America is Changing: How to Cover it and Find Out Why
March 13 2024
Though Newsrooms Aren’t as Diverse as America, Journalists Must Master Demographic Shifts
Bobbi Bowman and her Washington Post colleagues demanded equity in American newsrooms in the early 1970s. Journalists must document how America has kept on changing, she says.
Making Trade Journalism Come Alive
Aug. 11 2023
Write for the Public Interest
Combining data and real people make trade journalism compelling, say Su-Lin Tan of the South China Morning Post and Wahyu Dhyatmika of Tempo Digital.
Economic Data Viz Tool Helps Tell Trade Stories
July 28 2023
How to Analyze the Relationship Between Countries and Products
Annie White and Tim Cheston with the Harvard Growth Lab’s Atlas of Economic Complexity explore the links between countries and what they produce.
5 Records Requests Every Crime Reporter Should File
Feb. 02 2023
FOIA for Criminal Justice and Public Safety Reporters
How to FOIA the FBI, get records from state police and do it at a cost that won’t bankrupt the newsroom, according to Mark Walker of The New York Times.
The ‘Arms Race’ of Campaign Spending
Jan. 27 2023
Understanding Campaign Finance and "Dark Money"
As campaign finance spending skyrockets, “Americans across the ideological spectrum don't want a government for sale,” says OpenSecrets’ Sheila Krumholz.
Reporter Tools: The Jail Data Initiative
Jan. 23 2023
Does Your Audience Know What’s Happening at the Local Jail?
The Jail Data Initiative enables journalists to analyze demographic trends in jails county-by-county.
Tracking Data for Older Workers
Oct. 11 2022
Exploring Government Research Illuminates Stories About Older Workers
How can journalists begin to identify demographic changes for older workers? Wall Street Journal data reporter Paul Overberg weighs in.
How to Find Stories in Employment Data
Sept. 28 2022
Plan Your Stories Around the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Release Calendar
Looking at unemployment trends can lead to larger investigation. AARP’s Senior Policy Advisor Jen Schramm shares her data tips with NPF fellows.
Data, Day to Day
May 25 2022
Incorporating Data into Daily Reporting Is Easier Than You Think
Mastering the use of data can turbocharge every day beats, says Washington Post Metro Database Reporter John D. Harden
Justice Through Journalism
May 24 2022
Fair and Accurate Reporting Can (Still) Right Wrongs
Accuracy and fairness elevate reporting on marginalized communities, says MLK50 Editor and Publisher Wendi C. Thomas
Unlocking Census Data
May 11 2022
Demographic Data Can Help You Reimagine Your Beat
Taking the plunge with demographic data is worth the effort, said Sean McMinn of Politico
No Data? No Problem.
May 10 2022
Environmental Journalism Elevated by Creative Thinking and Expert Help
Gaining a community’s trust when seeking data yielded prize-winning journalism for former Palm Beach Post reporter Lulu Ramadan.
Getting The Most From Government Data
April 27 2022
Recognizing What The Data Doesn’t Say Is Equally Important
NPR producer Huo Jingnan offered Widening the Pipeline fellows a simple strategy for starting a data-driven project
Spreadsheets 101 and Beyond
Jan. 25 2022
How to Use Excel and Google Sheets to Structure Your Data
Jeremy Singer-Vine and Devin Schechter provide step-by-step instructions for data journalists on spreadsheet formatting and tools.
‘Interview’ Your Data
Jan. 24 2022
How ProPublica Built an App to Track Government COVID Contracts
Derek Willis on following your suspicions and settling the debate of Python vs. R.
Data Sonification: ‘Charts’ for Radio?
Jan. 21 2022
Creative Ways to Communicate Data to Audio Audiences
TwoTone and Highcharts make it possible for journalists with no coding or composing skills to make data sonifications.
How to Track Government Spending
Jan. 21 2022
Watchdogs GAO and Taxpayers for Common Sense Share Tips for Journalists
“Budgets aren’t about numbers. They’re about priorities.”
Web Scraping without Coding
Jan. 20 2022
How to Extract Data from Web Pages Even if You Don’t Know Programming
“Import HTML” is an easy function frequently used by Mark Walker of the New York Times and Investigative Reporters and Editors.
A FOIA Field Guide
Jan. 19 2022
When Filing Records Requests, Be Targeted and Organized
The New York Times’ Washington bureau FOIA coordinator offers an in-depth field guide for reporters on how to navigate federal and state public records requests.
Making Numbers Come Alive
Jan. 19 2022
The Tisha Thompson Rule: Explain the Data in One Sentence
Remember the human lives behind the data and illuminate the individual impact, urges award-winning data journalist.
Social Media for Reluctant Reporters
Jan. 14 2022
How to Grow an Engaged, Loyal Audience
You don’t have to be an entertainer, but bringing audience into the process can be good for transparency, trust and journalism.
How Data Journalists Track Politics
Jan. 13 2022
Investigations Into Politicians – And Anyone Else – Rely on These Basics
Know filing deadlines for the data you need, talk to people and make visualizations integral to your story.
A More Accurate View of America
Jan. 13 2022
Latest U.S. Census Data Reveals a More-Diverse Society Than Was Known
Census officials share new techniques and strategies that yield more accurate measures of race and ethnicity.
Putting the Count in Accountability
Jan. 12 2022
How Good Journalists Become Good Data Journalists: Spreadsheets
Creating an impactful data journalism story is as much about how you think as it is about technical tools.
Expanding Your Visual Range
Jan. 12 2022
How to Use Datawrapper to Deepen the Impact of Your Stories
A veteran data journalist explains how online graphics tools can help any reporter add visualizations to coverage.
Data Journalism That Engages Citizens
Jan. 11 2022
Accountability data journalism for an era when exposing corruption isn’t enough
Top data editor gives tips on how to transform data into stories that audiences can use to push for government or accountability.
Connection as an Antidote to Disinformation
Jan. 11 2022
Journalists’ understanding of audience, influencers will help spread truth
Bad actors use censorship, ransomware, disinformation and evolving technology and social media norms. But journalists, too, have opportunities.
Financing Rural America
Sept. 15 2021
Biden Admin. Pumps $1.25 Billion into Rural Lending
Community development financial institution experts say CDFIs can help alleviate rural poverty and racial inequities where previous pandemic relief failed. How journalists can track COVID-19 federal funding in their communities.
Latest Strategies for Covering Campaign Finance
May 04 2021
Legal Experts and Reporters Offer Insights and Tips for Digging into Money and Politics
When it comes to reporting on the influence of money on the political process, the landscape is constantly changing. Learn from two legal experts and a group of the top reporters in the business how to navigate it.
Campaign Finance Tools for State Reporting
April 12 2021
Tips for Following the Money from the National Institute on Money in Politics
Campaign finance is more than tracking the dollars – it’s also showing the connection between donations and bills that are passed or blocked. A campaign finance expert from followthemoney.org shows how to investigate how money influences legislation.
Tracking Copycat Bills
March 29 2021
50 States, 50 Bills – Many of Them Identical. Tools for Investigating Cut-and-Paste Legislation.
Lobbyists work the corridors of statehouses nationwide, writing into law their pet bills and then replicating those bills from capital to capital. A Center for Public Integrity reporter explains how he tracked it. Plus: Other statehouse resources.
NPF Guide to Tracking COVID Cash
Oct. 26 2020
Investigative and Data Journalism Tips for Following the Pandemic Stimulus Money
NPF has published a guidebook to help journalists track taxpayer spending on pandemic relief. It includes useful databases, videos on how to use Excel, Python and other data tools and pro tips from leading investigative journalists.
COVID Cash and the Debt
Oct. 26 2020
What the huge infusion of federal money means for the nation’s long-term fiscal health.
The federal government has committed trillions to prop up the economy. How – and when – will it eventually pay for it?
A New Tool for Tracking COVID Cash
Oct. 18 2020
Volunteer Data Scientists Create Tool for Journalists
A group of data scientist volunteers has produced a new set of databases designed to make it easier for journalists to track federal pandemic stimulus funding.
Three Tools for Tracking COVID Cash
Sept. 17 2020
Updated tools to help reporters follow the pandemic stimulus money.
Millions of small and large businesses received COVID-fueled contracts and bailouts. Experts detail how to use three tracking tools to see who those companies are.
Tracking the People Receiving Loans
July 20 2020
Top Investigative Reporters Offer Tips and Strategy on Backgrounding Businesses
The U.S. government has pushed out nearly 5 million small business loans. Learn how to find more about them.
Documenting Federal COVID Contracts
July 16 2020
ProPublica Dashboard on Federal Contracts Helps Reporters Probe Coronavirus Spending
A data journalist details how he built a dashboard of every COVID-related government contract.
How EarthTime Maps the Planet
May 06 2020
Documenting Global Trade with Data
June 18 2019
How Journalists Can Get a Handle on Trade
Numbers explaining imports and exports are widely available, if journalists know where to look.
Using Data in Investigative Reporting
April 17 2018
Learning Simple and Sophisticated Data Analysis Tools Can Boost Stories
Top investigative reporters share their advice on how to use data to find stories nobody else has.
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