Civic Data Education Series
  • Civic Data Education Series
    • About
    • License
    • Instructor Guide
    • Feedback
  • Segment 1: Introducing Civic Data
    • Module 1.1: Introduction to Open Civic Data
    • Module 1.2: The Lifecycle of Open Civic Data
    • Module 1.3: A Critical Approach to Open Civic Data
  • Segment 2: Understanding Civic Data Ecosystems
    • Module 2.1: Identifying Civic Data Intermediaries
    • Module 2.2: Introduction to Civic Data Ecosystems
      • Module 2.2 Activities
    • Module 2.3: Assessing the Civic Data Needs of Communities
  • Segment 3: Preparing Libraries for Sharing their Data
    • Module 3.1: Selecting and Sharing Open Data
      • Module 3.1 Activities
    • Module 3.2: Protecting Privacy
    • Module 3.3: Metadata for Open Civic Data
    • Module 3.4: Data Documentation for Open Civic Data
      • Modules 3.3 & 3.4 Activities
    • Module 3.5: File Formats for Open Civic Data
  • Segment 4: Community Engagement through Civic Data
    • Module 4.1: Defining Data Visualization
    • Module 4.2: Telling Stories with Data
    • Module 4.3: Outreach on Open Civic Data
  • Segment 5: Using Civic Data
    • Module 5.1: Asking Data Driven Questions
    • Module 5.2: Answering Data Driven Questions Computationally
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On this page
  • Introduction
  • Instructional Materials
  • Video
  • Script and Slide Deck
  • Activities
  • Activity 1: Finding a Data Story
  • Activity 2: Reading Data Stories
  1. Segment 4: Community Engagement through Civic Data

Module 4.2: Telling Stories with Data

PreviousModule 4.1: Defining Data VisualizationNextModule 4.3: Outreach on Open Civic Data

Last updated 2 years ago

Introduction

Guiding Questions

  • What types of stories can we use to narrate and contextualize data?

  • What elements are essential for responsible storytelling?

  • How can we bring multiple perspectives in to interpret the data?

Vignette

During previous community brainstorming sessions, several community members told stories of how their lives had been impacted by broadband and Wi-Fi availability in their area. The librarian wants to work with community members to share their stories in relation to the open civic data sets. The librarian reaches out to a writer in the community, who agrees to work with community members on various formats, like photo essays, poems, written stories, and zines, as ways to provide context to the data.

Instructional Materials

Video

Video Files

Script and Slide Deck

Script and Slide Deck Files

Activities

Activity 1: Finding a Data Story

Overview:

The goal of this activity is to build comfort with finding stories in a sample data.

This activity should be done in a group setting.

Supplies:

  • Print copies of the Tree Data and Street Map

  • Craft materials such as markers, colored pencils, stickers, or scrap paper

Time: 20-30 minutes

Activity:

  1. Set up

Hand out the tree dataset with tree type and condition as well as a map with the location of the trees. The number ID in the dataset corresponds with the numbers on the map.

[Note: If the facilitator would like, they can begin the activity by having participants organize the data in some way – for example, tallying the trees by condition. But we find it’s generative to let participants explore the data on their own!]

2. Find a data story (15 minutes)

In pairs, participants should explore the (imaginary) tree dataset and related map to find a story related to the trees in the community. As participants do this, invite them to think about the data story types explored in Module 4.2.

3. Share-out (10 minutes)

Reconvene as a group and share data stories!

Activity 2: Reading Data Stories

Overview: In this activity, you will “read” a library data story, considering the purpose, message, audience, and storytelling approaches present. The goal with this activity is to apply a critical reading approach to a data story.

This activity can be done individually or in a group.

Time: 15 minutes

Activity:

  1. Set-up

Libraries have long used fines as a means to encourage return of materials and to generate revenue. But data have challenged assumptions about the efficacy of fines and have revealed harms created by this practice.

“Anywhere Public Library” has created an infographic that presents data related to the library late fines.[1]

If working in a group, distribute the infographic as print copies or project it on a screen for the group to look at and discuss.

2. Review the infographic and consider:

  • What story is the creator trying to tell? What is their goal?

  • Who may be the intended audience?

  • What might the underlying data look like?

  • What other questions does this data story make you ask?

  • In Module 4.2, we discussed types of stories present in data. In this infographic, what types of data stories is Anywhere Public Library presenting? [factoid, interaction story, comparison story, change story, personal story?]

  • What is missing from this story?

[1] Colorado State Library created this infographic as a template for libraries to adapt to tell a data story about library late fines. Remember -- this is just an example! You can swap in another data story that is relevant to your audience!

Activity Files

Supplies: Printed or digital copy of the by Colorado State Library (or another data story/infographic that has a local connection!)

“Eliminating Late Fines” infographic
Module 4.2 Captioned Video: Telling Stories with Data
53MB
Module4.2_CaptionedRecording.mp4
Module 4.2 Captioned Video: Telling Stories with Data MP4 File
50MB
Module4.2_UncaptionedRecording.mp4
Module 4.2 Uncaptioned Video: Telling Stories with Data MP4 File
83KB
Module4.2_Script.docx
Module 4.2 Script: Telling Stories with Data Word Document File
148KB
Module4.2_Script.pdf
pdf
Module 4.2 Script: Telling Stories with Data PDF File
6MB
Module4.2_Slides.pptx
Module 4.2 Slides: Telling Stories with Data PowerPoint File
1015KB
Module4.2_Slides.pdf
pdf
Module 4.2 Slides: Telling Stories with Data PDF File
72KB
Module4.2_Activity1.docx
Module 4.2 Activity 1: Finding a Data Story Word Document File
83KB
Module4.2_Activity1.pdf
pdf
Module 4.2 Activity 1: Finding a Data Story PDF File
12KB
Module4.2_Activity1TreeData.xlsx
Module 4.2 Activity 1: Finding a Data Story Tree Data: Excel Spreadsheet File
26KB
Module 4.2_Activity1Map.pdf
pdf
Module 4.2 Activity 1: Finding a Data Story Map Handout: PDF File
71KB
Module4.2_Activity2.docx
Module 4.2 Activity 2: Reading Data Stories Word Document File
83KB
Module4.2_Activity2.pdf
pdf
Module 4.2 Activity 2: Reading Data Stories PDF File
528KB
Module4.2_Activity2_InfographicHandout.pdf
pdf
Module 4.2 Activity 2 Handout: Reading Data Stories PDF File