Course Schedule: Data Driven Journalism (Spring 2016)

Jan. 12
Meet Your Computer Again for the First Time
The first step in data-driven journalism is learning how to see structure in the world. The second step is to make sure you have a clean machine with all the tools properly installed. We’ll do both today.
 
Jan. 14
The ‘Science’ Part of Data Science
Data driven stories don’t start with data. They start with an interesting question that reporters turn into a hypothesis they can test. Good journalism = good science.
 
Jan. 19
Introduction to Spreadsheets
Once you have an interesting question, getting the right data in the right format can help you answer it.
 
Jan. 21
More Spreadsheets
What do you do when the world gives you data lemons? Make data lemonade, using Pivot Tables and Excel’s functions to clean and restructure the data.
 
Jan. 26
Data in the Real World
Tyler Dukes from WRAL and statistics Ph.D. candidate Iain Carmichael talk about how they use date in their work, and where the worlds of journalism and data science collide.
 
Jan. 28
There R Another Way
Iain Carmichael shows us the advantages of using R.
Feb. 2
The Magic of Open Government Data
What kinds of data do state and local agencies in North Carolina collect? How can journalists use it and how easy is it to get?
Feb. 4
The Myth of Open Government Data
Today we get from WRAL’s Tyler Dukes the real story on how journalists find and use public data.
Feb. 9
Introduction to SQL
“Hey data …” Using Structured Query Language, journalists can write questions they can ask the data over-and-over again. They can also begin to interact with data sets that are too large for spreadsheets.
Feb. 11
More SQL
Learn more SQL so you can challenge the data with tougher questions.
Feb. 16
I’m going to be like the creepy Mr. Hooper character in that video and show you how you can differentiate your reporting by joining two SQL tables that never would have gotten together in the wild. Some people just call them enterprise joins.
Feb. 18
There Still R Another Way
Iain Carmichael comes back to show us how R can do some of the same queries and joins you can do in SQL.

SPRING BREAK
March 22
Basic Web Maps
We’ll use Google Fusion Tables and Maps to make some cool interactive maps with campaign finance data.
March 24
More Basic Web Maps
  • Readings Due Today
  • Assignments Due Today
March 29
Intro to Data Visualization
Reporters can use basic data visualization tools such as Tableau to quickly find story ideas.
March 31
Intro to Data Visualization
Reporters can use basic data visualization tools such as Tableau to quickly find story ideas.

APRIL 1 – PROPOSAL FOR FINAL PROJECT DUE, 5 p.m.

 April 5
Spatial Data & QGIS
Maps aren’t just pretty. They’re smart!
April 7
Spatial Data & QGIS
Maps aren’t just pretty. They’re smart!
  • Readings Due Today
  • Assignments Due Today
April 12
Using Census Data
What they count and what they don’t.
  • Readings Due Today
  • Assignments Due Today
April 14
Mapping Census Data
Sing with me now: Who are the people in your VTD?
  • Readings Due Today
  • Assignments Due Today
April 19
R We on Schedule?
If not, we’ll catch up. If so, we’ll learn some new data visualization tricks in R.
  • Readings Due Today
  • Assignments Due Today
April 21
R We on Schedule?
If not, we’ll catch up. If so, we’ll learn some new data visualization tricks in R.
  • Readings Due Today
  • Assignments Due Today
April 26
Where to Take It From Here

LDOC

APRIL 29 – FINAL PROJECT DUE, 3 p.m.

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