PhDigital Bootcamp is taught by Digital Media faculty in the Media Innovation Laboratory in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Texas State University. The bootcamp is a highly selective week-long intensive training session, preceded by online modules, hosted at TXST in San Marcos.

1. Data Journalism

2. Data…
…variables + “observations”
Temperature Height Weight Score Price

3. Data…
…variables + “observations”
Temperature Height Weight Score Price
83o 5’ 6” 150lbs 99-97 $14.37

4. Data…
…variables + “observations”
Temperature Height Weight Score Price
83o 5’ 6” 150lbs 99-97 $14.37
2.5 exabytes of new data every day

5. Unintended consequences:
Venmo article
Venmo data
Example

6. 2.5 exabytes of new data every day...
90% of all data generated in all of
Human history has been created
Since 2017

7. So, data needs context:
• Data
• Information
• Knowledge

8. So, data needs context:
• Data It’s 102o
• Information 7th temp record year
• Knowledge Earth is warming

9. 2 categories of data:
1) Discrete (1 observation at a time)
(Home price, tax info, arrest record...)

10. 2 categories of data:
1) Discrete (1 observation at a time)
(Home price, tax info, arrest record...)
2) Aggregate (multiple observations)
(Statewide arrests, all citations in a city,
historical patterns on crime...)

11. Let’s look at some discrete data…
• Tax records
• Crime statistics
• Budgets
• Traffic
• City populations

12. Aggregate data comes 2 ways:

13. Aggregate data comes 2 ways:
1) Already published online;
2) Available… but not published

14. Search tips:
1) Google search “data”/”open data”;
2) Add “xls” or “csv” or “filetype:xls”
3) Settings; Advanced Search;

15. Search tips:
1) Google search “data”/”open data”;
2) Add “xls” or “csv” or “filetype:xls”
3) Settings; Advanced Search;
4) Search images, then view page;
5) Data Repositories (collections of
available data sources)

16. Examples:
• U.S. Census.gov/data
• Slack #datajournalism channel

17. Requesting data:
• FOIA
Freedom of Information Act (1966)
• 1950s

18. Requesting data:
• FOIA
Freedom of Information Act (1966)
• 2 big changes
-More documents, info, data available
-More standardization
• Expanded again after Watergate

19. Requesting data:
• FOIA
Freedom of Information Act (1966)
Sample letter
What data; who has it; what format; fee?
Be very specific (dates, ages, names, .xls)
Examples…

20. Requesting data:
• FOIA
Freedom of Information Act (1966)
• Find the right person
• Call/email DETAILED request
• Sometimes $mall fee
• Right to appeal; mediation; courts

21. • https://www.phdigitalbootcamp.com/
• Schedule
• Data Journalism module
• Here are some resources…
• Please enter restaurant information
• Then, 5-minute break