Journalists have access to lots of raw and analyzed data, from voting reports to biomedical studies. Knowing the right questions to ask about the data is important, as is recognizing the pitfalls of poor data collection and analyses. Our statistics workshops for journalists, run by members of our statistical advisory board, provide attendees with a short course on key ideas and statistical concepts. These can be tailored from beginner to intermediate and to specific subject areas.

We’ve run workshops at the American Geophysical Union, Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, the Education Writers Association, the Grady College of Journalism at the University of Georgia, the Knight Science Program at MIT,  the National Press Foundation, Springer Nature, STAT News at the Boston Globe, and Vox.

We’ve also adapted our workshop material for congressional staffers, as part of the Library of Congress Kluge Center’s Dinner and Democracy Program.

If you work at a media outlet, newsroom, journalism organization, school, or other and would like to host a workshop, please contact us using the form below. These workshops are free. But if we have to travel, we do need you to cover our travel costs.

“I’ve had a brilliant professor talk way over the heads of my students when trying to introduce them to statistical concepts. I’ve also had a professor affiliated with Sense About Science USA who… was able to speak in language students understood and offered real-world examples from the news. The concepts were so much more accessible and relevant. In our data-driven era, both student journalists and seasoned professionals need more of this kind of training.”

Amy Singer, Adjunct Professor, Graduate School of Journalism, Columbia University.