Burt Hubbard is a data journalist who has worked with the Rocky Mountain News, Denver Post, Rocky Mountain PBS and 9News on investigative projects and documentaries. His numerous awards include two prestigious Best of The West awards, a national education award for investigative reporting, and Reporter of the Year in Colorado. Burt has taught computer-assisted reporting and internet research to graduate students for 20 years at the University of Colorado.

1. MINING DATA
FOR ENTERPRISE
STORIES
OFF ANY BEAT
Burt Hubbard
Data journalist who has worked with the
Rocky Mountain News, Denver Post,
Rocky Mountain PBS and 9News
Email: burt.hubbard@gmail.com
Slides, handouts: bit.ly/dennewstrain
Hashtag: Hashtag: #denvernewstrain

2. I have
a
secret
to
make
your
job
easier.
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

3. But don’t tell your
editors/bosses.
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

4. Learn how to analyze data
And you can start calling the shots while
making the editors happy.
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

5. What have you done with data?

6. Where are we going today?
Photo by Yevgen Pogoryelov
Learn how to:
• Identify five ways to find data
• Develop a data state of mind
• Formulate questions to ask a data set
• Sum, sort and filter to ask questions
of a data set
• Identify a story off your beat that you
can do NOW.

7. IDENTIFY 5WAYS
TO GET DATA
How would you get data?
Name a couple of ways.

8. 5ways to get data
1. Download it from websites
2. FOIA it at the federal level or file a
Colorado Open Records Act request
3. Create your own database
4. Get the retention schedules/talk to
public officials about what they keep/ask
what forms do they have
5. Google it
Photo by Jason Mrachina licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

9. DEVELOP A
DATASTATE OF MIND
What does that mean?

10. DATAstate of mind =
Photo by lady-traveler licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
• quantification
• measurement

11. What can you measure?
https://www.denverpost.com/2009/08/29/school-funds-may-not-be-spared-from-cuts/
DATA state of mind

12. Where can you get the data?
1. Download it from websites
2. FOIA it at the federal level or file a
Colorado Open Records Act request
3. Create your own database
4. Get the retention schedules/talk to
public officials about what they keep/ask
what forms do they have
5. Google it
Photo by Jason Mrachina licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

13. jeffcopublicschools.org

14. jeffcopublicschools.org

15. jeffcopublicschools.org

16. jeffcopublicschools.org

17. jeffcopublicschools.org
For
2017
Starbucks

18. jeffcopublicschools.org
Starbucks

19. Starbucks spending in 2017
bit.ly/burtdata – starbucks

20. https://www.denverpost.com/2010/
02/27/extracurricular-spending-
adds-up-at-budget-cutting-
colorado-school-districts/

21. jeffcopublicschools.org
For
2017
hotel

22. Hotels spending in 2017
bit.ly/burtdata – hotels

23. https://www.denverpost.com/2010/
02/27/extracurricular-spending-
adds-up-at-budget-cutting-
colorado-school-districts/

24. Where can you get the data?
1. Download it from websites
2. FOIA it at the federal level or file a
Colorado Open Records Act request
3. Create your own database
4. Get the retention schedules/talk to
public officials about what they keep/ask
what forms do they have
5. Google it
Photo by Jason Mrachina licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

25. What can you measure?
Headline:
Legislature wants
to hike Colorado
governor’s pay
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC
DATA state of mind

26. https://gazette.com/government/nearly-people-in-
colorado-government-make-more-than-gov-
john/article_7a27a875-f222-5061-94c6-
b9e2e542c9c4.html

27. template for request
http://coloradofoic.org/files/2013/12/Sample-Colorado-Open-Records-Request.pdf

28. bit.ly/burtdata – state salaries

29. https://gazette.com/government/the-
gazette-has-a-tool-to-see-how-much-
top/article_28aa4494-e042-5285-
a59d-70b9e87435ab.html

30. Where can you get the data?
1. Download it from websites
2. FOIA it at the federal level or file a
Colorado Open Records Act request
3. Create your own database
4. Get the retention schedules/talk to
public officials about what they keep/ask
what forms do they have
5. Google it
Photo by Jason Mrachina licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

31. What can you measure?
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY
DATA state of mind

32. Search for store owners
bit.ly/potstores
License
type
License
status

33. Search for store owners
bit.ly/potstores
Download

34. https://gazette.com/news/among-colorado-s-marijuana-barons-groups-rise-above-the-rest/article_82ab23d8-d7cd-11e8-a4b5-431833ec8034.html

35. Where can you get the data?
1. Download it from websites
2. FOIA it at the federal level or file a
Colorado Open Records Act request
3. Create your own database
4. Get the retention schedules/talk to
public officials about what they keep/ask
what forms do they have
5. Google it
Photo by Jason Mrachina licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

36. Retention skeds = menu
https://www.colorado.gov/pacific/sites/default/files/Mun_SCHEDULE_NO_40.pdfhttps://www.colorado.gov/pacific/archives/state_agency_records_management_manual_index

37. Where can you get the data?
1. Download it from websites
2. FOIA it at the federal level or file a
Colorado Open Records Act request
3. Create your own database
4. Get the retention schedules/talk to
public officials about what they keep/ask
what forms do they have
5. Google it
Photo by Jason Mrachina licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

38. Google.com/advanced_search
Site or domain
File type

39. Google.com/advanced_search
Search one site (like Wikipedia.org) or
limit your results to a domain such as
.edu, .org or .gov

40. Google.com/advanced_search
Find pages in the format you prefer, such
as .xls or .xlsx.

41. LET’S
TRY IT
OUT! This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

42. https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2017/crime-in-the-u.s.-2017
FBI’s crime statistics 2017

43. bit.ly/burtdata – colorado crime
What can you measure?
DATA state of mind

44. What we’re going to do
1. What is the total number of violent and
other crimes in the state’s cities?
2. What percentage of all violent crimes are
assaults?
3. Which cities have the highest assault
rate?
4. What is the vehicle-theft capital of
Colorado?

45. What’s your data story?
What’s your first step?
 Burt Hubbard
 Email: burt.hubbard@gmail.com
 Slides, handouts: bit.ly/dennewstrain