By On the Road | 05.21.2009
We've received lots of questions about whether the optional Computer-Assisted Reporting day at the Baltimore conference June 11-14 is suitable for people new to CAR. The answer is "Yes." The day will serve as a good introduction to the tools and tricks of analyzing electronic information. In addition, hands-on classes Friday through Saturday will give you actual experience using spreadsheets and databases.
Here are some Thursday panels I think would be suitable for those new to CAR as well as seasoned veterans:
| Thursday (6/11/09) |
Panel(s) |
| 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. |
CAR's greatest hits: 2008-2009 (this one is good for story ideas) |
|
|
| 10:10 - 11:10 a.m. |
Criminal Justice: Understanding crime statistics |
|
|
| 11:20am - 12:20 p.m. |
Math for journalists |
|
|
| 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. |
Fun software toys and freebies |
|
|
| 3:40 - 4:40 p.m. |
Data basics: How to find it and get it in electronic form |
|
Money matters: How CAR can strengthen coverage of the financial crisis |
|
|
| 4:50 - 5:50 p.m. |
Cutting-edge Internet tips and tricks |
|
Getting it right: Bulletproofing your data analysis |
Hands-on Excel and Access classes are taught by experienced journalists and instructors. You don't have to sign up for those, as they are first-come, first-served. If you're new to CAR, I would recommend starting with Excel 1 on Friday at 8:30 a.m. Here's a rundown of the times and days for the various classes:
| Friday (6/12/09) |
|
| 8:30 - 9:30 a.m. |
Excel 1 |
| 9:40 - 10:40 a.m. |
Excel 2 |
| 10:50 - 11:50 a.m. |
Convert and import PDF's into Excel |
| 2:15 - 3:15 p.m. |
Mining the invisible Web |
| 3:25 - 4:25 p.m. |
Importing text and HTML into Excel |
| Saturday (6/13/09) |
|
| 8:30 - 9:30 a.m. |
Access 1 |
| 9:40 - 10:40 a.m. |
Access 2 |
| 10:50 - 11:50 a.m. |
Access 3 |
| 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. |
Excel 1 |
| 3:40 - 4:40 p.m. |
Excel 2 |
| 4:50 - 5:50 p.m. |
Internet searching for data |
Feel free to contact me at jaimi@ire.org with any questions. See you in Baltimore!
— Jaimi Dowdell, IRE training director