The TCC Library has a research guide calledFocus on True Crime Media Analysis Project, which can point you in the right direction of finding sources. But read on below for other tips about finding media coverage of a true crime case.
A print newspaper or magazine. If needing help finding the print version of of a periodical, it is helpful to have a name of a publication first -- to know of a periodical that was in print at the time of the case. Many periodicals today publish both online and in print. But in the past, periodicals were published exclusively in print. So, if searching for an article, paying attention to the date (limiting to the date) will be a factor. Though the library doesn't have a lot of periodicals still in print or back issues of those periodicals, we can possibly get a scanned-in version of the print via interlibrary loan (ILL). The following FAQs might also be helpful: Q. How do I find a newspaper from another state or country? and Q. How do I find a newspaper article? Sometimes, just researching the case will bring up materials that reference the newspaper coverage of the time. If you have a reference/citation, try placing an ILL request for the material if you cannot find access to it (by searching via title, sometimes in quotation marks) through the Discovery catalog.
An online newspaper or magazine. Like we said above, most have online content as well now. Often, searching for your subject (the crime, the criminals, the victims, etc.) in something like a Google advanced search once you know of a magazine or newspaper (such as People magazine or the New York Times), you can find an article that way. Here's an example of a Google Advanced search for an online magazine using the Menendez Brothers. Be sure to limit to the date range, if required for your assignment, within the advanced search screen or after doing a search.
Podcasts. Sometimes there are entire podcasts dedicated to a case, or only just a season or episode. Using a regular Google search for the case and then the term "podcast" would likely bring up relevant results. Using quotation marks around keywords (names, the case) and then the word "podcast" alone, like in this example, might help.
Free television coverage. The same kind of strategy mentioned for podcasts could help here as well, but instead of using the word "podcast," you might use the word "television" or "TV" or even using specific news stations in the search to bring results and then limiting to "Videos." Here is an example. You can also find TV coverage in some results in the Discovery catalog, but you will have to know how to sort documentaries from news segments in the results. Here's an example. Also, going to a news channel's verified YouTube page and doing a search for coverage there might turn up content. Here's an example.
A true crime novel or streaming documentary. Learning about what novels or documentaries exist on the topic might require a Google search. But then, using the ISBN or title of them in the catalog can tell you if we have access through the TCC Library.
