award Researcher @CUNY
Graduate School of Journalism/Tow-Knight Center for
Entrepreneurial Journalism, New York
Work/Life/Pleasure: Brussels - Tokyo - New York.

3. Then

4. Then

5. Now

6. Beeld: Still BBC Serie Sherlock
Now

7. Journalism Tools.
A curated collection of
new tools & resources for
the next generation of
journalists

8. Rules for Tools

9. Pick
Keep it simple. Choose tools that suit your workflow.
Stick
Keep it consistent. Choose tools and stick with them.
Dig
Master your tools. Dig deep. Learn shortcuts.
c
z
e

10. The 80/20 Tools Rule
; 20%
Focus on what works for you. Stick to 10 tools
and do 80% of your work with them.
Stay open for new things. Make experiments
80%
20% of your workflow.
experiments primary tools

11. Workflow Design

12. @Journalism2ls Workflow
Collect & Curate Enrich Publish & Engage Analyze

13. Finding a story...

14. Monitor News
2. Nuzzle
Monitor news shared by friends &
connections on social media.
3. Newsle
Monitor news about friends &
connections online.
1. Feedly
One of the best Feed-readers out
there.
4. Social Sensor
Smart algorithm based news stream.
5. Prismatic
News based on your interests and
your connections.
6. Tweetdeck
Indispensable tool to monitor &
search twitter.

15. 7. IFTTT
Automate actions between apps.
1. Send tweets with a certain hashtag
to Google Spreadsheet.
2. Get a daily mail with location based
tweets.
3. Get a sms if someone specific mails
you
4. Archive your pictures on dropbox.
5. Link Feedly with Evernote
6. ...

16. 8. Mention
Real time alerts for specific
keywords.
9. Google Alerts
Get notified when a search term
appears on Google.
10. Versionista
Track changes on a webpage.
Alerts

17. 11. Geofeedia
Monitor social media based on
location.
12. Vibe
Smartphone app to filter social
media based on location.
13. LIFTTT
IFTTT with location triggers.
Location

18. 14. Heatmap News
A new way to monitor world news.

19. 15. Newspaper Map
Find & translate online newspapers from
all over the world.

20. (Re)search

21. Social Media
17. Buzzsumo
Discover which stories go viral.
Analyze your competition.
18. Mentionmap
Discover connections between
twitter users. Map hashtags.
16. Topsy
Advanced twitter search engine.
19. Bio is Changed
Get an update when somebody’s
twitter bio is updated.
20. Tweet Library
Archive your tweets
21. 360 Social Me
Get a full overview of someone’s
social media presence.

22. 22. Followerwonk
Discover hidden connections between
twitter users.

23. 23. Bond
Schedule calls with your sources.
24. Document Cloud
Platform to search, analyze, annote
and publish document.
25. Overview
Analyze and visualize complex text
documents
People & Paper Trail

24. Collecting Data
27. Import.io
The easiest way to scrape an
internet page.
28. Dead Url
Dead Url? Try this tool to revive it.
26. Scraperwiki
Scrape data from the internet/
pdf’s/twitter with ready made or
custom modules
29. Crowddata
Crowdsource the investigation of
large documents
30. Kobotoolbox
App to quickly conduct field
surveys.
31. Polls
Easy to build online polls

25. Structure

26. 32. Realtime Board
Multifunctionl online board to
structure ideas, scenario’s
networks,...
33. X-Mind
Great app to map complex
networks. Also a great tool for
brainstorming.
34. Detective.io
Online investigative platform with
easy templates for investigation.
Story Mapping

27. 35. Casefile
Specialized software to map complex
investigations.

28. 36. VIS
Visualize investigations.

29. 37. Maps Engine
Map an area for research and add layers
of information.

30. Production

31. Production
39. Toggle
Handy online tool to keep track of
your hours.
40. Camscanner
Use your phone as a scanner.
38. Drp.io
File hosting without a password.
41. Cloudconvert
Convert anything to anything.
42. Small Pdf
Everything you need to work with
pdf’s.
43. Easy Annote
Annote pdf’s

32. Privacy (warning: none of these tools are fail-proof)
45. Hushed
Temporary anonymous phone
numbers - worldwide.
46. Telegram
Encrypted message service.
44. Peakdrive
Secured German Dropbox
alternative.
47. Mailvelop
Browser extension for encrypting
your webmail.
48. Redphone
Secured phone conversations.
49. Trunked
Anonymous private links to share
files.

33. On the Road

34. 50. Filmic Pro
Video app with professional control
functions.
51. Sky Recorder
Easy audio-recorder for VOIP
conversations.
52. VSOCAM
One of our favorite photo apps
Reporting

35. 53. Interviewy
Audio-recorder with transcription
function.
54. O-Transcribe
Online transcription app. Just upload
your audio rf video and get started.
55. Dictation.io
Impressive online dictation app.
Reporting

36. Create

37. 4 ESSENTIAL STORYTELLING
TOOL STEPS
Good tools attracts attention,
raise interest for the subject, add
value and engage the reader to
stay longer on the page, dig
deeper and share the story.
01 ATTENTION
j ^
04 ENGAGEMENT
03 VALUE
02 INTEREST
W
s l

38. Interaction Level
Determine the level of
interaction you want. Do you
push, pull, allow conversation,
ask for interaction. Is it live or
not? Single- or multi-user?
V
Time/Skill
How much time do you have
to build something? 10
minutes or 10 months? How
much skill do you need to get
the job done?
$
Price
Check the price. Some tools
are open source and free.
Others work with
subscriptions, clicks or have to
be bought.
a
Story Elements
Identify the elements of your
story. Which one do you want
to highlight or add with a tool?
Time, place, persons, sounds,
images, relationships, data,...
“
Form/Function
Make sure the form of your
tool follows the function it has
and not the other way around.
Don’t distract, add value.
5
Platform
Consider the platform your
readers will use to access the
story: web, mobile, touch,...
U
„

39. Data Stories
57. Raw
Simple & beautiful infographics.
58. Chartblocks
Versatile platform for infographics.
56. Silk
Platform to publish interactive data
stories.
59. Visage
Promising datavisualisation tool.
60. Datavisual
Alternative tool to make data
graphics.
61. Infogram
Stylish and easy to embed
infographics.

40. 62. Palladio
Online platform to visualize and publish
complex multidimensional research
projects.

42. 63. Kettlecorn
Online platform for layered
interactive video content with
subtitles, wikipedia, pictures,...
64. Racontr
Promising new interactive platform
for multimedia stories #beta
65. Touchcast
Make touch based interactive video
with integrated web functionalities.
Interactive Video

43. 66. Exposure
Stunning online platform voor
picture and video stories.
67. AESOP
Wordpress plugin enabling
‘scrollytelling’
68. Storehouse
Mobiele app to build scolling stories.
Snowfalling

44. Multimedia
70. Thinglink
Make pictures & video’s interactive.
71. Mattermap
Map issues interactively.
69. Spicynodes
Tool to bring layered information in
a new interactive way.
72. Timeline.Js
Best timeline tool out there.
73. Storymaps
Map & timeline in one tool. Add rich
media.
74. Tripline
Visualize voyages.

45. 75. Odyssey
New online platform to visualize stories
in time and space.

46. 76. Soundcite
Integrate sound in articles.

47. Links
Monitot News
Feedly Powerfull feedreader https://feedly.com/
Nuzzle News shared by friend & connections http://nuzzel.com/
Newsle News about friends and connections https://newsle.com/
Social Sensor Smart algorithm selectied news http://www.socialsensor.eu/
Prismatic Smart algorithm selectied news http://getprismatic.com/
Tweetdeck Indispensable tool to monitor twitter https://tweetdeck.twitter.com/
IFTTT Automate actions between apps https://ifttt.com

48. Links II
Alerts
Mention Real time alerts based on keywords. https://en.mention.com/
Google Alerts Alerts based on search terms https://www.google.com/alerts
Versionista Track changes in web pages https://versionista.com/
Locations
Geofeedia Monitor social media based on location http://geofeedia.com/
Vibe Monitor social media based on location on your
smartphone
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/vibe/
id433067417?mt=8
LIFTTT IFTTT with location triggers http://www.visualcandyapps.com/lifttt/
Heatmap News
Discover the news hotspots on a map http://www.heatmapnews.com/
Newspaper Map
Find and translate online newspapers http://newspapermap.com/

49. Links III
Wikipedia
Wikiwash Monitor real-time changes on wikipedia http://wikiwash.metronews.ca/
Wikiwand Stylish Wikipedia interface http://www.wikiwand.com/
Social Media
Topsy Advanced twitter search engine http://topsy.com/
Buzzsumo Discover and analyze trending stories http://buzzsumo.com/
Mentionmap Map twitter users and hashtags http://mentionmapp.com/
Bio is Changed Get notified when a twitter bio changes http://bioischanged.com/
Tweet library
Archive your tweets https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tweet-library/
id365768793?mt=8
360 Social Me
Disoover someone’s social media presence http://www.360social.me/
Followerwonk Discover hidden connections on twitter https://followerwonk.com/

50. Links IV
People & Paper Trail
Bond Schedule calls with your sources https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bond-with-people-
that-matter/id894620038?mt=8
Document Cloud Analyze and annotate documents http://www.documentcloud.org/home
Overview Analyze and visualize documents http://overview.ap.org/
Collect Data
Scraperwiki Scrape data from the internet/pdf's/twitter https://scraperwiki.com/
Import.io Easiest way to scrape data from the internet https://import.io/
Dead Url Revive a dead url http://deadurl.com/
Crowdata
Crowdsource document investigations http://crowdata.readthedocs.org/en/latest/
Kobotoolbox
Reliable free field surveys http://www.kobotoolbox.org/
Poll Easy online polls http://poll.lab.io/

51. Links V
Map Stories
Realtime Board Visual online board to structure/brainstorm https://realtimeboard.com/
X-mind Map networks/brainstorm http://www.xmind.net
Detective.io Online investigative platform https://www.detective.io/
Casefile Map complex investigations https://www.paterva.com/web6/products/
casefile.php
VIS Visualize investigations http://vis.occrp.org/
Maps Engine Add layers of information to a map https://mapsengine.google.com/map/

52. Links VI
Production
Drp.io File hosting without a password http://drp.io/
Toggle Keep track of your time https://www.toggl.com/
Camscanner Turn your phone into a scanner https://www.camscanner.com/
Cloudconvert Convert anything to anything https://cloudconvert.org/
Small Pdf Tools for pdf’s http://smallpdf.com/
Easy Annote Annote pdf's http://www.easy-annotate.com/

53. Links VII
Privacy
Peakdrive Secure dropbox alternative http://peakdrive.de/
Hushed Temporary anonymous phone numbers http://hushed.com/
Telegram Encrypted messaging https://telegram.org/
Mailvelop Encrypt your webmail https://www.mailvelope.com/
Redphone Secured phone conversations https://whispersystems.org/
Trunked Share anonymous files https://trunked.me/

54. Links VIII
Reporting
Filmic Pro Video app with professional functions http://www.filmicpro.com/
Sky Recorder Audio-recorderfor VOIP http://eapps.pro/app/sky-recorder/
VSOCAM Multifunctions picture app http://vsco.co/vscocam
Interviewy Audio-recorder with transcription functions http://www.interviewy.co.uk/
O-transcribe Online transcription tool http://otranscribe.com/
Dictation.io Online dictation with speach recognition https://dictation.io/

55. Links IX
Data Stories
Silk Publish interactive data stories https://www.silk.co/
Raw Easy custom datavisualizations http://app.raw.densitydesign.org/
Chartblocks Versatile platform for infographics http://www.chartblocks.com/en/
Visage New charting platform http://visage.co/
Datavisual Alternative tool for data graphics http://datavisu.al/
Infogram Easy and stylish infographics https://infogr.am/
Palladio Online tool to publish and visualize comple
research projects. http://palladio.designhumanities.org/

56. Links X
Interactive Video
Kettlecorn Online platform for interactive video http://kettlecorn-edit.innovation-series.com/
Racontr New tool for interactive multimedia publishing https://beta.racontr.com/
Touchcast Interactieve video for touch screens http://www.touchcast.com/
Snowfalling
Exposure Stunning platform for picture and video stories https://exposure.co/
Aesop Wordpress Plugin dor Scrollytelling http://aesopstoryengine.com/
Storehouse Mobile app for scrolling stories https://www.storehouse.co/

57. Links XI
Multimedia
Spicynodes Interactive concept voor layered information http://www.spicynodes.org/
Thinglink Make interactive video & pictures https://www.thinglink.com/
Mattermap Map issues and add interactivity https://www.mattermap.nl/
Timeline.js Best timeline tool out there http://timeline.knightlab.com/
Storymaps Interactive map and timeline tool http://storymap.knightlab.com/
Tripline Visualize travels http://www.tripline.net/
Odyssey Visualize stories in time and space tp://cartodb.github.io/odyssey.js/
Soundcite Integrate sound in your articles http://soundcite.knightlab.com/

58. Need more Tools?
Twitter: @Journalism2ls
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/journalismtools/

59. Contact us for personal workshops, lectures, digital newsroom
121
King
Street
59
strategy, tools sessions,...
FOLLOW:
@Journalism2ls
http://www.pinterest.com/journalismtools/
t
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CONTACT:
+32 477 27 58 71
journalismtools.mailbox@gmail.com
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