Finding Stories with Data – Online, Intensive (AM)
You’ve heard people talking about data journalism, but don’t know where to start? Then this course is for you.
Class size: max 15 people.
Class duration: 1.5hrs x 5 days (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday (optional), Thursday and Friday) + 1.5 hrs self-directed learning.
Level of participation: very high. Hands-on, screenshares, regular Q&As and participants contributions.
During the workshops you will learn what data is available and how to find it, how to interrogate it and find facts or patterns in it which will lead, inform and enhance the stories you tell.
There is of course a limit to how much practical knowledge can be exchanged in each 90 minute session, so supporting material is supplied online.
Guided by one of our data trainers, with decades of experience pushing the frontiers of data-driven investigations, you’ll come away with the skills to start gathering, interviewing and presenting data for your own reporting projects.
There are lots of courses which teach data journalism skills, but no others have the specific focus on using these tools and techniques for investigations and holding power to account that is the Centre for Investigative Journalism’s speciality.
The course is composed of five sessions of around 1.5 hours each, scheduled over 5 days, with an additional 1.5 hours of self-directed learning guided by recorded tutorials and online materials. Signed-up participants must attend all sessions, except for Wednesday’s session on scraping, which is optional.
Classes for this course are capped to keep them small and ensure practicality and interactivity.
You can also claim a 10% discount if you combine this course with our 5-module ‘Data-Driven Investigations’ course. For more information about this two-course package please click HERE.
“A really great introduction to using data to tell stories. Lots of very practical tools and techniques and a huge list of resources to support you going forward.”
“If you come from a non-tech background, but are interested in data, this is where you should start from.”
Technical Requirements
This course will need you to have the following software/apps/tools on your computer:
- MS Excel 2016 or newer (If do not have access to Excel, there is a free trial version available). We encourage the use of MS Excel (that is, the desktop “app”: the online version of Office 365 lacks some of the features you will need). If necessary, you can use Google Sheets, which has slightly different menus and instructions – these are documented in the online materials, but the trainer doesn’t always have the opportunity to demonstrate both systems in the session: he will certainly try, but you may find you need to do some extra work outside the session to catch up.
- Zoom app. During these sessions the trainers often need participants to be able to share their screen in order to solve problems or demonstrate techniques: if you are on a work computer, or other device which has screen sharing on Zoom disabled, please consider getting the restriction lifted for the duration of this course. If you can’t share the screen because the function is blocked or disabled, it makes it much harder to solve problems and learn from them. But, rest assured, nobody will be forced to share their screen against their will.
- Camera and audio
- This course will be hosted on Zoom. To find out more about how we use Zoom, please check out our Zoom InfoSec page.
Course Structure
Exercises and additional viewing of tutorial videos will be provided to supplement the training between sessions.
Important
Our training is not recorded: if you miss a session, it is lost – you cannot watch a recording of it, nor will you be allowed to attend that session at a later date.
Jonathan Stoneman
Booking Form
- 24 February 2025 10.00–11.30 Timezone: GMT (UK Time)
- 25 February 2025 10.00–11.30 Timezone: GMT (UK Time)
- 26 February 2025 10.00–11.30 Timezone: GMT (UK Time)
- 27 February 2025 10.00–11.30 Timezone: GMT (UK Time)
- 28 February 2025 10.00–11.30 Timezone: GMT (UK Time)
One ticket per person.
In line with our non-profit mission, our pricing operates on a sliding scale, ensuring large organisations pay more to subsidise places for smaller newsrooms, freelancers and students.
*Students places for this course are capped, due to limited capacity. Anyone registering as a student will be asked for a photo/scan of their student ID ahead of the course.
**Employed individuals who cannot have their employers pay for the course are entitled to the freelancer rate. Note that we are a small charity and rely on your honesty so please do not register as a freelancer if your employer is reimbursing you for the course.
We have a strict policy of No Refund and No Transfer of bookings.