Writing Data-Driven Articles

Writing a data-driven article might seem daunting, but this guide will help you learn how to effectively communicate your findings in three common types of articles: Traditional Analysis, Survey Write-ups, and Scrollytelling.

Types of Articles

  1. Traditional Analysis: Most common type of article. It involves asking a question, finding relevant data, analyzing the data, visualizing it, and then writing an article that presents these findings.
  2. Survey Write-up: HODP conducts its own surveys, and the results are analyzed and presented in an article. Examples of this type of work include pieces on the 2020 Presidential Primaries and on students’ COVID-19 situations.
  3. Scrollytelling: This type of article is more interactive and visual. As the reader scrolls, graphics change or are replaced, accompanied by text blurbs. An example is the New York Times piece on how the Iowa caucuses work.

Writing a HODP Article

Regardless of the type of article, we recommend including the following sections:

  • Introduction and the Question: Clearly state the questions your project aims to answer. Give the reader an idea for what they’re in for, and why it’s important or relevant to them.
  • The Data and Your Methods: Briefly discuss your data and where you got it from. If your data collection methods were complex, describe how you acquired your data. This section should be brief, but detailed enough to allow readers to trust your analysis.
  • The Insights: Present the results of your analysis both visually and numerically, and explain what each result means. Feel free to suggest hypotheses behind your results, but ensure everything you say is supported by data.
  • Unanswered Questions: It’s okay to acknowledge that the data doesn’t answer all your questions, or if your results are inconclusive.
  • Conclusion, Significance, Future Work: Synthesize your key results and connect them back to your original question. Discuss the significance of your work, potential future work, and why your work was interesting or important.

Check our ourย Fall 2020 bootcamp presentationย on how to write an effective data journalism article.

Publishing with HODP

Once your article is written, refer to the style guide for information on what to submit to get published. Remember, writing an effective data journalism article involves more than just presenting data – it’s about telling a thought-provoking story that is supported by data.