Turn numbers into stories, May 19, May 26

The NPC Journalism Institute is offering two classes in May on how spreadsheets and databases can turn numbers into stories and stories into prize winners.

Each class is $5 for NPC members and $10 for the general public.

The May 19 class, "Don't Fear the Math," will be an introduction to using Excel in reporting. This class will show how just a little number-crunching can improve both deadline stories and bigger projects.

The May 26 class, "Exceling with Data," will cover advanced Excel techniques and delve into databases.

Spreadsheets can be much more than programs for doing your expense reports. Data skills can enhance your coverage of campaign money and help you document how tax dollars are spent. Data tools like pivot tables can distill the daily deluge of data into killer statistics. This class takes spreadsheet programs like Excel to the next level, helping you harness the data and give your stories extra horsepower.

The sessions will be taught by David Donald, data journalist in residence at American University. Previously, he was training director for Investigative Reports and Editors and data editor at The Center for Public Integrity.