Visualizing networking: When it doesn’t work

February 15th, 2010

So much in journalism and in life, we strive for perfection in our work. The best story idea, the best presentation.  We strive for perfection as individuals, we compete to be the best, get to the scene before someone else, write tighter, edit faster.  But sometimes, it’s just as important to recognize when something just didn’t work.  I think that’s still an achievement, the real problem is if you think succeeded, when in reality you have failed your audience. That was my lesson of the week.

Social networking analysis is a topic that my independent study advisor Rich Gordon and I have been discussing often during our weekly meetings and through materials he’s pointed me to, as well as my own reading and observation, I think it has some great potential in terms of journalistic applications.  Whether it’s about getting a job or pushing your political agenda, so much in this world is about who you know. (more…)

Visual confections are more than mere presentation

February 15th, 2010

Data visualization.  It's one of those terms that can mean so many things.  I say I'm doing an independent study on data visualization this quarter.  That's true.  But a better description would be "data visualizations for journalism."  I've talked about this with people before, a lot of pieces are gorgeous, and they do convey information, but they don't tell a story that informs the viewer in a useful way Read More...

Data Delver: Mo Tamman, Wall Street Journal

February 13th, 2010

I think in the modern era, CAR merits consideration across all beats. Perhaps that's part of why I didn't discover it for so long, it never occurred to me to search for a specialty that looked at data, because I just assumed that was the way to do journalism. But if I were pressed to think of beats that are most naturally paired with CAR, I'd name politics first, and business second Read More...

Data Delver: David Donald, Center for Public Integrity

February 13th, 2010

What is it we love about computer-assisted reporting? Why is the NICAR-L list full of people eager and willing to diagnose problem queries and discuss the merits of mapping software? What draws people to it?  The first time I saw a Python script perform batch geocoding, as numbers spun out of a Terminal console quicker than I could read them, my eyes glazed over with wonder, and I think my mouth dropped open a little Read More...

Data Delver: William Hartnett, Palm Beach Post

February 12th, 2010

There's a fine line between loving your work, and falling into a deep obsession.  I don't pretend to understand the distinction, what some call an obsession, I call it loving learning and seeing a project through.  I think it's very easy to become sucked in to something, when it's something that matters Read More...

Data Delver: Gregory Korte, Cincinnati Enquirer

February 12th, 2010

I believe all beats would benefit from considering data in their reporting, but some beats demand data analysis on a regular basis.  The nature of CAR is changing -- many industry folk have told me that the term "CAR" now encompasses reporters, data analysts and web developers.  It's certainly a wide field Read More...

Exploring Drupal — open source tool of the day

February 12th, 2010

As part of an ongoing quest to learn as much about programming and technical tools as I strive to learn about the beats I cover, I jumped at the opportunity to attend a Drupal training this evening. I didn't know this before today, but there is a robust Drupal user group here in Chicago, appropriately named the Chicago Drupal Meet Up Group Read More...

Repetition, repetition: The power of multiples

February 9th, 2010

Teachers are true heroes in today's society, I owe so much to almost every one that I've ever had the privilege of working with. As the daughter of an elementary school teacher, and from teaching some classes on my own, I know that repetition is a key part of passing knowledge from your brain to my brain Read More...

Treemapping Gov. Quinn’s State of the State

February 9th, 2010

This week in the Processing book, I learned all about trees and hierarchies. There's a lot of potential here for allowing the user to delve deeper into interactives by providing multiple layers. This is a very cool example of how programming helps support my theory of journalism -- the deeper the information you offer, the more the user has to explore Read More...

Recognize the importance of journalistic creativity

February 2nd, 2010

Applying for jobs is scary, I'll be the first to say it. People are getting laid off left and right, and I, as a 23-year-old, have the audacity to say I have the ability and right to take those jobs, and that I'll make it worth an employer's while because I'm energetic, insanely devoted/obsessed and I have new media/programming skills Read More...