Even the most diligent data and investigative reporters can sometimes let numbers get the best of them.
At a #NICAR2025 panel, data journalism experts discussed nuanced number errors that can confuse readers and disrupt story angles. https://twp.ai/9PR2JG
Even the most diligent data and investigative reporters can sometimes let numbers get the best of them.
At a #NICAR2025 panel, data journalism experts offered these tips to avoid misleading audiences with numbers: https://twp.ai/9PR7JT
💫 NEW! At a #NICAR2025 panel, data journalism experts discussed nuanced number errors that watchdog reporters often make that can confuse readers and disrupt story angles.
More: https://twp.ai/9PR7JR
Here's the handout for my "Cutting-edge web scraping techniques" workshop at #NICAR2025 this morning github.com/simonw/nicar-2025-scrapi...
Plus some extra notes on the custom software I built to support the workshop […]
Here's the handout for my "Cutting-edge web scraping techniques" workshop at #NICAR2025 this morning github.com/simonw/nicar...
Plus some extra notes on the custom software I built to support the workshop: simonwillison.net/2025/Mar/8/c...
I made a tidycensus cheatsheet for my #nicar25 class. I have a dozen left if anyone wants a hard copy. #rstats #nicar2025
Getting FOIA responses while in sessions at #NICAR2025 🤌
First day of #NICAR2025! I think this is my 26th or 27th NICAR, which seems nuts but also is a testament to how important it is to find your people and stick with them. If this is your first time, say hello!
Hello #NICAR2025! Hope your flights eventually get in. I am old now, and do not know much about cool things to do, but may I humbly suggest: St. Paul! Great Asian food all along University Avenue, just for starters. And it's a great town for Lent fish fries.
![Screenshot of a webpage displaying analytics for NICAR 2025 posts on Bluesky from January 3 to March 2. The page shows three key statistics in colored boxes: Total Posts (107), Unique Authors (30), and Total Likes (375). Below, a table lists posts with columns for CreatedAt (timestamp), Text, Author, Likes, Reposts, Replies, and Tags.
Three posts are visible:
Todd Wallack (2025-03-02 20:37Z): "Looking forward to talking about nonprofit data at #nicar25. >>" (2 likes, 0 reposts, 1 reply, tag: nicar25).
Janelle O'Dea (2025-03-02 20:03Z): "Good thread for anyone to doing the work, but especially for beginners or first-timers at #NICAR25 to check it out. >>" (3 likes, 1 repost, 0 replies, tag: NICAR25).
Janelle O'Dea (2025-03-02 19:51Z): "I’m back with the 411 on 311 this year for #NICAR25 🔵 and I’m excited to announce my colleague @ctoner.bsky.social from @illinoisanswers.bsky..." (2 likes, 2 reposts, 1 reply, tag: NICAR25).
The left sidebar contains filters for date range selection, external URLs, and authors. The top-right corner has a FAQ button.
[alt text mostly by the ALTscribe custom GPT]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:z4cp3uwgxiioi7uaxn2boq47/bafkreiebn75ghvq2zxgcoqbhmo4odivpnbl2xsipx343ldxhrkfmcwoim4)
Screenshot of a webpage displaying analytics for NICAR 2025 posts on Bluesky from January 3 to March 2. The page shows three key statistics in colored boxes: Total Posts (107), Unique Authors (30), and Total Likes (375). Below, a table lists posts with columns for CreatedAt (timestamp), Text, Author, Likes, Reposts, Replies, and Tags. Three posts are visible: Todd Wallack (2025-03-02 20:37Z): "Looking forward to talking about nonprofit data at #nicar25. >>" (2 likes, 0 reposts, 1 reply, tag: nicar25). Janelle O'Dea (2025-03-02 20:03Z): "Good thread for anyone to doing the work, but especially for beginners or first-timers at #NICAR25 to check it out. >>" (3 likes, 1 repost, 0 replies, tag: NICAR25). Janelle O'Dea (2025-03-02 19:51Z): "I’m back with the 411 on 311 this year for #NICAR25 🔵 and I’m excited to announce my colleague @ctoner.bsky.social from @illinoisanswers.bsky..." (2 likes, 2 reposts, 1 reply, tag: NICAR25). The left sidebar contains filters for date range selection, external URLs, and authors. The top-right corner has a FAQ button. [alt text mostly by the ALTscribe custom GPT]
Keep up with posts from the NICAR data journalism conference!
Easily browse, search & filter posts with the #NICAR25 hashtag - and also #NICAR and #NICAR2025 just in case:
apps.machlis.com/shiny/nicar25/
(Conference starts Thursday)
#DDJ
Joe Murphy is a technically skilled editor at NBC News who loves figuring things out, getting people on the phone, unusual spreadsheets and making order from chaos. Also a fan of accessibility, Python, CSS, vim and the command line.
Very proud of the bio I wrote for the #NICAR2025 / #NICAR session I'm part of, wherein I shoutout the best text editor on the planet (vim).
View displaying the selection of 3 different accessibility sessions mentioned earlier in the thread, and the Download Calendar button that now appears on the top right of the page. Clicking it would download a .ics file for use in a calendar of your choosing.
The #RShiny calendar tool is handy for exploring #NICAR2025 sessions, but it also helps you export your selected sessions to a calendar file (.ics)! tiny.cc/nicar-2025
Example workflow:
1. Keyword search "accessibility"
2. Select all sessions
3. Click the "Download Calendar" button
#RStats #RLadies
Shiny app table view displaying Saturday morning sessions that won't be recorded. Sessions include topics on chatbots, VisiData, sports myths, finding narratives in a pile of documents, mapping with R or Python, visualization R packages, networking for international journalists, education data, and Airtable
And maybe you want to see which #NICAR2025 sessions you'd miss if you slept in on Saturday.
This example selects Saturday, uses the Hours slider to select the morning hours, & then selects "No" under Recorded Session. This view could help you make an informed decision before hitting snooze! 😴
Shiny table results after selecting Hands-on from the dropdown menu in the Session Type field. Results include sessions on ChatGPT, SvelteKit, Google Sheets, IRS data, immigration data, Python, disaster data, DNS searching, and georeferencing
You can use the Session Type box to look up different types of #NICAR2025 sessions. Panels are one type of session, and there are others like networking, demo, and hands-on sessions. I'm eyeing the hands-on sessions like 👀👀👀
Note that the skill level required for each session is displayed too!
Looking up Karen K. Ho in the Shiny app shows two results in the table. One session titled Building a Culture of Accessibility and Why It Matters and another titled Navigating Your Mental Health in Journalism.
You can use the calendar tool to search for specific #NICAR2025 speakers too, by typing their name in the Speakers box.
Here I look up @karenho.bsky.social who was on the accessibility panel from the earlier post. It turns out Karen is also a speaker in a session on mental health in journalism! 👏🏽
I'm looking fwd to this #NICAR2025 panel session on acccessibility!
I used the calendar tool to search for keyword "accessibility," & then clicked the little info icon to learn more ➡️ @karenho.bsky.social @joannaskao.bsky.social @stacykess.bsky.social @joemurph.bsky.social
bsky.app/profile/joem...
Building this #RShiny app wouldn't have been possible without the generosity of the #RStats & open source communities. Many thanks to @grrrck.xyz for the code & calendar app he built for @posit.co 2021 RStudio Global Conf. I adapted it for #NICAR2025 and learned so much! 💫 github.com/spcanelon/ni...
My first #NICAR2025 conf is right around the corner & there are 213+ sessions! 🤩📊
If you're like me & prefer a calendar view, I made a tool just for you! It's an #RShiny app that lets you search & select sessions to export as an .ics calendar file
GIve it a try! tiny.cc/nicar-2025 #RStats #RLadies
I'll be at #NICAR2025 / #NICAR in Minneapolis next week, if you’re there too and want to connect, reach out!
Also: I'm on a panel talking about accessibility in newsrooms and why it matters, that happens Thursday 3/6 at 4:45 p.m. in Ballroom 3 on the fourth floor schedules.ire.org/nicar-2025/i...
Journo friends: if you’re (a nerd like me 🤓) going to #NICAR2025 next week, say hello 👋
speaking on a panel about threats to journalists safety at IRE-NICAR ‘25 next month in Minneapolis
#NICAR2025
Hey journalists!
If you are headed to #NICAR2025, come see @joemurph.bsky.social, @karenho.bsky.social, and me talk about accessibility in journalism on a great panel moderated by @joannaskao.bsky.social.
Can it get any better than that? (No.)
#Journalism #Accessibility #AccessibleNews
A couple of reminders:
1. Don't forget to donate to @equalaccesspublicmedia.org.
2. Don't forget to come see me talk about accessible journalism at #NICAR2025 in Minneapolis. (Live! For real!)
givebutter.com/c/EAMP2024
