Developing a data state of mind
By Flickr user Jerome Leslie
Maybe you already think of reporting stories in columns and rows. But if tracking excel spreadsheets and databases is not your first love, developing a data mindset will arm you to dig deeper into the business beat.
Throughout a morning session at this year’s Investigative Reporters and Editor’s Computer Assisted Reporting conference, two veteran reporters detailed how to make database reporting part of your sourcing repertoire.
From “slicing and dicing” federal reports to identifying trends through pay scales, the world of data offers a springboard for a variety of stories. The bonus: your readers not only learn about a trend or issue, they can sift through the hard numbers to quantify the reporting themselves.
To get started, Mary Jo Webster, a computer-assisted reporting editor at the St. Paul Pioneer Press, suggests to approach data the way you would any new beat. Ask yourself what questions might be answered through spreadsheets and what statistics are important to readers in your coverage area. Identify what data sources are on your beat and know where they are kept. Spend time getting to know records just as you would a city official.
Once you’ve assessed the information, begin formatting it into a database to assist your reporting and help identify trends or upcoming issues. Brant Houston, the Knight Chair in Investigative Reporting at the University of Illinois, calls it “building your own library.”
“Start thinking about building your own database library for whatever you cover in wherever you are,” Houston said. “Think to yourself, ‘what data do we need to have? What would match up with stories that will be around? You want to have a data library sitting there so you can reach in and grab information quickly.’”
Incorporating a strong data presence into your coverage is also achieved by adding a few new techniques into your reporting regime. Use the advanced search feature on Google to identify the reports available on specific topics. Think of measuring and quantifying everything from holidays to government spending. Chances are whatever topic you’re approaching, there are numbers somewhere to strengthen the story.
“Think in seasons,” Houston said. “Right now spring is coming. People will be boating. They will be having accidents, getting drunk and falling out of their boats. There’s a database for that.”
For more of Webster and Houston’s tips, check out their tipsheet on crafting a data state of mind.
