March 2025 Data Journalism Bootcamp - Google Sheets deep dive (In-Person)

This bootcamp will be offered in-person at the University of Missouri in Columbia, MO. The bootcamp runs Monday, March 24 through Friday, March 27 from 8 am-5 pm (CT) and from 9 am - noon on Friday, March 28. Optional open labs will be available Monday-Thursday after class with two optional group dinners during the week. 

IRE’s Data Journalism Bootcamp provides a broad foundation in finding, assessing and analyzing data for anyone interested in using these skills in the newsroom. In this training you’ll become an expert in spreadsheets using Google Sheets: from importing and cleaning to analyzing and joining tables. We’ll also cover finding data sources, using public records, bulletproofing your analysis and using numbers in your stories, as well as an introduction to dataviz with exercises. Attendees are asked to bring their own laptop and pre-install some software prior to the bootcamp. If a laptop is not available, we would be happy to provide one for you. Please reach out to logistics@ire.org to make arrangements.

IRE requires all attendees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and participants are expected to follow all COVID protocols in place at the host institution. Masks are encouraged.

Scholarships

details coming soon

• IRE membership/renewal ($75 value)
• Complimentary bootcamp registration (up to $1,250 value)
• Travel stipend (varies)

Date and Time

Monday, March 24 - Thursday, March 27 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (CT)

Friday, March 28 from 9 a.m. - Noon (CT)

Registration

You must be a current IRE member to attend this bootcamp. Pricing is based on the size of your audience. You can see the size definitions here.

• Division I: $1,250
  • Newspapers with 400k+ circulation (largest single day, including digital replica) Wire services; network or syndicated radio/TV Magazines, weeklies, nonprofits, trade publications and online-only media with a national target audience
• Division II: $1,050
  • Newspapers with 151,000-399,999 circulation (largest single day, including digital replica) Top 20 radio/TV markets Magazines, weeklies. nonprofits, trade publications and online-only media with a regional (multi-state) target audience Universities with the exception of Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI), Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) and Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCU), which are in Division IV
• Division III: $850
  • Newspapers with 75,000-150,999 circulation (largest single day, including digital replica) 21-50 radio/TV markets Magazines, weeklies, nonprofits, trade publications and online-only media with a state-wide target audience
• Division IV: $650
  • Newspapers with less than 75,000 circulation (largest single day, including digital replica) Below 50 TV/radio markets Magazines, weeklies, nonprofits, trade publications and online-only media with a city, county or metropolitan-area target audience HSI, HBCU and TCU colleges and universities
• Educators: $800
• Freelancers, Students or Educators from HSI, HBCU, TCU and PBI schools: $500

Cancellation Policy

If you need to cancel your bootcamp registration, there will be a $200 non-refundable fee until one week prior to the bootcamp. The week prior to the camp, registration is non-refundable. Please email logistics@ire.org to request a cancellation.