introduction to data journalism

Matthew D. LaPlante

What is data journalism?

Journalism

the story. http://money.cnn.com/2013/05/03/investi ng/stocks-markets/

in which numbers are part of

What is data journalism?

Journalism

the story. http://qz.com/81320/1-billion-in-bitcoinwas-traded-in-april-16-times-the-previousrecord/

in which numbers are part of

What is data journalism?

Journalism

in which numbers are collected, analyzed and juxtaposed with other numbers to find a story. http://www.publicintegrity.org/2013/04/23 /12542/firearm-ownership-rises-florida-gunmurders-increase

What is data journalism?

Journalism

in which numbers are collected, analyzed and juxtaposed with other numbers to find a story. http://www.nbcnews.com/business/gunsales-still-surging-gun-company-stockslanguish-6C9756583

What is data journalism?

We

live in a world where almost anything can be data, or be turned into data.

What is data journalism?

We

live in a world where almost anything can be data, or be turned into data.

What is data journalism?

What is data journalism?

We

live in a world where almost anything can be a data-driven story.

What is data journalism?

What is data journalism?

What is data journalism?

What is data journalism?

What is data journalism?

What is data journalism?

What is data journalism?

What is data journalism?

What is data journalism?

What is data journalism?

So

why should journalists learn to become better data journalists?

What is data journalism?

What is data journalism?

What is data journalism?

Introductions

Soccer practice

Soccer practice

=Sum(Xx:Yy)

Soccer practice

=Average(Xx:Yy)

Soccer practice

Data Sort Column Order

Soccer practice

Data Pivot Table

World Bank Contracts

A.O. PROGRAMUL EDUCATIONAL ABB POWER TECHNOLOGIES AB ACADEMY OF PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION BY THE PRESIDENT OF MOLDOVA ACCENT ELECTRONIC SA ACER ACVAPROJECT IS AF PACIFIC MOTORS AGENTINTER AGROCENOZA AGROINDPROECT AGROINDPROIECT AGROTEC SPA AGROTERRA IMPEX SRL ALA MUSTEATA ALA SCHIOPU ALAN CURD ALEX S&E Moldova Sweden Moldova Moldova Australia Moldova Moldova Moldova Moldova Moldova Moldova Italy Moldova Moldova Moldova Canada Moldova $343689.00 $17957137.00 $543021.00 $72538.00 $48032.00 $130962.00 $26915.00 $113900.00 $7522.00 $118651.00 $157983.00 $38205.00 $125000.00 $9780.00 $64790.00 $285970.00 $41901.00

World Bank Contracts

World Bank Contracts

World Bank Contracts

Lunch break discussion

Where

can we find data? How can we make data accessible? What are the challenges to communicating about data?

Police staffing

World Bank Meta Data

World Bank Meta Data

Change over time (New-Old) / Old

Math for journalists

Math for journalists

Math for journalists

45 / 73

Math for journalists

45 / 73 = .61

Math for journalists

Math for journalists

45 / 73 = .61 3/5

Math for journalists

City administrator 2012 = $300 City administrator 2011 = $275 City administrator 2010 = $225 City administrator 2009 = $175 (300-175)/175 = 71 percent!

Math for journalists

Avoid

number soup Give your readers a break Round numbers off Use graphics! Check your work! Point change vs. percent change Simplify large numbers

Turning data into stories

http://ec.europa.eu/beneficiaries/fts/inde

x_en.htm

Turning data into stories

Measure:

Moldova received 72 million in grants from the European Commission in 2011.

Turning data into stories

Proportion:

About two-thirds of Moldovas total grants from the European Commission in 2011 went toward reforming the energy sector.

Turning data into stories

Internal

comparison:

Moldova received 72 million in grants from the European Commission in 2011 enough to employ about 30,000 Moldovan workers at the nations average salary.

Turning data into stories

External

comparison:

Moldova received 72 million in grants from the European Commission in 2011 about what Barcelonas Lionel Messi will earn by himself in the next two years.

Turning data into stories

Change

over time

The European Commissions grant-giving to Moldova increased by nearly 40 percent in 2011 over 2010.

Turning data into stories

Analysis

by comparison

The European Commission gave grants equaling about 20 for each man, woman and child in Moldova. By comparison, Romanians received 27.

Questions and Discussion

Matthew D. LaPlante matthew.laplante@usu.edu

day two of introduction to data journalism

Matthew D. LaPlante

Statbank
http://statbank.statistica.md

Moldova Open Data Portal

http://data.gov.md/

Lunch break activity

Sketch

out an idea for how to display one piece of data graphically.

Mapping
http://Batchgeo.com

Charting data
http://www.statistica.md/newsview.php?l

=ro&idc=168&id=4058

1800 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400

respiratory diseases
accidents, poisoning and trauma Digestive system tumors diseases of the circulatory

200
0

Charting data
http://www.statistica.md/newsview.php?l

=ro&idc=168&id=4058

Charting data
http://statbank.statistica.md/pxweb/Data

base/EN/02%20POP/POP05/POP05.asp

15,000

20,000

25,000

30,000

35,000

40,000

45,000

50,000

10,000

5,000

0 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Divorces Marriages

Charting data
http://statbank.statistica.md/pxweb/Data

base/EN/12%20JUS/JUS01/JUS01.asp

Total recorded crimes

45,000 40,000 35,000 30,000 25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Total recorded crimes

Homicide
450
400 350 300 250 200 150 100 50 0 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Homicide

Total recorded crimes

45,000 40,000 35,000 30,000 25,000 20,000 15,000 10,000 5,000 0 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 Total recorded crimes

Questions and Discussion

Matthew D. LaPlante matthew.laplante@usu.edu