Basic Mapping for Journalists

TRAINER: CLAUDIA NÚÑEZ

This training will be a review of different open source mapping software. The session will guide you step-by-step from the basics on how to visualize map data and understanding SHP and vector files, to geocoding and thematic mapping. You will also learn how to join data to maps and export your interactive map quickly and easily.

This tutorial is a the basic foundation for journalists who want to learn and explore data with maps, one of the fastest growing areas of data journalism. We will look at how data mapping has been used to narrate major stories on one of the most complex topics of our time — immigration. We will explore the opportunities that mapping technology provides to our stories while exploring ideas on how to improve immigration coverage.

Claudia Nunez gave this presentation at the Investigative Reporters & Editors conference in San Francisco in June 2014.

Guide to Creating a Fusion Table Map

Overview of Mapping Immigration Data