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Think like a data reporter

Published on Nov 19, 2015

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PRESENTATION OUTLINE

THINK LIKE A DATA REPORTER

TOM MEAGHER, @ULTRACASUAL
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Prove it to me. If any politician or public official makes a claim, particularly one of success, I want to see the data. I never want to have to take anyone's word for it when I could see the numbers myself.

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A BRIEF HISTORY

Here we can talk about ENIAC in 1952, Phil Meyer and Detroit riots and people using tape backups in the 1980s to do data work.

START WITH A QUESTION

How do you start?

Well, like any story. I don't want to wirite about a topic. I want to answer a question. Start with a question and then find the data that will help you answer it.


How much?
How many?
How often?
Where?

How does it compare to elsewhere?
Rarely why

Be prepared that your question may not be answerable. You may have to pivot, or try a different question. Be flexible.


Places to start:
Folo old stories
Tips
Dispel rumor/myth
Steal ideas from other news orgs. (IRE)
Is x doing its job?


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Va backlogs
What are veterans returning from war dealing with to get care? How long do they have to wait? Is it getting better?
Depends.

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Sec 8
Aside from the corruption, how well run is our local section 8 office? Is it helping better people's lives?

CHALLENGE CONVENTIONAL WISDOM

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HOW DO I QUANTIFY THIS?

WHO COLLECTS THIS DATA?

Has anyone else looked at this? Nonprofits or federal agencies or academics?

Who keeps this data?
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ASK SOMEBODY

BE A REPORTER. PICK UP A PHONE.
Open data is amazing, but it's only one piece. Ask your sources about what data they look at or collect. Get the name and custodian.

Also, check IRE's resource center. Look at how other news orgs have covered this issue and steal their play book.
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FIND A HELPFUL NERD

There are developers and data geeks toiling in obscurity who are desperate to talk about the ins and outs of the systems they build and maintain. Find them!
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FOIA ALL THE THINGS

Early. Often. Always.


FOIA the FOIA logs. Train your custodian of records.

ROLL YOUR OWN

Liens story.
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DATA IS EVERYWHERE

The govt is not the only group collecting data. Many nonprofits and orgs collect data about themselves and even put it on their websites. Use it.

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PREPARE NOW

Get the data before you need it. Be prepared. Learn what's on your beat. Stockpile it.

BE A DATA HOARDER

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SPREADSHEETS

DATABASES

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DOCUMENT MINING

Whether through FOIA or leaked docs.
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MAPPING WITH GIS

GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS
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VISUALIZATIONS

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STATISTICAL

MODELLING
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SOCIAL NETWORK ANALYSIS

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CODING

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WEB DEVELOPMENT

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TAKE YOUR TIME

GET IT RIGHT
You have some data. Now what?
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BE SKEPTICAL

Be skeptical as you kick the tires. Explore it carefully from top to bottom.
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DATA IS JUST ANOTHER SOURCE

Beware of relying too much on your data. It should tip you to directions for inquiry, but it should be just one of many sources.

Sometimes it won't answer your questions, but it will give you the right questions to ask.
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ALWAYS HAVE A BACKUP PLAN

Is it worth your time?
What's your ROI?

What's the minimum story you can get from it?

What's the best? Shoot for the stars, but CYA. Editors want to see something for this investment of time.

If a story is too big, narrow the focus. Pick off one piece at a time.
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BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF

Take your time estimate and double it.
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LEAVE A TRAIL OF BREAD CRUMBS

ALWAYS SAVE AN ORIGINAL COPY
J. LaFleur throws it out and starts over at the end.

Like a scientist, can you replicate your work and findings?

Do you have a step by step log of what you did to the data?
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IF NOT TODAY, TOMORROW

GOOD DATA STORIES ARE RARELY FIRST-DAY
Don't give up. Come back to it.
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York clerk had been talking about it.

Ydr had to fight for the records.

They got a PDF of thousands of pages. They kept asking.

CHOOSE WISELY

BE JUDICIOUS ABOUT THE NUMBERS YOU USE
One number in the nut.
Don't dump your whole notebook in. Use fair, telling numbers.

Don't overload.
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SHOW YOUR WORK!

Nerd box.
Explainer sidebar.
Blog.
Release the data itself.
Share.
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