This course focuses on the digital news story, from writing to multimedia tools. While Mobile Journalism focuses on fast news and reporting from the field, Digital Journalism 1 is slower, focusing on desktop tools to help tell original stories.
Students learn to produce a variety of multimedia, including multi-clip video, infographics and interactive visualizations. They also learn how to combine these elements to create compelling stories.
All students should treat Digital Journalism 1 as an opportunity to add professional-quality work to their portfolios. For students in the New Ventures stream, it’s also a chance to understand the challenges facing journalists and newsrooms, and gather ideas for possible startups.
| Week one | Week two | Week three | Week four | Week five |
Instructors
David McKie (multimedia)
Course dates: July 11-August 12 and will be held in Computer Lab Two
Times: 9:35-12:35 a.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday
My office is Room 129. I will have regular office hours between two and four o’clock.
Email: david.mckie@cbc.ca
Phone: 1-613-290-7380
Twitter: @mckiedavid
Katrina Pyne
email: katrina.pyne@ukings.ca
Phone: 902-476-7834
Twitter: @KatPyne
Learning goals
By the end of the course, students should:
- Understand online story structures and multimedia storytelling forms
- Write effective text, headlines and captions for the digital space, including mobile
- Identify strong story ideas
- Understand basic coding, including HTML and CSS
- Create effective visualizations such as maps, timelines and charts using tools, including Tableau Public, Google Fusion Tables and ArcGIS Online, TimelineJS and Abobe Photoshop
- Demonstrate advanced image editing and infographic creation
- Produce and edit effective video content
- Be aware of ethical and legal issues, including copyright and unpublishing
Hardware, software & apps
Because the emphasis is on journalism and original storytelling, we’ll be relying on public records for our stories rather than events, though the latter will not be ruled out if they are important elements in your stories. We will be depending on on our smart phones to gather visual and audio material when out in the field. As a result, you are are strongly encouraged to have your own iPhone. You are permitted to sign out an iPod Touch device from the school as needed, along with a microphone, tripod or other piece of equipment. You must have your own set of headphones (earbuds are acceptable) for editing video during class time.
Each student must have a Google account and a YouTube account.
The textbook for this course is Digging Deeper 3rd edition, which you can buy online or at the King’s bookstore. Additional readings will be assigned as needed and posted on this syllabus. We will also use tutorials based on what we’ve learned in class.
You may have to spend money on apps and online subscriptions. For instance, students are encouraged to subscribe to Lynda.com for the duration of the course. Video tutorials cover a range of topics, including Adobe Premiere and Photoshop. A basic monthly subscription costs $25.
As mentioned previously, it’s important to note that the focus of the course is on journalism and storytelling. Any instruction in a particular program such as Adobe Photoshop is done to support the content. Digital Journalism 1 follows the philosophy that programs and tools will come and go so journalists needs to understand the theory behind popular tools, try them out, and yet be ready to learn something new.
Accounts and social media to start
| iMovie Google/Gmail/YouTube Periscope Snapchat Tableau Public |
Steller PicPlayPost li.st (aka the List app) Vine SoundCloud ArcGIS Online |
Also:
- Log into/create an Adobe account; upload and connect to these apps: Post, Spark, Video, & Clip
- Videolicious (check for Sue’s invitation – don’t download the free version)
- Tip: If you’re new to Twitter, Snapchat, etc., aim for a short username or ‘handle’ that’s easy for other people to remember..& doesn’t use too many characters.
Ethical conduct
All students are expected to familiarize themselves with and abide by the School of Journalism Code of Ethics.
Safety
All students are expected to familiarize themselves with and abide by the School of Journalism’s safety guidelines.
Academic integrity
Violations of academic integrity at the graduate level are taken very seriously. The punishment for plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity can range from receiving a zero on the assignment, to failing the course, being suspended or expelled from the university. If you have any doubt about proper citation for an academic paper or proper attribution in a piece of journalism, contact your instructor or the Writing Centre at Dalhousie University. For more information, consult the calendar of the University of King’s College.
Accessibility
Students may request accommodation as a result of barriers related to disability, religious obligation, or any characteristic under the Nova Scotia Human Rights Act. Students who require academic accommodation for either classroom participation or the writing of tests and exams should make their request to the Advising and Access Services Centre (AASC) prior to or at the outset of the regular academic year. Please visit Dalhousie’s accessibility web page for more information and to obtain the Request for Accommodation – Form A.
A note taker may be required as part of a student’s accommodation. There is an honorarium of $75/course/term (with some exceptions). If you are interested, please contact AASC at 494-2836 for more information.
Please note that your classroom may contain specialized accessible furniture and equipment. It is important that these items remain in the classroom, untouched, so that students who require their usage will be able to participate in the class.
Academic performance
Disputes over academic performance and assessment will be dealt with according to the Academic Regulations of the School of Journalism. Students may appeal decisions of the Journalism Studies Committee to the Faculty of Graduate Studies. For more information, see the University of King’s College Calendar and the Dalhousie University Graduate Calendar.
Grade scale
| A+ | 90-100 |
| A | 85-89 |
| A- | 80-84 |
| B+ | 77-79 |
| B | 73-76 |
| B- | 70-72 |
| F | <70 |
Students should be on time for each class and come prepared to contribute to discussions.
Assignments are due by 9:30 a.m. on the deadline date, unless specified by the instructor. Late submissions are penalized a full letter grade a day (ie. an assignment that would’ve earned an A would get a B if it is a day late), unless an accommodation is made with the instructor. An assignment three days late or not submitted at all gets a grade of F unless an extension has been given. An extension will not ordinarily be given unless accompanied by a doctor’s note or granted due to serious family circumstances.
Students are expected to submit work that is free of spelling, grammatical or factual errors. A significant error, such as a misspelled name or an incorrect fact or figure(s), will result in an F for a portion of the assignment, and that may result in a failing grade for the entire assignment.
Students are not allowed to submit work that was previously published, or work that was submitted in some form as part of an earlier assignment. However, you are permitted to follow up on a previous assignment or build on it to create something new. Contact your instructor if you have any questions.
Unless specified otherwise, assignments will be uploaded to this site as a blog post.
Students must achieve a B- in all courses.
Your final grade is made up of five (5) assignments over five weeks, two Excel quizzes, plus a participation mark.
In addition, there may be take-home assignments to do between classes. These are designed to let you practise a skill and have content to work with in class. They are not graded, but they are mandatory.
Week One (TOP)
Classes
July 11: 9:35-12:35
July 13: 9:35-12:35
July 15:9:35-12:35
What we will cover
Introductory session on telling stories on digital platforms
What makes effective storytelling
Introduction to Statistics Canada’s website
Access to information
Introduction to DocumentCloud
Introduction to Excel
Readings
Digging Deeper: Chapters one and four
Digital Publishing: Writing Headlines that Will ‘Click’ With Readers
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/columns/digital-publishing-writing-headlines-that-will-click-with-readers/
Journalism isn’t dying. But it’s changing WAY faster than most people understand
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2016/04/18/journalism-isnt-dying-but-its-changing-way-faster-than-most-people-understand/
Links
How Is Immigration Viewed In The EU?http://www.rferl.org/contentinfographics/data-visualization-eu-migrants/27237198.html
Fatal Force
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/national/police-shootings-2016/?utm_campaign=Vox%20Sentences%207/6/16&utm_medium=email&utm_source=Sailthru
Walmart: Thousands of police calls. You paid the bill.
http://www.tampabay.com/
The 100 WORST landlords in Toronto
http://www.landlordwatch.com/
Identity Blossoming
https://identityblossoming.wordpress.com/
Open data sites
http://davidmckie.com/new-reporting-methods-syllabus/#Open1
Ontario unveils $72-million plan to fight human trafficking
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/canada-continues-to-be-a-source-for-sex-trafficking-annual-report/article30700484/
Incident-based crime statistics, by detailed violations (Statistics Canada)
http://www5.statcan.gc.ca/cansim/a26?lang=eng&id=2520051
Trafficking in Persons Report June 2016 (US State Department)
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/2938841-TraffickingInPersonsReportJune2016.html#annotation/a305615
Frequently Asked Questions on Human Trafficking (RCMP)
http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/ht-tp/q-a-trafficking-traite-eng.htm
The Conservative Party on Human Trafficking
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/1348931-conservativeplatform2011-ens.html#annotation/a305617
Completed Access to Information Requests
http://open.canada.ca/en/search/ati
Tableau Public
https://public.tableau.com/s/
Data Prep and the New Tableau 9 Data Interpreter
http://vizpainter.com/data-prep-and-the-new-tableau-9-data-interpreter/
DocumentCloud
https://www.documentcloud.org/
EmEditor
https://www.emeditor.com/
To download the search-and-rescue access-to-information acknowledgment letter, please click here.
EXCLUSIVE: Search and rescue for false alarms costs millions (CBC News)
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/search-and-rescue-for-false-alarms-costs-millions-1.2594306
Drug seizure stories (CBC News)
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2013/03/27/pol-busted-at-the-border-drug-seizures-cbsa.html
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/story/2013/03/27/pol-border-drug-seizures-china-gbh.html
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/story/2013/03/27/montreal-hot-spot-for-canada-drug-seizures.html
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2013/03/27/bc-cbsa-drugs-ketamine.html
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/story/2013/03/28/wdr-cocaine-seizures-ambassador-bridge.html
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/story/2013/03/27/ns-border-halifax-smuggle.html
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/story/2013/03/27/mb-khat-manitoba-border-smuggling.html
http://www.radio-canada.ca/grands-titres/
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/inside-politics-blog/2013/03/post-15.html
The National Institute for Computer-Assisted Reporting (NICAR)
https://www.ire.org/nicar/
Interim Directive on the Administration of the Access to Information Act
https://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/pol/doc-eng.aspx?id=18310
CBC INVESTIGATES
Police diversity fails to keep pace with Canadian populations
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/police-diversity-canada-1.3677952
Settling for Misconduct
http://projects.chicagoreporter.com/settlements/
Tutorials
To download the sample Excel workbook that contains the human trafficking data, please click here.
To download the tutorial the tutorial that walks us through the steps for assignment one, please click here.
To download the groupings of violations that we’ll be using for this assignment, please click here.
To download the DocumentCloud tutorial, please click here.
To access Digging Deeper’s online Excel, Google Fusion Table and Tableau Public tutorials, please click here.
To download the latest Tableau Public tutorial using the StatsCan human trafficking data, please click here.
Additional Resources
The Wall Street Journal: Guide to Information Graphics
http://donawong.com/
Introduction to Data Visualization: Chart Dos and Don’ts
http://guides.library.duke.edu/datavis/topten
History lesson on data visualization
http://flowingdata.com/2016/07/08/history-lesson-on-data-visualization/?utm_content=buffer4c3f1&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer
Step by step instructions to Pick the Perfect Color Combination for Your Data Visualization
http://blog.metrowebplus.com/step-by-step-instructions-to-pick-the-perfect-color-combination-for-your-data-visualization
Assignment #1. News story + photos or video (15%) – Due: July 18 by 9:30 a.m.
- Produce a news story (600 words) with an accompanying photo series or video
- The story will be based on Statistics Canada’s crime data
- There is no minimum number of sources. It’s up to you to decide what’s appropriate for your story. Add links to relevant and primary source material, if applicable.
- The stories will be uploaded to the assigned category
- Grading is based primarily on quality of the public records that you’ve mined for material, originality and depth of story, and quality of multimedia and writing. Generally, an assignment that meets the minimum requirements is considered “good.” To be considered “excellent” an assignment must go beyond being simply acceptable, whether in research/content or presentation.
| Research and content (50 per cent) | Excellent (A+, A, A-) Story is original or advances previous coverage with an original angle.Background information, statistics and quotes fully support the narrative.Multimedia (photos and/or video) is relevant, accurate and functional.Photos and/or video are compelling and greatly add to overall quality of piece.All links are relevant and appropriate primary sources.Minor additions, such as a fact or a perspective, would clarify understanding for the audience. |
Good (B+, B, B-) Story may tread slightly on previous reporting but is substantially original.Narrative is largely supported by statistics, background info and quotes.It is missing not more than one significant piece of research, or two minor pieces.Multimedia is mostly relevant, accurate and functional.Photos and/or video generally add to the quality of the piece.Content may lack an important link or two, and/or fail to point to the most appropriate online resource |
Poor (F) Story treads heavily on territory already reported by other media.Two or more major elements of the piece are unsupported by statistics, background info and/or quotes.Narrative is single-sourced and/or lacks another perspective.The piece lacks links or it points to irrelevant source material, or mainly non-primary sources.Multimedia is not relevant and/or accurate and/or functional. |
| Writing and presentation (50 per cent) | Narrative flows logically from one part to the next. It is focused from a single idea represented in the headline and lead.Headline, deck and lead are descriptive and lively. They are optimized for SEO and social sharing.Follows CP style.There are no broken links.Story is presented to aid online reading, which may include subheads and bullets.Multimedia is placed in logical spot in story.There are only one or two minor typos, grammatical errors or clichés. | Narrative flows logically but may be unclear in one or two places. The story may stray slightly from its focus.Headline, deck and lead are accurate but may lack full description or be dry. They may not be optimized for SEO or social sharing.Generally follows CP style.A single link may be broken.Text may lack one or two elements that would aid online reading.Multimedia is placed inside story.There are more than two typos, grammatical errors or clichés. | Narrative is difficult to follow and/or is unfocused. Significant parts of this piece are unclear or hard to understand.Headline, deck and/or lead are inaccurate or fail to adequately describe the content. They are not optimized for SEO and sharing.Numerous CP style errors and/or no attempt to follow CP style.Numerous links are broken.Few or no online text enhancements have been made.Multimedia is missing and/or not functioning.Piece contains more than five typos, grammatical errors and/or clichés, and/or a name is misspelled. |
Week Two (TOP)
Classes
July 18: 9:35-12:35
July 20: 9:35-12:35
July 22: 9:35-12:35
Readings
Digging Deeper chapter 11
What we will learn
Government records, including reports that measure the government’s progress and discuss the future, audits conducted by the government or the auditor general at the federal, provincial and municipal level.
TimelineJS, Abobe Photoshop
Links
UK opens trade talks for Brexit in January 2019
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/uk-opens-trade-talks-for-brexit-in-january-2019-bjpms3t52
Trade Data Online
http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/tdo-dcd.nsf/eng/Home
PHOENIX FALLING:Federal pay system failure takes human toll
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/phoenix-public-service-workers-pay-1.3680517
Phoenix payroll glitch leaves Kentville woman in the red
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/phoenix-payroll-kentville-woman-1.3678142
MP Weir on Phoenix Pay Problems (May 17, 2016)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DzbilkTy07k&t=42s
Phoenix pay system mess affects 80,000, government officials say
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/phoenix-payroll-problems-fix-1.3683735
Frequently Asked Questions about Phoenix
http://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/remuneration-compensation/paye-centre-pay/ph-faq-eng.html
2014–15 Part III – Departmental Performance Reports (DPR)
http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/hgw-cgf/oversight-surveillance/dpr-rmr/2014-2015/index-eng.asp
2014 15 Public Works and Government Servcies Performance Report uploaded to DocumentCloud
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/2994574-2014-15-Public-Works-and-Government-Servcies.html
2016–17 Part III – Reports on Plans and Priorities (RPP)
https://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/hgw-cgf/priorities-priorites/rpp/rpp-1617-eng.asp
2016 17 Public Services and Procurement Canada Plans and Priorities uploaded and annotated in DocumentCloud
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/2994569-2016-17-Public-Services-and-Procurement-Canada.html
Phoenix Pay System Records (Access to Information request) uploaded and annotated in DocumentCloud
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/2994628-Phoenix-Pay-System-Records-a-2016-00126.html
EXCLUSIVE: Phoenix pay system also breached federal workers’ privacy
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/privacy-phoenix-judy-foote-missing-paycheques-breach-1.3685866
Privacy breach unacceptable, must be addressed immediately by the government
http://psacunion.ca/privacy-breach-unacceptable-must-be-addressed
Justin Trudeau vows to fix government pay system catastrophe
https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2016/07/20/justin-trudeau-vows-to-fix-government-pay-system-catastrophe.html
New Brunswick city feeling pressure of public servants’ pay problems
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/new-brunswick-city-feeling-pressure-of-public-servants-pay-problems/article31039598/
Many federal managers had unneeded access to employees’ personal information: CBC
http://www.itworldcanada.com/article/many-federal-managers-had-unneeded-access-to-employees-personal-information-cbc/385140
Message to Government of Canada employees regarding pay
http://www.tpsgc-pwgsc.gc.ca/comm/vedette-features/2016-07-21-00-eng.html
Phoenix pay system to blame for twice breaching public servants’ private data, says deputy minister
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/phoenix-pay-private-data-1.3689396
Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada
https://www.priv.gc.ca/index_e.asp
2015-16 Annual Report to Parliament on the Privacy Act uploaded and annotated in DocumentCloud
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/2997305-2015-16-Annual-Report-to-Parliament-on-the.html
Privacy Breaches (Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada)
https://www.priv.gc.ca/resource/pb-avp/index_e.asp
Commissioner’s Findings (Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada)
https://www.priv.gc.ca/cf-dc/index_e.asp
Federal Audits and Evaluation database
http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/aedb-bdve/home-accueil-eng.aspx
Publications (Nova Scotia Finance and Treasury Board)
http://www.novascotia.ca/finance/en/home/publications/default.aspx
Office of the Auditor General of Canada
http://www.oag-bvg.gc.ca/internet/English/admin_e_41.html
Halifax Auditor General Annual Reports
http://www.halifax.ca/auditorgeneral/annualreports.php
General given task of examining sexual harassment and assault in Canadian military
http://news.nationalpost.com/news/general-given-task-of-examining-sexual-harassment-and-assault-in-canadian-military
Office of the Judge Advocate General (National Defence)
http://www.forces.gc.ca/en/about-org-structure/judge-advocate-general-office.page?
The Judge Advocate General Report uploaded and partially annotated in DocumentCloud
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/2994735-Jag-Annual-Report-14-15.html
Halifax police assaulted at higher rate than Canadian average (Alex’s story for Halifax Metro)
http://www.metronews.ca/news/halifax/2016/07/20/halifax-police-assaulted-higher-rate-than-canadian-average.html
Reading material
Chapter four of Digging Deeper
Additional Resources
What We Know About the Police Shooting in Baton Rouge
http://graphics.wsj.com/what-we-know-about-the-police-shooting-in-baton-rouge/
Kicking and screaming’: 50 years of FOIA
http://www.cjr.org/the_feature/foia_history_timeline.php
Interactive Timeline: The Collapse Of The World’s Largest Coal Company
http://insideenergy.org/2016/04/13/interactive-timeline-the-collapse-of-the-worlds-largest-coal-company/
How Obama’s waiting game killed Keystone
http://www.politico.com/story/2015/11/keystone-pipeline-tick-tock-215618
Exxon scrambles to contain climate crusade
http://www.politico.com/story/2016/05/exxon-climate-campaign-222920
TimelineJS
https://timeline.knightlab.com/
Tiki-Toki
http://www.tiki-toki.com/
Witness to History (Newsday)
http://projects.newsday.com/long-island/wwii-timeline/
The Corey Jones Shooting (myPalmBeachPost)
http://www.mypalmbeachpost.com/coreyjones/timeline/
Life of Omar Mateen, Lone Gunman in Deadliest Mass Shooting in Modern American History
http://apps.mypalmbeachpost.com/mateentimeline/index.html?source=1Ww-b0B_okJoRI7NT-HT-G3xTTH_VJYMEEVbSUgPsjPw&font=Default&lang=en&initial_zoom=2&height=650
Assignment #2. Infographic or timeline (15%) – Due: July 25 by 9:30 a.m.
- Your idea MUST emerge from the category of public records we’ll be discussing this week: annual reports and audits
- Your visuzalization will be an infographic or timeline. The visualization must act as value-added content to your story, making your information more accessible and comprehensible as well as visually appealing. You can create your graphic in Photoshop, or using an online tool such as Timeline JS. Your graphic should be newsy (ie. cover a person, issue or topic in the news) and above all accurate. Pitch your idea to David ahead of time.
- You MUST upload your document(s) to DocumentCloud, annotate the sections you’ll be using, and embed the annotation(s)
- There MUST be at least two interviews, ideally including someone who is affected by the story.
- This will mean getting your idea as soon as possible to avoid making calls at the last minute
- For photographs in your infographic or timeline, you may use someone else’s photos as long as they are free to use, or you got permission to use them.
- Be sure to provide photo credits.
- Embed your visualization in a post on this class blog to the assigned category. Include a headline and a paragraph or two to set it up. This should help your reader understand what they’re looking at and why the interactive element is timely.
- Word length is 500 words. No more. No less.
- Stories that substantially exceed the word length will be docked half a grade.
- Grading is based primarily on suitability of topic, quality of entries and overall functionality of visualization. Generally, an assignment that meets the minimum requirements is considered “good.” To be considered “excellent” an assignment must go beyond being simply acceptable, whether in research/content or presentation.
| Research and content (50 per cent) | Excellent (A+, A, A-) Topic is focused and suitable for a timeline.Timeline clearly shows the chronology of a topic, person or issue in the news.Contains at least eight entries.Sources are all relevant and are a mix of web pages, videos, images, tweets, etc. |
Good (B+, B, B-) Topic is generally suitable for a timeline.Contains at least eight entries.Timeline generally shows a chronology.Interactive elements may rely on just one or two content options. |
Poor (F) Topic is not suitable for a timeline.Contains fewer than five or more than 25 entries.Timeline does not show a chronology and/or events out of sequence.Timeline lacks content diversity and/or relevant source. |
| Writing and presentation (50 per cent) | Timeline is functional, with all sources displaying properly.Writing is clear and concise, free of grammatical errors and typos, and follows CP style.Headline and introduction set up timeline well. | An interactive element may have a minor operational or display issue.Writing is clear and focused but may contain one or two grammatical errors or typos.There may be some issues with CP style. | Key elements of the piece may not work or display properly.Writing is unfocused and/or contains multiple grammatical errors or typos. One or more names is misspelled.Little or no attempt to follow CP style. |
Week Three (TOP)
Classes
July 25: 9:35-12:35
July 25: 9:35-12:35
July 29: 9:35-12:35
What you will learn
All about the Census and how to mine the data for stories
Country profiles
Basic HTML and CSS
Qgis
ArcGIS Online
Links
Halifax’s TIPS hotline for political complaints receiving fewer calls
http://www.metronews.ca/news/halifax/2016/08/02/halifax-s-tips-hotline-for-political-complaints-receiving-fewer-.html?cq_ck=1470145472679
Many Mounties oppose opening ranks to permanent residents, easing entrance requirements, spokesmen say
http://news.nationalpost.com/news/canada/many-mounties-oppose-opening-ranks-to-permanent-residents-easing-entrance-requirements
Democratic National Committee head resigns amid e-mail furor
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/world/democratic-national-committee-head-debbie-wasserman-schultz-resigns-amid-e-mail-furor/article31092402/
U.S. Power Consumption
http://ritholtz.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/powerplant-primary-energy-source-by-3-digit-zip-code.png
StatsCan testing texting as one way to stop major data quality concerns
http://www.thespec.com/news-story/6779926-statscan-testing-texting-as-one-way-to-stop-major-data-quality-concerns/
Canada Agency Warns Technology Woes Could Delay Economic Releases
http://www.wsj.com/articles/canada-agency-warns-technology-woes-could-delay-economic-releases-1469212841
Interactive Map: Explore the data behind Toronto’s working poor (The globe and Mail)
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/toronto/interactive-map-explore-the-data-behind-torontos-working-poor/article2332885/
Examples of stories using 2011 data from the Household Survey
http://davidmckie.com/category/data-assignment_three_2015/
Census response rate is 98 per cent, early calculations show
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/early-calculations-show-increase-in-census-response-rates-statscan/article31062944/
2016 Census Program release schedule
http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2016/ref/release-dates-diffusion-eng.cfm
Federal Electoral Districts – Canada 2013
http://geogratis.gc.ca/api/en/nrcan-rncan/ess-sst/56124851-71fc-4f94-8df2-40f59cd1dd46.html
National Household Survey User Guide
http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/ref/nhs-enm_guide/index-eng.cfm
NHS Profile, 2011
http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/dp-pd/prof/index.cfm?Lang=E
NHS Profile, Canada, 2011
http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/nhs-enm/2011/dp-pd/prof/details/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo1=PR&Code1=01&Data=Count&SearchText=01&SearchType=Begins&SearchPR=01&A1=All&B1=All&Custom=&TABID=3
2011 Census – Boundary files
https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/geo/bound-limit/bound-limit-2011-eng.cfm
2011 Census Program – Thematic maps
http://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2011/geo/map-carte/ref/thematic-thematiques-index-eng.cfm#tabs3
Qgis
http://www.qgis.org/en/site/
ArcGIS
https://www.arcgis.com/features/
Cost, transparency concerns raised over N.S. government opinion polls
http://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/cost-transparency-concerns-raised-over-n-s-government-opinion-polls-1.3006107
Drugs, drinking, sex assault: 12 Halifax cabbies have lost licences in 2 years
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/halifax-taxi-drivers-licenses-1.3699634
Record numbers of overdose deaths prompt new provincial actions on drug addiction
http://www.straight.com/news/744911/record-numbers-overdose-deaths-prompt-new-provincial-actions-drug-addiction
Additional links
Julie Marcoux – Dal’s data and geospatial librarian
https://blogs.dal.ca/libraries/2015/06/welcome-to-julie-marcoux-our-new-data-librarian/
Census Mapper
https://censusmapper.ca/maps/132#14/44.6484/-63.5750
Census information
https://library.carleton.ca/research/course-guides/busi-2208/government-information
Shape files (ArcGIS Online Help)
https://doc.arcgis.com/en/arcgis-online/reference/shapefiles.htm
Introduction to Data Visualization: Chart Dos and Don’ts
http://guides.library.duke.edu/datavis/topten
Digital Publishing: Writing Headlines That Will ‘Click’ With Readers
http://www.editorandpublisher.com/columns/digital-publishing-writing-headlines-that-will-click-with-readers/
How to: use maps effectively to explain stories
http://www.carlapedret.cat/maps-stories-cartodb-mapbox-fusion-tables/
Tutorials
To download the ArcGIS Online tutorial that Alex and Kathleen created, please click here.
ArcGIS Online : Importing External Data
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ArcGIS+Online+%28Tutorial+1+of+3%29%3A+Importing+External+Data
Codecademy
https://www.codecademy.com/learn/web
To download the shape file for 2011 median household mapped-out income data for Nova Scotia, please click here.
To obtain the instructions for downloading Qgis, please click here
To download the voter turnout tutorial in Qgis, please click here.
To download the voter turnout csvt file, please click here.
To download the contaminated sites tutorial in Qgis, please click here.
To download the ArcGIS Online tutorial, please click here.
To download the census tract geographic boundaries zip file, please click here.
Assignment #3. Story based on a census map (15%) – Due: August 2 by 9:30 a.m.
- We’ll learn how to create a census map for Nova Scotia, federal ridings, or whatever boundary file you choose, and use it as a basis for telling a story about a particular community based on patterns such as ethnicity, marital status.
- The story will be 600 words and MUST contain an embedded interactive map using ArcGIS Online to which you must subscribe
- In addition to the map, the story will have strong visual elements such as photographs, or any of the tools that you’ve used so far, including video, which we will cover more in-depth next week. In short, the ground that Kat has covered so far.
| Research and content (50 per cent) | Excellent (A+, A, A-) Story is original or advances previous coverage with an original angle.Background information, statistics and quotes fully support the narrative.Visualization is relevant, accurate, focused and clear. It adds greatly to the overall quality of the piece.All links are relevant and appropriate primary sources.Minor additions, such as a fact or a perspective, would clarify understanding for the audience. |
Good (B+, B, B-) Story may tread slightly on previous reporting but is substantially original.Narrative is largely supported by statistics, background info and quotes.It is missing not more than one significant piece of research, or two minor pieces.Visualization is mostly relevant, accurate and clear. It generally works with the text.Content may lack an important link or two, and/or fail to point to the most appropriate online resource. |
Poor (F) Story treads heavily on territory already reported by other media.Two or more major elements of the piece are unsupported by statistics, background info and/or quotes.Narrative is single-sourced and/or lacks another perspective.Visualization is not relevant and/or accurate, or it’s missing.The piece lacks links or it points to irrelevant source material, or mainly non-primary sources. |
| Writing and presentation (50 per cent) | Narrative flows logically from one part to the next. It is focused from a single idea represented in the headline and lead.Headline, deck and lead are descriptive and lively. They are optimized for SEO and social sharing.Follows CP style.There are no broken links.Story is presented to aid online reading, which may include subheads and bullets.Visualization is placed in logical spot in story.There are only one or two minor typos, grammatical errors or clichés. | Narrative flows logically but may be unclear in one or two places. The story may stray slightly from its focus.Headline, deck and lead are accurate but may lack full description or be dry. They may not be optimized for SEO or social sharing.Generally follows CP style.A single link may be broken.Text may lack one or two elements that would aid online reading.Visualization is placed inside story.There are more than two typos, grammatical errors or clichés. | Narrative is difficult to follow and/or is unfocused.Significant parts of this piece are unclear or hard to understand.Headline, deck and/or lead are inaccurate or fail to adequately describe the content. They are not optimized for SEO and sharing.Numerous CP style errors and/or no attempt to follow CP style.Numerous links are broken.Few or no online text enhancements have been made.Visualization is missing and/or not functioning.Piece contains more than five typos, grammatical errors and/or clichés, and/or a name is misspelled. |
Week Four (TOP)
Classes
August 1: 9:35-12:35
August 3: 9:35-12:35
August 5: 9:35-12:35
What you will learn
A refresher on the fundamentals of good visualizations
Adobe Premier
How to find stories in documents obtained through access to information
Links
What I Saw in Syria
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/06/10/world/middleeast/syria-road-trip.html?_r=0
Hockey – Baseball – Refugees
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/greece/#
DocX at Hot Docs House
http://boxoffice.hotdocs.ca/WebSales/pages/info.aspx?evtinfo=51554~edeed7b8-5598-4ac6-994a-ca71bc407bc4
NFB interactives
https://www.nfb.ca/interactive/
https://www.nfb.ca/explore-all-films/
Access to Information request forms
http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/tbsf-fsct/350-57_e.asp
Access to Information fillable request form
Make an access to information or personal information request
http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/hgw-cgf/oversight-surveillance/atip-aiprp/mr-pd/index-eng.asp
Access to Information Act
http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/A-1/
Privacy Act
http://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/acts/P-21/
Federal Departments and Agencies
http://canada.ca/en/gov/dept/index.html
Info Source (directory of holdings)
http://www.infosource.gc.ca/emp/emp05-eng.asp
Access to Information and Privacy Coordinators
http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/atip-aiprp/apps/coords/index-eng.asp
Access to Information (CBC)
http://www.cbc.radio-canada.ca/en/reporting-to-canadians/transparency-and-accountability/access-to-information/
2015 Refugee Claim Data and IRB Member Recognition Rates
http://ccrweb.ca/en/2015-refugee-claim-data
Phoenix Pay System Records (Access to Information request) uploaded and annotated in DocumentCloud
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/2994628-Phoenix-Pay-System-Records-a-2016-00126.html
EXCLUSIVE: Phoenix pay system also breached federal workers’ privacy
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/privacy-phoenix-judy-foote-missing-paycheques-breach-1.3685866
Privacy breach unacceptable, must be addressed immediately by the government
http://psacunion.ca/privacy-breach-unacceptable-must-be-addressed
Military studies extending life of Snowbird aircraft 20 years past retirement
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/snowbirds-tutor-jets-replacement-1.3689876
Drugs thefts prompt $8-million reno at New Westminster hospital
http://www.newwestrecord.ca/news/drugs-thefts-prompt-8-million-reno-at-new-westminster-hospital-1.2312555
CRA convicts a fraction of offshore tax evaders: Exclusive
https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2016/08/01/cra-convicts-a-fraction-of-offshore-tax-evaders-exclusive.html
Vacant residence at 24 Sussex Drive requires costly upkeep
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/24-sussex-trudeau-residence-maintenance-1.3707155
Resources
InteractivevideoLISTOFTOOLS.pdf
To download the spreadsheet we’ll be using for the test, click here
Assignment #4. Video story (15%) – Due: August 11 midnight
- Record and package a multi-clip piece using Adobe Premiere. It will be a news story based on that document you obtained from the informal access-to-information request you made during the first week of class, or from a record that you will be assigned.
- You’ll need a paragraph or two to set up the video, which could feature an interview with a key player implicated, or affected by the record(s) that you’ve uncovered, or an explainer using b-roll, photographs and a voice track.
- You can also combine your findings with material from other public records. However, as is the case with all these assignments, the story must emerge from to original record that you have sought out.
- Pitch your story idea to David ahead of time, and your visualization idea to Kat.
- You may use your own camera if you have one. You may also sign out a tripod and/or microphone from Kat.
- You’ll post the story to the assigned category for this website.
- A typical video story is usually around 90 seconds, but no less than 60 or longer than 120 seconds.
- NOTE: Even a 30-second clip can take a long time to upload to YouTube. Make sure you allow for this so you can make your deadline.
- Grading is primarily based on quality of story and overall presentation. Generally, an assignment that meets the minimum requirements is considered “good.” To be considered “excellent” an assignment must go beyond being simply acceptable, whether in idea/content or packaging/style.
| Story and presentation (50 per cent) | Excellent (A+, A, A-) Story is original or showcases timely and/or relevant topic.Topic is ideal as a video package or works well as one.Story is focused and flows logically.Clips work together in one cohesive package. |
Good (B+, B, B-) Story showcases timely event or topic.Topic is suitable for video.Video tells a story, but there may minor problems with flow or focus.Clips generally work together, though there may be some minor problems with cross-scripting or clips out of order. |
Poor (F) Story isn’t newsworthy, relevant or timely.Topic is not suitable for video or very little/no attempt to visualize the story.Major problems with focus or story flow.Clips do not work together. There may be major problems with cross-scripting or clips out of sequence. |
| Video and text (50 per cent) | Clips are original, visually interesting and have no (or very) minor technical flaws.Titles and text and/or narration relay key information. This includes accompanying description on uploaded video.No more than one minor typo, grammatical error or cliché. | Clips are original but may have a minor technical flaw and/or use a composition cliché.Titles and text and/or narration generally relay key information.Two or three typos, grammatical errors or clichés. | Clips have numerous technical flaws, are visually unoriginal and/or violate legal or ethical practices.Titles and text and/or narration is off focus or missing.Three or more typos, grammatical errors and/or clichés.One or more names is misspelled and/or fact is wrong. |
Week Five (TOP)
Classes
August 8: 9:35-12:35
August 10:9:35-12:35
August 13:9:35-12:35
What you will learn
How to use historical records.
How to use Parliamentary records, including Hansard and sessional papers.
During this week, we’ll be pulling together everything we’ve learned to prepare for the final assignment, a capstone project.
We will review the public records we’ve used to far with an eye to mining the best ones for ideas for our final project.
We will complete exercises in basic HTML and CSS
Links
Komagata Maru memorial gets new plaque
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/komagata-maru-plaque-vancouver-1.3711143
The Canadian Encyclopedia
http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/#
Encyclopedia of American Studies
http://eas-ref.press.jhu.edu/
Dictionary of Canadian Biography
http://www.biographi.ca/en/
Canadian Parliamentary Guide 2016
http://www.greyhouse.ca/parl.htm
Parliament of Canada
http://www.parl.gc.ca/Default.aspx?Language=E
MEMBERS OF THE CABINET, PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARIES AND OPPOSITION PARTY CRITICS
http://www.lop.parl.gc.ca/ParlInfo/Compilations/HouseOfCommons/MinistryMembers.aspx
History of Federal Ridings Since 1867
http://www.lop.parl.gc.ca/About/Parliament/FederalRidingsHistory/HFER.asp
Library of Parliament Publications
http://www.lop.parl.gc.ca/About/Library/VirtualLibrary/ResearchPublications-e.asp
Nova Scotia Legislative Library
http://nslegislature.ca/index.php/library/
Government Administrative Histories Online
https://novascotia.ca/archives/gaho/
Nova Scotia House of Assembly fonds
https://memoryns.ca/nova-scotia-house-of-assembly-fonds
Library and Archives Canada
http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Pages/home.aspx
Nova Scotia Executive Council fonds
https://memoryns.ca/nova-scotia-executive-council-fonds
Nova Scotia Legislative Council fonds
https://memoryns.ca/nova-scotia-legislative-council-fonds
Canada Year Book
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/11-402-x/index-eng.htm
Nova Scotia Archives
https://archives.novascotia.ca/
Canadian Archival Information Network
http://www.archivescanada.ca/
Dalhousie University Library
https://libraries.dal.ca/
The Struggles of Third-Party Candidates Through the Years
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/04/upshot/third-party-candidates-through-the-years.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fupshot&action=click&contentCollection=upshot®ion=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=2&pgtype=sectionfront
Only 9% of America Chose Trump
and Clinton as the Nominees
http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/08/01/us/elections/nine-percent-of-america-selected-trump-and-clinton.html?smid=fb-nytimes&smtyp=cur&_r=1
‘HE WAS ABLE TO MANIPULATE THE SITUATION’
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/the-trafficked-sexual-exploitation-is-costing-canadian-women-their-lives/article28700849/
Code Academy
https://www.codecademy.com/learn
W3Schools Online Web Tutorials
http://www.w3schools.com/
Canadian military voices concerns over Energy East pipeline
http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/cfb-petawawa-energy-east-pipeline-1.3712472
HOW CANADIAN UNIVERSITIES ARE FAILING SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVORS
https://nowtoronto.com/news/how-canadian-universities-are-failing-sexual-assault-survivors/
Funding cuts jeopardizing health, safety in federal buildings: Documents
http://www.metronews.ca/news/canada/2016/08/09/funding-cuts-jeopardizing-health-safety-in-federal-buildings-documents.html
Order paper questions
http://www.parl.gc.ca/HousePublications/Publication.aspx?Pub=status&Language=E&Mode=1&Parl=42&Ses=1&File=12
Sessional Paper: Abandoned and Derelict Vessels
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3009570-Abandoned-and-Derelict-Vessels-8555-421-186.html
Sessional Paper: Syrian Refugees
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3009571-Syrian-Refugees-8555-421-167.html
Sessional Paper: Supervised Injection Site
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3009572-Supervised-Injection-Sites-Q-127.html
Sessional Paper: Government Issued Credit Cards
https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/3009573-Government-Issued-Credit-Cards-8555-421-172.html
Teaching Open Data
http://open.canada.ca/en/blog/teaching-open-data
Pilot dies after plane crashes into street in Peterborough, Ont.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/peterborough-plane-crash-1.3717965
Civil Aviation Daily Occurrence Reporting System (CADORS)
http://wwwapps.tc.gc.ca/saf-sec-sur/2/cadors-screaq/m.aspx?lang=eng
Excel test
To download the second spreadsheet we’ll be using for our test, please click here.
Assignment #5. Capstone project (20%) – Due: August 18 by midnight
- This final assignment, or capstone project, is designed to showcase a compelling multi-media work of journalism, and pull together what we’ve learned during the past five weeks.
- As has been the case with previous assignments, the story MUST emerge from a public record, be it a document or database.
- The story could be a profile, feature, backgrounder, etc. It must be well-researched, newsworthy and skillfully crafted, using words and visuals. Feel free to your idea to David ahead of time in order to make sure that you’re on the right path.
- Once you decide on your multi-media elements, be sure to consult Kat.
- You must include at least two major multi-media elements (eg. video, map, chart), making sure to select the ones that are right for your story: and an infographic built using Visme, Photoshop, ArcGIS Online, Tableau Public, chronology, and so on.
- The length of the story is 600 words – no more, no less!!
- All of the content must be recorded and/or produced by you.
- The material will be uploaded to The Signal, King’s platform for major pieces of journalism, as well as the category that you’ll be assigned for our website.
- Grading is based primarily on originality and depth of story, quality of multimedia and writing. Generally, an assignment that meets the minimum requirements is considered “good.” To be considered “excellent” an assignment must go beyond being simply acceptable, whether in research/content or presentation.
| Research and content (50 per cent) | Excellent (A+, A, A-) Story is original or advances previous coverage with an original angle.Contains multiple quoted sources that are all relevant and add to a deeper understanding of story.Background information, statistics and quotes fully support the thesis.Multimedia (photos, video, etc.) is relevant and accurate. Elements are compelling and greatly add to overall quality of piece.If links are used, all links are relevant and appropriate primary sources.Minor additions, such as a fact or a perspective, would clarify understanding for the audience.Content and storytelling tool/platform are an ideal match. |
Good (B+, B, B-) Story may tread slightly on previous reporting but is substantially original.Thesis is largely supported by statistics, background info and quotes.It is missing not more than one significant piece of research, or two minor pieces.Multimedia is mostly relevant and accurate. Elements generally add to the quality of the piece.If links are used, may lack an important link or two, and/or fail to point to the most appropriate online resource.There is some attempt to match content with appropriate storytelling tool/platform. |
Poor (F) Story treads heavily on territory already reported by other media.Single-sourced and/or lacks another perspective.Two or more major elements of the piece are unsupported by statistics, background info and/or quotes.If links are included, two or more links point to irrelevant source material, or mainly non-primary sources.Multimedia element(s) is not relevant and/or accurate.There is no attempt to match content with appropriate storytelling platform/tool, or wrong match. |
| Writing and presentation (50 per cent) | Narrative flows logically from one part to the next. It is focused from a single idea represented in the headline and lead.Headline, deck and lead are descriptive and lively. They are optimized for SEO and social sharing.Follows CP style.Story package as a whole is cohesive and logical.If there are links, none are broken.Story is presented to aid online reading, which may include subheads and bullets.Multimedia elements function and are placed in logical spot in story.There are only one or two minor typos, grammatical errors or clichés. | Narrative flows logically but may be unclear in one or two places. The story may stray slightly from its focus.Headline, deck and lead are accurate but may lack full description or be dry. They may not be optimized for SEO or social sharing.Story package as a whole generally works.Generally follows CP style.If there are links, a single link may be broken.Text may lack one or two elements that would aid online reading.Multimedia element(s) functions and is placed inside story.There are more than two typos, grammatical errors or clichés. | Narrative is difficult to follow and/or is unfocused. Significant parts of this piece are unclear or hard to understand.Headline, deck and/or lead are inaccurate or fail to adequately describe the content. They are not optimized for SEO and sharing.Story package as a whole is disjointed or illogical.Numerous CP style errors and/or no attempt to follow CP style.If there are links, two or more are broken.Few or no online text enhancements have been made.Multimedia element(s) is missing or not functioning and/or not placed in appropriate place.Piece contains more than five typos, grammatical errors and/or clichés, and/or a name is misspelled. |
6. Excel quizzes 2X (10%)
- Learning how to use a spreadsheet is basic to being able to work with data that you obtain from open data websites, make sense of it, find patterns or conduct your finances. As such, we’ll be spending a lot of time learning the basics of Excel, including entering data, sorting, filtering, simple math, and constructing pivot tables. Digging Deeper covers spreadsheets in chapter eleven, as does one of the book’s online appendices. There will be two quizzes. Each one worth five percent of the total mark. They’ll be surprises. These should be easy marks. So just be sure to practice, practice, and then practice some more. For the quizzes, you’ll be using assigned datasets, and will be tested on what you’ve learned up to that point.
7. Professionalism (10%)
- The idea behind this grade and category is to track your professionalism; that is, showing up to class on time, meaningful participation; concentrating while in class and avoiding distractions such as Facebook or Twitter, using class time efficiently, prompt responses to emailed queries and a willingness to share methodologies and tricks that you’ve learned along the way.tje