The New England First Amendment Coalition recently launched a monthly educational series called “30 MInute Skills” featuring short, practical lessons on journalism and the First Amendment.
Data journalism is playing a significant role during the COVID-19 pandemic. News outlets of all sizes are using numbers and visualizations to help explain the devastating effects of the public health crisis locally, nationally and internationally. While there are encouraging signs that the virus in New England is becoming less severe, telling stories using data will continue to be an important skill for journalists covering any beat.
By attending this class, you will learn:
– How to find and obtain reliable COVID-19 data, while also understanding and explaining to your audience its limitations.
– How to create simple data visualizations using free online tools.
– How to identify story ideas, scrutinize what the data is telling you and present that information responsibly to your audience.
REQUIREMENTS PRIOR TO CLASS
– Sign up to use Flourish software (free): https://flourish.studio/
– Download sample datasets. Links will be provided to you after registration.
– Confirm access to Google Sheets or Excel for use during class: https://www.google.com/sheets/about/
Presented by Eli Sherman is an investigative reporter with the CBS affiliate WPRI-TV in Rhode Island.