Data Journalism - Seeing through the Numbers.

Course Aims

This 4-week course focuses on how data tools can assist and support journalists in digital storytelling. The use of data sources can be both a starting point for story ideas as well as a valuable pillar to bolster existing reporting, and this course will assist journalists who are eager to develop their skillsets. The training is designed for beginners with limited data-related experience but who are curious and open-minded about this increasingly important area of journalism. The course aims to give participants an overview of some of the key resources available and highlight the possibilities of data journalism for their work, with an emphasis on data relevant for Irish journalists and audiences. Participants will learn where to locate accessible data, how to make sense of it and pull out key figures, trends and statistics, and they will be instructed on how to optimise the presentation of information for maximum impact and understanding. The course provides participants with an introduction to the use of common data journalism tools including spreadsheets and design/visualisation software.

Course Brief

Module 1: Making sense of spreadsheets

  • Familiarisation with spreadsheet layout in Excel
  • Key Excel features to help sort through data
  • Basic chart/graph design
  • Application of these skills to existing large dataset

Module 2: Key databases & DataWrapper

  • Overview of key sources of data for Irish journalists
  • Accessing data via the Central Statistics Office (CSO)
  • Downloading and sorting CSO datasets
  • Cleaning up data for analysis
  • Introduction to DataWrapper and designing charts, tables and maps

Module 3: Google tools for Data Journalism

  • Google Sheets as alternative to Excel
  • Importing tables from websites
  • Using Google Trends to enhance/inspire stories
  • Creating Google Maps

Module 4: Pivot tables & Flourish

  • Using pivot tables to cross-tabulate data in spreadsheets
  • Illustrating data using Flourish for charts, tables, illustrative maps
  • Recap on main points and lessons from the course

At the end of this course you will:

  • Understand some of the main sources of data which are useful for journalists in Ireland
  • Gain confidence in basic spreadsheet management, applying filters, sorting, and generating pivot tables to obtain useful figures and patterns
  • Understand basic principles of design for charts, tables and maps
  • Have familiarity with industry-standard software such as Datawrapper, Flourish, and Google tools useful for journalists working with data
  • Be able to synthesise these new skills to inspire both new story ideas and enhance existing work and story formats

Who is this content for?

The course is aimed at journalists who have limited/no experience working with data in their work. Participants should be reasonably computer literate but no prior knowledge of Excel or any other software used during the course is essential. The training will be useful for those working as reporters or on production, and a core aim is to share some of the possibilities of data-driven work and software, which can be then taken and developed by each participant for their own needs.

Training Method

The course will run in 2.5 hour sessions, over four weeks via Zoom. Participants should have access to a Google account, and have access to Microsoft Excel. 

The course will take place on the following dates: 23rd and 30th January, 6th and 13th February.  Participants must attend all four sessions to successfully complete the course.