Resource Tipsheet
GIJN Africa: Data Centers for African Journalists
Our curation of the most prominent data centers in Africa.
Resource Center
GIJN’s Resource Center is here to help journalists expand their knowledge and skills. The Center holds more than 2,000 items in 14 languages – from tip sheets and guides to instructional videos. Use the menu on the right to navigate it or the search box below to find topics you’re interested in.
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Resource Tipsheet
Data Journalism Training Courses
Looking to learn a new programming language or improve your spreadsheet skills? These online vendors offer free or low-cost online courses and video tutorials on a variety of topics and languages. Check GIJN’s YouTube page for the free webinars. The Social Data School, led by Cambridge Digital Humanities in association with the Minderoo Centre for […]
Resource Tipsheet
Visualization Tools
There are a plethora of programs available for data visualization. Some are very simple to use and require no coding, while others are more difficult to learn but offer greater flexibility and interactivity. Here are some of the most popular options for journalists. ArcGIS online is a tool from Esri to create and share online […]
Resource Tipsheet
Visualizing Data
Once you’ve done your analysis, you may want to create graphs, charts, or maps to display your results. Here are some resources to help you display your data in visually appealing, reader-friendly formats. Flowing Data offers a plethora of tutorials that will help you visualize your data. You’ll learn how to make cartograms, upset plots, […]
Resource Tipsheet
Analyzing Data – Python
Python is one of the most popular programming languages for data journalists, and it is useful for scraping websites as well as cleaning and analyzing data. Here are some resources for learning to code in Python. A Byte of Python is an online book dedicated to the basics of Python. It is targeted at those […]
Resource Tipsheet
Analyzing Data – SQL
SQL is a commonly used language for working with databases. It is particularly useful for working with larger datasets that can bog down Excel and for joining separate datasets for analysis. Several open-source versions are used in newsrooms, including Postgresql and DB Browser for SQLite. Here are some tips on how to get started. This […]
Resource Tipsheet
Analyzing Data – Spreadsheets
Spreadsheets often are the first data tool journalists learn to use. They come in handy for cleaning and analyzing data in structured formats such as .csv files. Microsoft Excel and Google Sheets are the most commonly used spreadsheets. Below are some resources to help you navigate Excel and improve your spreadsheet skills. Data Journalism Training: […]
Resource Tipsheet
Tools for Scraping, Cleaning, and Prepping Data
Got dirty data or pesky PDFs? These programs can help you get your data into a format you can use. OpenRefine is a free tool for exploring, cleaning, and matching data. It is particularly useful for dealing with messy data. It is available in English, Chinese, Spanish, French, Russian, Portuguese (Brazil), German, Japanese, Italian, Hungarian, […]
Resource Tipsheet
Prepping Data – Tips
Once you have your data, check out these free online tipsheets and tutorials for advice on how to inspect and clean it before you start analyzing. This story is a great example of what to do when there are gaps in terms of the data available from official bodies (2021). Data Biographies: How to Get […]
Resource Tipsheet
Getting Data – Using Open Records Laws
Government bodies often have mechanisms that allow journalists and members of the public to request data and documents. Below are some resources to help you understand the public records laws where you live and draft successful records requests. The National Freedom of Information Coalition is a US nonprofit organization that has a guide to international […]
Resource Tipsheet
Data Journalism Conferences
These conferences can provide opportunities to network, learn new techniques, and discuss story ideas with fellow data journalists. The Centre for Investigative Journalism Summer Conference includes sessions on data journalism from leading practitioners. Data Harvest is held in conjunction with the European Investigative Journalism Conference. The next one is scheduled for 19-22 May 2022 in […]
Resource Tipsheet
Getting Started – Books
Data journalism is a perpetually evolving topic. GIJN’s resource pages are updated regularly with new material. Data + Journalism – A Story-Driven Approach to Learning Data Reporting by Mike Reilley and Samantha Sunne (to be published in 2023). At the GIJC19 conference in Hamburg, attendees heard the presentation: Latest Data Journalism Trends From AI to […]
Resource Tipsheet
Perspectives on Interviewing Techniques
Advice on the subject of interviewing comes in many flavors — not only for investigative journalists, but for police officers, employers, lawyers, social workers, and others. What’s clear is that the interview is one of the most trusted and effective tools in the investigator’s toolbox. GIJN has prepared a sampling, mainly from journalists, but with […]
Resource Tipsheet
Mobile Journalism Guide: How To Get Your Mojo Workin’
COVID-19 Update: Reporting during the pandemic poses some new risks. Here are some relevant resources. Marc Settle, a BBC Academy smartphone trainer, prepared this article: Coronavirus’ impact on mobile journalism Nico Piro, mobile journalism trainer and special correspondent at Italy’s RAI, shared lessons here: Lessons from Italy: best practices for field reporting during the coronavirus […]
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Editing and Managing
Crafting Investigative Reportage Into Dramatic Narratives, by Vinod K Jose, Executive Editor of The Caravan, India’s premier magazine for narrative and investigatory journalism. This GIJC19 presentation discusses “ideation,” editorial entry points and reportorial conduct. Also see PowerPoint that includes examples. Using Story-Based Inquiry to Focus, Manage and Build was the topic at GIJC17 for Mark […]
Resource Tipsheet
What Washington Is Doing in Your Country
Curious about what the US government is doing in your country? Two-time Pulitzer Prize-winner Martha Mendoza did a popular workshop on this topic at the 2017 Global Investigative Journalism Conference. Her tipsheet uses links to US and international agencies to track the US government’s grants and contracts, international assistance, lobbying, military activity, and more. Mendoza […]
Resource Tipsheet
Drone Journalism
Turbulent with a chance of data: Journalism’s drone-powered futures: A guide to storytelling with UAVs, by Monika Sengul-Jones in datajournalism.com. Tips on Drone Journalism by Raffy Tima, a senior news producer and news anchor with GMA Network Manila, Philippines, as presented during GIJC17. Six Tips for Succeeding at Drone Journalism, a guide prepared by Johnny […]
Resource Tipsheet
Online Research Tools
Online Research Tools and Investigative Techniques by the BBC’s ace online sleuth Paul Myers has long been a starting point for online research by GIJN readers. His website, Research Clinic, is rich in research links and “study materials.” Here’s a tipsheet about finding people online that Myers presented at a 2019 GIJN webinar. And a […]
Resource Tipsheet
Tips on Covering HIV/AIDS
When a story on a particular topic is told over and over again, it leads to what is known as media fatigue—a situation where journalists and editors find the topic no longer newsworthy. However, the worst is when audiences become fatigued—when general readers are fed up with the subject as well. This problem is one that bedevils HIV/AIDS reporting despite the fact that many people—especially the affected and the infected—still want to learn more.
Resource Tipsheet
Understanding the UN’s Millenium Development Goals
To Hermilio, a working day is no less than 12 hours. In return, he receives a wage that does not guarantee that his two children, who are six and seven years old, have food three times a day, nor does it prevent them having to walk miles to reach the nearest school. This is the reality in the Cusarare community in Chihuahua, northern Mexico, and in many other parts of the world. The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)—which underpin an alliance between governments and society geared at eradicating marginalisation—were created up in response to the suffering of Hermilio and the billions of others like him around the world.
Resource Tipsheet
Investigative Photography: Supporting a Story with Images
There’s nothing like a good photographer to bring alive an investigative story. One of the worst crimes that investigative journalists commit is spending months on a great story, and then only minutes on the presentation. Working with photojournalists who know their craft (along with designers and graphic artists) can be one of the real pleasures of putting a big project together. We’re fortunate that a new handbook on using photography for investigations was just published: Investigative Photography: Supporting a Story with Pictures, by CJ Clarke, Damien Spleeters, and Juliet Ferguson.