After years spent covering the war in Iraq for the Washington Post, American journalist Jackie Spinner decided she wanted to improve journalism in the country. So last year, she formed a newspaper in Kurdistan -- a region, she points out, without a Bill of Rights or laws to protect press freedom.

Most investigations usually begin with a tip from a source, or simply a hunch, that something is amiss. Perhaps you have noticed a series of events that suggest a pattern or trend that deserves a closer look.