The investigative team at The Dallas Morning News relied heavily on the data analysis skills of reporter Jennifer LaFleur. LaFleur has also led computer-assisted-reporting projects at the San Jose Mercury News and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. She has taught journalism at the University of Missouri and American University and is co-author of a book on computer-assisted reporting. (Read LaFleur’s tips for using data for investigative reporting here.)

But data mining skills are not just for journalists. Check out LaFleur’s tips for mining data in her column, Citizen Watchdog, which tells readers how to apply investigative reporting techniques in their own lives -- including how to background check daycare providers, where to learn about recalls of dangerous household products, and how to find out what information the government is collecting about you.