The IRE Resource Center is a major research library containing more than 23,250 investigative stories — both print and broadcast. Add to that more than 3,000 tipsheets from our national conferences on how to cover specific beats or do specific stories and you have a resource that no reporter or editor should be without. These stories and tipsheets are searchable online or by contacting the Resource Center directly (573-882-3364 or rescntr@ire.org) where a researcher can help you pinpoint what you need. Browse or search the tipsheet section of our library below. Logged-in members can view the tipsheets free online:
Search results for "GIS mapping" ...
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Quantum GIS (QGIS)
Learn how to work with Quantum GIS, shapefiles and color-code a thematic map.
Tags: Quantum GIS; shapefiles; maps
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Mining the web for Data and Stories
This tipsheet lists valuable online resources including searchable data; downloadable data; advanced search strategies; mapping services.
Tags: online resources; data; online data; government data; databases; FedStats; Data.gov; USASPending.gov; BRB Publications; OSHA; MSHA; FARS: Federal Railroad Administration; GIS; mapping; census; Environmental Protection Agency; Federal Aviation Administration;
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CAR 2009: Geodata Tsunami
Henriksen explores geocoding data. "Any data with an address or a placename can be geocoded. In this example, Geocoding is done on five-digit ZIP Code. When you type an address into Google, Google geocodes it and puts a marker on the map. GIS software does built-in geocoding . Geocoding is very data dependent, and Results will vary dramatically with data quality." Henriksen shows how you can derive new information from GIS data.
Tags: geodata; tabular data; locators; geocoders; geotagging; GIS
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Mapping Hazardous Chemical Sites
Grabell's tipsheet outlines resources for mapping hazardous chemical sites. The tipsheet provides lists of where to find applicable data, as well as programs used to map these sites.
Tags: hazardous waste; EPA; Environmental Protection Agency; FOIA; Hazmat; ESRI; ArcGIS; Google Maps; Caspio; risk management; planning and zoning
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After Disaster Strikes: Be A Recovery Watchdog
Cervantes details how the Union-Tribune covered the wildfires that ravaged San Diego in October 2007. The city and county governments offered "free" demolition and debris removal for destroyed properties. "We got a tip contractors were charging outrageous rates, so we decided to investigate and analyze the public records and data to see what was being done with taxpayer money."
Tags: disaster; wildfire; Union-Tribune; FEMA; California Public Records Act; FOIA; demolition permit applications; RFP; requests for proposals; Governor's Office of Emergency Services; San Diego; GIS mapping; mapping
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The Latest in Mapping Data
The authors discuss the basics of mapping, including what software to use and how to obtain data online. The tipsheet also discusses stories that have successfully utilized mapping and includes URLs to view the stories online.
Tags: ESRI; ArcGIS; mapping; GIS; data analysis
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Dealing With Projections (And Datum Issues)
LaFleur defines datum and projections and discusses how they apply to mapping your stories. The tipsheet includes screen shots from ArcView to describe how view and alter these components in your own maps.
Tags: mapping; GIS; ArcView; shapefiles; projection; metadata
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Tracking a Wildfire
The authors discuss how to quickly build maps that will enhance coverage of wild fires. They discuss where to find shapefiles of the affected areas and how to acquire incident command structure reports which include valuable information about how fires were started and fought. The authors then describe how to use those two pieces of data (shapefiles and ICS reports) to create a time line of the fire. The tipsheet ends with a list of other resources that might be useful for reporters covering fires.
Tags: fire; GIS; mapping; shapefiles; Google maps; Forest Service
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ArcView Grab Bag
Herzog offers some tools and tricks for using ArcView. He includes advice about how to convert census TIGER files, how to do spatial data analysis, and how to transfer GPS wayward points to ArcView.
Tags: mapping; GIS; data analysis; ArcView