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 "languages" ...
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Getting Started With Mapping on the Web
Hamman provides a list of Web sites to use for ideas when "creating interactive maps on the Web using Google and Yahoo APIs" (application programming interface). In addition, there are tips on what to know before making an online map, and explanations of some terminology associated with the task.
Tags: maps; google maps; yahoo maps; API (application programming interface); www.programmableweb.com; JSON (Java Script Object Notation); XML (eXtensible Markup Language); AJAX (Asynchronous Javascript And XML)
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Web Scraping: Techniques and Challenges
Johnson discusses how to use Perl to scrape websites for data so you aren't stuck with a tedious cutting and pasting job whenever you look for new data online. She offers examples of scripts that she wrote for this purpose.
Tags: programming language; Perl; data extraction; scripts; computer programing
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Getting started with Django
Davis covers how to get started using Django, an open source, Python-based web framework. He discusses the set-up you need before you can install Django and suggests some tutorials to help familiarize you with it.
Tags: programming language; computer-assisted reporting; Python
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So you want to be a Pythonista?
Python is an open source, interpreted scripting language. Its uniquely simple, intuitive and expressive syntax make it an excellent first language to learn, and its emphasis on readable code and object-oriented programming forces coders into good habits. Davis offers an overview of the language and several tips to getting started.
Tags: programming; scripting; languages; CAR resources
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C.A.R. Survival Vocabulary
Tanzer lists and defines terms that are important for reporters learning about computer-assisted reporting. He breaks the list down into internet related terms, programming languages, database vocabulary, and miscellaneous terms.
Tags: CAR; internet; database analysis; teaching CAR
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Investigative Journalism in Europe: Results of a European inventory
The author shares the results of a research project on the state of investigative journalism in Europe conducted by VVOJ, the Dutch/Flemish association of investigative journalists. He discusses how it is hard for journalists around Europe to cooperate because of language barriers. He also discusses the most and least advanced countries in terms of freedom of the press.
Tags: international reporting; international journalism; foreign journalism; conferences; European journalists
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Why Your Editor Should Let You Buy SQL Server
This tipsheet lists and explains many of the advantages of having an SQL server and how it specifically helps journalists. Some of the advantages mentioned are data sharing capabilities and more powerful searching.
Tags: programming; standard query language; Access; database
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Snake Charming: A journalist introduction to Python programming
This tipsheet offers a very comprehensive overview of Python, a free scripting language. Nixon explains how it can be helpful to clean data and build simple programs and then gives specific details about how to use it.
Tags: programming; computer language
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Using XSL with XML
To turn an XML document into something a Web browser can display, you need to use an XSL (extensible stylesheet language) document to transform your XML into HTML. This tipsheet outlines the process of creating and using an XSL document that will fit your needs.
Tags: None
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Resources for researching science stories and topics
While reporters, over time, can easily become well-versed in the language of government, the courts, and more, sometimes science stories can be overwhelming. To supplement any good science story, Robin Mejia offers this helpful sheet with information about finding scientists, science journalism fellowships, general science sites, and writers organizations. Helpful for any reporter getting started in science writing, or looking to increase the quality of their work.
Tags: None