TycheAbout:WhatIsADataStory

What is a Data Story?

A Data Story is a long-form essay (typically over 1,000 words), that uses government data to make a fact-based, non-partisan, interesting, entertaining, and insightful point about your local, city, county, or state.  A Data Story is not a hatchet job.  It is not an exposé, but it may well expose facts that people either celebrate or need to change.  A data story can draw a conclusion or ask a pointed question based on the data.  

The question(s) that you pose, the story and the conclusionare to give people a ground truth from which they can begin rational, safe debate regardless of how different their opinions are.  A data story can draw a conclusion, but it is not a policy platform or a place to necessarily determine or dictate “right”, “wrong”, or “absolute truth”.  That is what a data story is meant to inspire, human connections because you learned something new, had a belief reinforced, or had a belief challenged and want to lean in.

Data stories can be written by individuals, teams of concerned citizens working together, or they may be a part of large group efforts where many people are simultaneously writing similar stories for their respective communities.

We use the term data story, or you may use similar terms such as "data journalism piece". Any of these terms are great, whatever works best for you.

Next: What are the components of a Data Story?