investigation
Systematic fact-finding effort
Investigation is a systematic search for facts or truth.
Police conduct investigations into crimes; journalists investigate corruption; scientists investigate phenomena.
The word implies methodical inquiry—gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, examining records.
An investigation can be formal and official or informal and personal: The committee launched an investigation, I did some investigation and found the best price.
Scientific crime-scene analysis
- evidenceFacts supporting truth
- suspectBelieve to be likely
- detectiveProfessional crime investigator
- interrogationFormal, probing examination
witness · testimony · alibi · prosecution · crime scene · motive · arrest · case file
Crime fiction identifying perpetrator
- cluesHints toward answers
- sleuthPrivate investigator
- SherlockIconic Victorian-era investigator
- detective fictionGenre about investigating crimes
red herring · suspect · twist · deduction · magnifying glass · noir · thriller · suspense
Study with attention
- probeThorough examination or tool
- scrutinyClose, careful examination
- inquiryRequest for information
- inspectStudy closely for flaws
review · search · delve · sift · uncover · trace · follow up · dig
Request for information
- hearingPerceiving sound waves
- probeThorough examination or tool
- auditFormal accounts examination
- oversightSupervision or inadvertent omission
subpoena · commission · tribunal · inspector general · whistleblower · testimony · accountability · report
Systematic fact-finding effort
- hypothesisTestable proposed explanation
- methodologyFormal procedural framework
- dataFacts for analysis
- findingsConclusions from investigation
empirical · study · literature review · fieldwork · thesis · dissertation · qualitative · quantitative
Investigative journalism piece
- sourcePoint of origin
- tipEnd or gratuity
- leakEscape through a breach
- deep throatComplete oral insertion
fact-checking · undercover · documents · public records · FOIA · watchdog · accountability · scoop
forensics
Scientific crime-scene analysis
interrogation · witness · testimony · alibi · prosecution · crime scene · motive · arrest · case file · lead
whodunit
Crime fiction identifying perpetrator
detective fiction · red herring · suspect · twist · deduction · magnifying glass · noir · thriller · suspense · puzzle
examine
Study with attention
inspect · review · search · delve · sift · uncover · trace · follow up · dig · verify
inquiry
Request for information
oversight · subpoena · commission · tribunal · inspector general · whistleblower · testimony · accountability · report · findings
research
Systematic fact-finding effort
- hypothesisTestable proposed explanation
- methodologyFormal procedural framework
- dataFacts for analysis
findings · empirical · study · literature review · fieldwork · thesis · dissertation · qualitative · quantitative · variables
exposé
Investigative journalism piece
deep throat · fact-checking · undercover · documents · public records · FOIA · watchdog · accountability · scoop · corruption
- problem-solvingproblem solving, puzzles, riddles, logic, solutions
- analysisanalyze, analysis, evaluate, data analysis, examine
- crimerobbery, accomplice, alibi, burglary, conspiracy
- crime investigationdetective, whodunit, detectives, smoking gun, clue
- espionagespy, spies, double agent, double agents, spying
- FBIFBI, agent, special agent, bureau, FBI Academy
investigationglance
Brief, casual look
glimpse · peek · cursory look · skim · once-over
investigationthoughtlessness
Lack of careful consideration
carelessness · guesswork · random chance · improvisation · gut feeling
investigationacceptance
Consent to receive
blind faith · credulity · taking at face value · incuriosity · gullibility
- congressional investigationLawmakers probing governmental matters
- under investigationSubject to formal inquiry
- criminal investigationOfficial probe into lawbreaking
- police investigationOfficial probe into wrongdoing
- preliminary investigationInquiry before formal proceedings
- federal investigationOfficial government criminal inquiry
investigating, investigative, investigations, reinvestigating, reinvestigation, investigational, counterinvestigation