The Craft of Research

Welcome to “The Craft of Research,” the official research blog for the Spring 2018 Craft class of Susan Farkas and Kayle Hope. It’s the spot for research lessons, handouts, news, tips and whatever else comes up during the semester, including links to your work.

My name is Jack Styczynski and I’m a researcher at NBC News. I previously taught at the J-school from 2008 to 2013 before leaving to serve two years as a Tulane VISTA at Youth Rebuilding New Orleans. Along with AmeriCorps and the Big Easy, I love basketball (both playing and writing about) and hitting the dance floor, so if you want to get on my good side, you know what topics to raise. ?

Here’s to a great spring semester!

Enjoying beautiful flora at the front desk of Youth Rebuilding New Orleans.

Anyone looking for updates on how I’m doing in New Orleans, click here!

As part of his 50-state volunteering trip, Chris Strub interviews me about YRNO.

(more…)

As of July 2013, I’m an AmeriCorps VISTA at Tulane’s Center for Public Service, working with Youth Rebuilding New Orleans.  Part of my job is volunteer coordination, so if any of y’all ever want to have some fun and help rebuild my most beloved city, be it for a day, a week or a month, just shout and I’ll set you up right!

Thanks to everyone for five great years at the J-school!  This blog should stay up as an archive of all the material I taught over that time.  I hope it remains useful to you.

In case you missed it, I left New York with a bang, writing about my pickup hoops life, “having coffee” with a fellow researcher and celebrating with friends at one heck of a farewell blast. Witness the evidence below!

(more…)

You made a research nerd look (sorta) cool!

The Life of Jack Styczynski from Mathilde M. Hamel on Vimeo.

Update, 3/21: Thanks to Jim Coningsby for the kind words after seeing the video!

March Madness bonus: It’s been a busy month doing research for stories about
the (not so) fast and fraudulent, a cannibal cop and gun rights vs. protection orders,
not to mention writing on hoops.  (Check out all the comments on the Big East story!)

Welcome (and for some, welcome back) to “The Craft of Research,” the official research blog for the Spring 2013 Broadcast Craft class of Susan Farkas.  It’s the spot for research lessons, handouts, news, tips and whatever else comes up during the semester, including links to your work.

For example, I know Anna Teregulova, Mathilde Hamel and (especially) Aine Pennello were busy during the break.

My name is Jack Styczynski and I’m completing my fifth year as a research adjunct at the J-school.  My full professional story is here.  Outside of work, I’m obsessed with Superstorm Sandy and Hurricane Katrina (yes, still) relief and recovery.  In fact, I love everything New Orleans and just attended a Big Easy band’s blowout Friday night at Stage 48 here in Manhattan.

Who dat!  (Research it if y’all don’t know.)

With Project Homecoming's Team Chatham last month before a RARE Saints shutout.

So you obviously survived Sandy, let alone the storm this week.

I noticed Brianne Barry, Jesse Metzger, Nathan Place and Shamanth Rao all made contributions to the “Scenes of Sandy” package on the News Service.

On the same theme over at the Herald, Irina Ivanova, Nicholas Wells and Alex Eidman teamed up to report the hurricane went easy on Mott Haven, and Tanisia Morris took the neighborhood business angle on the story.

Moving to the police beat, we’ve had recent contributions from Nathan Place and Sofia Perpetua, Jessica Glazer and Michael Russell and Alex Eidman and Anna Teregulova.

Ms. Glazer also had a piece on a rooftop garden opening atop a charter school.

And last but not least, Ann Marie Awad reported on Puerto Ricans voting for statehood.

Finally see you again Tuesday!  ‘Til then, I’ll keep holding down the fort in our New Orleans bureau (hee hee)…

Yup, that's me this week with the Saints' actual Lombardi trophy from Super Bowl 44.

Here’s the promised post about when people finding and football intersect.  It’s nothing without pictures! 

Recently, a friend who runs the Phoenix of New Orleans e-mailed me to see if I could find updated contact information for some people who were candidates to have their Hurricane Katrina damaged homes rebuilt by the organization.  Using techniques I demonstrated in class Tuesday, I found them, and ultimately a family was chosen.  Obviously, I felt great about it, but what I didn’t know at the time is that the project was being funded by Jahri Evans, Lance Moore, Malcolm Jenkins and Roman Harper of my beloved New Orleans Saints.  As such, I was invited out to dinner with them after Sunday’s conquest of the Houston Texans. WHO DAT!

With Saints guard Jahri Evans, PNOLA's Jim Coningsby and the Rush family.

The bonus:  A must-read profile on a Saints hero and more pictures… (more…)

Don’t forget that your CD beat memos are due to me Tuesday, when we’ll discuss “cops and crime” research in class.  Please note that there will be a more comprehensive lesson on court research in Craft II.

Before I go, big shout out to my AmeriCorps friends at the Phoenix of New Orleans and the Habitat for Humanity ReStore–Chris, Jen and Will, Amanda and Melissa.  AmeriCorps does fantastic work and is a great way to offset those student loans too!

While I’m on the subject of New Orleans, I should also plug the recent video directed by the J-school’s own Bob Sacha.  Excellent job!

Jack and Chris Glynn celebrate their favorite team and a week of interior demo.

Breathing a sigh of relief after the Saints close win today at the Superdome.

Welcome to “The Craft of Research,” the official research blog for the Fall 2010 Craft I class of Steve Strasser and Prue Clarke.  It’s the spot for research lessons, handouts, assignments, news, tips and whatever else comes up during the semester.  In short order, you’ll begin to grasp the vast power of research. 

My name is Jack Styczynski, and this is my third year at the J-school, my 16th as a news researcher and my 25th collecting paychecks from the media.  Although I usually stick to business, in my spare time I enjoy rebuilding New Orleans (photo below), Cajun cookin’ and rooting for the Super Bowl champion Saints.  I’m also an unrepentant college hoop-head and I still haven’t retired from playing ball either.

See you soon!

Working on the home of Polly Waring in Mid-City New Orleans.

I’m not scheduled to be in class next Tuesday, but I will be around school to observe one of my research colleagues in action, so if you need to meet with me for anything, let me know.

I also plan to get your research exercises back to you this weekend, probably Sunday.

In the meantime, take 3 minutes to check out the video below. You’ll probably recognize someone.

MUSICIANS’ VILLAGE -NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA from Kefa Olang on Vimeo.