Data Journalism Bootcamp FAQ - Investigative Reporters & Editors

What is “bootcamp”?

IRE’s Data Journalism Bootcamp is a weeklong, in-person workshop that gives journalists a solid foundation for using data in the newsroom. We cover finding and negotiating for data; vetting, cleaning and analyzing data; and ensuring that your analysis is solid. We call it “bootcamp” because it is intense training that will change your (journalist) life!

What's the difference between the three bootcamps?

Other than when they take place, each bootcamp offers a different advanced skill toward the end of bootcamp. But all three bootcamps offer the foundational basics: Finding and negotiating for data, vetting your analysis and using numbers in your stories. All three bootcamps ensure that attendees are comfortable working with data in spreadsheets, which is an important skill for every journalist using data in their reporting. No matter which bootcamp you take, you will get intensive training in data fundamentals.

Which bootcamp is right for me?

The Google Sheets deep dive (January) is good for anyone who has done minimal or no data work in the past, and who wants to build confidence in using data for stories. If you’ve messed around with spreadsheets before and felt daunted, don’t worry: We’ll go slowly and make sure that you are comfortable with Google Sheets — and some of its lesser-known bells and whistles — before the end of the week.
The Google Sheets deep dive (March) is good for anyone who has done minimal or no data work in the past, and who wants to build confidence in using data for stories. If you’ve messed around with spreadsheets before and felt daunted, don’t worry: We’ll go slowly and make sure that you are comfortable with Google Sheets — and some of its lesser-known bells and whistles — before the end of the week.
The Advanced Data Journalism Bootcamp in R (August) will serve you best if you have some experience with working with data in a program like Google Sheets or Excel, *or* have had a limited introduction to programming with R or Python.

What does bootcamp schedule look like?

In general, our bootcamps run from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. CT, Monday through Thursday, and from 9 a.m. to noon on Friday. The schedule provides attendees with several breaks and an hour and a half for lunch. We also include three optional open lab sessions after training and two optional group dinners.

(Detailed schedules for each bootcamp are coming soon)

If I already attended bootcamp, do I need to attend again in the new format?

Not necessarily. A lot of the material will be the same as previous bootcamps. If you’ve taken bootcamp already and feel comfortable with spreadsheets and SQL, but want to get into Python, you might consider taking our mini-bootcamp in Python, or taking classes in Python at our NICAR or IRE Conferences. If you participated in a bootcamp, but since then haven’t been able to use or remember the skills you learned and have the means to take it again, you’re more than welcome to do so! Many people have participated in multiple bootcamps and found it a worthwhile experience.

What separates bootcamps from IRE’s other programming?

The Data Journalism Bootcamp is IRE’s only weeklong intensive training program. Hundreds of journalists have taken it and gone on to do great data work. Here's what some of our graduates said after attending IRE Bootcamp:

Crosscut's Brandon Block analyzed thousands of pandemic grants and found that the state of Washington gave millions to large corporations and chains that should not have qualified during the pandemic. "None of this would have happened without the bootcamp, which has been a total game-changer for my reporting."
When Adam Rayes got a new job, "finally" as a data journalist: "I only got this role thanks to the support and opportunities IRE gave me and since the bootcamp."
InvestigateWest's Kaylee Tornay found that Oregon's Labor Bureau failed to collect nearly $5 million in wage theft claims since 2015. "A months-long investigation that I'm proud of, with a special grateful shoutout to (IRE trainers) Liz Lucas and Laura Moscoso for helping me clean the very messy data that underpinned this story."
Army Times' Davis Winkle found that armor brigades and tankers experienced higher suicides rates than the rest of the Army. "I came to the Aug. 2022 bootcamp envisioning stories like this one... Thanks IRE/NICAR friends."
Capital B News' Margo Snipe found that Georgia is one of the most dangerous states in which to give birth, partly because of a decades-old state law. "This story wouldn't have been possible for me without the bootcamp ❤️"

Can I get financial assistance for a bootcamp?

Yes! IRE has several fellowships that can cover your bootcamp expenses (along with fellowships for other IRE training programs and our conferences). Visit our fellowships and scholarships page to learn more. There are three bootcamp-specific fellowships: