Embedded Files
Week 1
Week 1
Monday:
- An introduction to data journalism, Big Local News and class projects.
- We will be exploring and testing the Workbench journalism analysis platform. Workbench founder Jonathan Stray will be in class to talk about the platform and walk us through it.
- News meeting: Every strong journalism projects benefits from rigorous discussion about the merits of the project and a deep understanding of what each project may entail. Irena Fischer-Hwang will discuss our audits project, Ziva Branstetter from the Center for Investigative Reporting/Reveal, will discuss a possible project and Eric Sagara, also from CIR/Reveal, will talk about a third project. I will detail a couple of other options as well. Expect this "news meeting" to just get us started on a robust discussion about the projects we will pursue.
Wednesday:
- An overview of negotiating for public records.
- Discussion of our projects.
Resources
Resources
Resources
Resources
Background stories on forest fires:
- CIR/Reveal: How Fire Feeds
- LA Times: Wildfire prevention law
Background stories on Bay Area housing and affordability issues:
- San Jose Mercury News and East Bay Times: Ghost Ship
- Mountain View Voice: Housing permits
- Multiple Housing Program and roster
Background on elections and voter rolls:
- Texas voter ID requirements
- Austin American Statesman: Judge Dismisses Voter ID Challenge
- California voter ID reguirements and recommendations and complaint system
- Sacramento Bee: California DMV mishandled thousands of voter registrations
Week 3
Week 3
Monday:
- Finding your project focus.
- Reporting: finding information, a quick tips overview.
- Workbench hands-on with housing project data
Wednesday:
- Keeping a data and document log
- The art of the interview.
Resources
Resources
Readings/Videos
Readings/Videos
Story planning and focus:
Time to join Investigative Reporters and Editors. Then search through their tip sheets by project topic or for project/story planning. Be prepared on Wednesday, Oct. 10 to share something you found.
Finding information:
- Finding people with data (Michael J. Berens at NICAR)
The art of the interview:
Week 4:
Week 4:
Framing key questions: the initial pitch, minimum and maximum stories
Data analysis challenges
Workbench check-in
No lecture Monday. Project memo review and each team works on developing their minimum story and building out their data/document log and a back-out schedule.
Tools overview and hands-on practice.
Overview
Tabula
CSVKit
Excel review
Week 5:
Week 5:
Reporting challenges
Longform story structures
Overview on finding people
Interviewing practice
In-class work
Story structures
Resources
Resources
Longform story structures:
- Issues or themes -- https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/05/15/nyregion/new-york-mass-graves-hart-island.html
Week 6:
Week 6:
Story-telling, framing the top equals an outline
Visualizing data for story
Story tops and structures hands-on
Data analysis and next steps
Visualizing data for story
Resources
Resources
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