Jaimi Dowdell presents "Data Journalism for Business Reporting" at the free business journalism workshop, "Be a Better Business Watchdog -- CAR for Business Journalists," hosted by the Donald W. Reynolds National Center for Business Journalists, The Seattle Times and the University of Washington.

1. Jaimi Dowdell IRE/NICAR

6. More and more, records are kept electronically. We can use them to…

11. Star Tribune (Minneapolis) Pioneer Press (St. Paul, MN) Data: National Inventory of Bridges Findings: Following the collapse of an I-35 bridge spanning the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, journalists, including Dan Browning and MaryJo Webster, turned to the National Bridge Inventory database, available from IRE and NICAR, to check the bridge's inspection history. The Start Tribune and The Pioneer Press reported that inspection data from 2005 showed that the Minnesota Department of Transportation deemed the bridge “structurally deficient.” The Pioneer Press also noted a federal reporting finding that Minnesota had 3 percent of its bridges rated deficient in 2006.

18. “ ESPN's "Outside the Lines" reviewed health department inspection reports for food and beverage outlets at all 107 North American arenas and stadiums that were home to Major League Baseball, National Football League, National Hockey League and National Basketball Association teams in 2009. At 30 of the venues (28 percent), more than half of the concession stands or restaurants had been cited for at least one "critical" or "major" health violation. Such violations pose a risk for foodborne illnesses that can make someone sick, or, in extreme cases, become fatal.”

21. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Data: State hunting and corrections data Findings: Analyzing state data on hunting licenses, Ben Poston of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel found that dozens of convicted felons in Wisconsin were issued gun-deer hunting licenses last year despite a state law that bans them for life from possessing firearms. Felons with armed robbery, rape and weapons convictions all bought gun-deer licenses in Wisconsin in 2006. A state legislator proposed law to close the license loophole.

24. Herald Tribune (Sarasota, FL) Data: The newspaper reviewed more than 19 million Florida real estate transactions to determine how much of the real-estate bust had its root in housing fraud. Findings: The year-long investigation found that more than 50,000 Florida properties flipped under suspicious circumstances from 2000 through 2008. Those flips artificially drove up housing prices and tax bills and contributed to the crush of foreclosures that has gutted the real estate market. All over the state, professional property flippers made billions in profits on the back of concocted land deals.

54. Some simple online tools

55. Example: Michigan CAFOs