Class 1: Jan 18, 2018 | Data Journalism Backup Site

Class Agenda

Syllabus / Schedule

Email to students.

Intro Excel, WordPress.
–Create a blog post
–Refresher Excel exercise

Basics of data analysis.

Tableau

Work with poverty data with census.

Data Source: BLS working poor

Basics of Data Analysis

Transparency
Reliability: How sure are we that we got the right answer? That we’ve done everything correctly?
Replicability: If we had to do it all again, would we get the same answer? If someone else did it, would they?
Transparency: If our results are challenged, can we show exactly what we’ve done to defend it?
–Matt Waite

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Data Analysis

— Review methodology with one or more other data people

— Check results to other available comparable data

— Ensure all record counts are consistent across stages

— Check averages

— Examine outputs to ensure logical consistency (do things that should add up to 100% add up to 100%?)

— Recheck all coding line by line if possible or in aggregate if not

— Re-read all programs/scripts

— Re-run entire analysis from scratch

— Check each number against analysis or source material prior to publication

— Recheck each number against analysis or source material on each draft

By Daniel Lathrop. Dallas Morning News

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10 Common Mistakes in Data Reporting

In Class Data Exercise

Excel: Poverty Data

Table A. Poverty status of people and primary families in the labor force for 27 weeks or more, 2007–15 (Numbers in thousands)

https://www.bls.gov/opub/reports/working-poor/2015/home.htm

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Define the term “Working Poor.”

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Cohen reading: Think in ratios – construct a ratio on the poverty beat. Memorize common numbers on the beat

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Examine Arkansas Poverty Data

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Tableau Software

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HOMEWORK

For Readings for Jan 25

Ehrenreich, Barbara. Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America. Macmillan, 2001. Introduction, Ch. 1

Cohen, Sarah. Numbers in the Newsroom. Ch. 1-2, focus on Rates and Ratios.

Data Homework: Blog post with census household data by county. Highest and lowest median household income. Use this data: Simplified Poverty SS

Blog, due 11:59 pm Tuesday, Jan 23:

1) Nickel & Dimed: Ehrenreich provides a roadmap for how to write about the working poor. I want you to describe some of the issues she has to confront as she moves into this new life – housing, transportation, food and so forth.

2) Based on this reading, begin to develop questions for interview subjects about their experience in the low-wage labor force. Include ideas of where you would go and contact people for our stories.

Bonus: Go and speak to actual people.

Refresher: Basic Excel

NICAR Coursepack: Basics and Sorting in Excel

Open sample dataset: citybudget.xls

1. Make a copy

2. Four corners test

3. Check the math

4. Sorting

5. Percentage Change

Background and Help:

—> Tutorial Video

Information on Lynda.com tutorial videos.