1. Provide the title of your story or series and the names of the journalists involved.
"Health Care 101" by Linda Marsa.
2. List date(s) this work was published or aired.
July 10, 2010.
3. Provide a brief synopsis of the story or stories, including any significant findings.
Many Americans anxious and confused when the Affordable Care Act — President Barack Obama's health care reform law — was enacted in March 2010. This story explained the major implications of the law so that Family Circle readers could learn what the changes mean for them and their families.
4. Explain types of documents, data or Internet resources used. Were FOI or public records act requests required? How did this affect the work?
The primary source for the author, Linda Marsa, was the health care bill itself. The bill was very complicated and changed constantly until it was signed into law in March, and the Marsa's biggest challenge was boiling its provisions down into layman's terms. She did not use any FOI or public records.
5. Explain types of human sources used.
Marsa spoke to congressional aides, health-care industry analysts, university-based experts and consumer groups that were involved in crafting the legislation.
6. Results (if any).
The article proved useful for Family Circle readers by cutting through the hype and misinformation that surrounded the passage of this landmark legislation. Marsa gave readers sound advice on what the health care reform bill would mean for them and their families.
7. Follow-up (if any). Have you run a correction or clarification on the report or has anyone come forward to challenge its accuracy? If so, please explain.
It was obvious that Family Circle's readers came to the magazine as their trusted source on explaining health care reform, with many readers leaving feedback and follow-up questions on Momster.com (Family Circle's social network for moms).
8. Advice to other journalists planning a similar story or project.
When you're dealing with a hotly debated and highly controversial piece of legislation, writers and editors need to immerse themselves in their story because information changes every day. It's essential to speak with the most informed sources.