1 of 20

FUNDAMENTALS FOR DATA JOURNALISTS�

Brant Houston

University of Illinois

brant.houston@gmail.com

2 of 20

Basic analysis

  • Counting

​

  • Aggregating

​

  • Comparing

​

  • Seeing

​

​

​

3 of 20

Basic Tools�

  • Spreadsheets

​

  • Database Managers

​

  • Simple Visualization Tool

​

​

​

4 of 20

Basic questions�

  • What is the most

​

  • What is the least

​

  • Finding the hidden number

​

  • Finding the magic number or calculation

​

​

​

​

5 of 20

Starter calculations

  • Rate

​

  • Ratio

​

  • Parts of the Whole (The Pie Chart)

​

​

​

​

​

6 of 20

Basic Tools�

  • Spreadsheets

​

  • Database Managers

​

  • Visualization

​

​

7 of 20

Rules of the road

  • Have a good question

​

  • Start small

​

  • Have a clear answer in the story

​

​

​

8 of 20

Caution signs

  • Know the data

​

  • What is a record (row)

​

  • Assume all datasets are flawed

​

​

​

​

9 of 20

Simple data

​

​

10 of 20

Simple data

​

​

11 of 20

Simple data

​

​

12 of 20

Simple data

​

​

13 of 20

The power tool:�The pivot table

​

​

14 of 20

The pivot table:�Seeing the forest �to find the tallest tree

​

​

15 of 20

The pivot table:�Seeing the forest �to find the tallest tree

​

​

16 of 20

The pivot table:�Seeing the forest �to find the tallest tree

​

​

17 of 20

Simple visualization

​

​

18 of 20

Database Manager and Mapping

​

​

19 of 20

Database Manager and Mapping

​

​

20 of 20

Database Manager and Mapping

​

​