This is how online articles should be done

This article from nytimes.com is a great piece of investigative journalism and utilizes the advantages of being online extremely well. Side bars along the left side of the page show several items of interest that add to the story, improving the credibility of the story and also helping the reader understand better. A link entitled “multimedia” shows a copy of the letter obtained by the reporter from a fellow inmate that proves claims made in the article (pictured at left). There are also a lot of helpful links under the “Related” section that includes documents and links to other stories of the same nature and subject-matter.

I think the picture used to accompany the article is kind of weak, but I understand it would be difficult to shoot a relevant photo when the man the article is mainly about died in 2005. It would have been helpful if a mugshot of the prisoner who died could have been included, just because it is always nice for readers to be able to put a face with a name.

I think the online layout is perfect. The headline is interesting and informative and is a little more creative than a headline that would probably run in a print version of this story. There is a large picture, which is engaging. The page is simple and the text, though long, is easy to read and follow. The related links are easy to find and presenting in a clear and simple way.

I like the reporting in this article because it is extremely thorough and presented in a clear and concise way. There are several sources and the documents the reporter relied on are presented so that readers can see them for themselves. This is an example of the press performing their most important job as a watchdog on the government.