A resource for news innovators powered by American Press Institute
Complexity: Intermediate
Article Complexity Bar Graph

Using Excel for data journalism

Don’t dismiss Excel, use it. Learn the three most powerful/useful aspects of the software (sorting/filtering, formulas, and pivot tables) and how that can power many data journalism projects.

Almost every journalist has one of the most useful data journalism tools just sitting on their computer: Excel. Yet relatively few have spent much time with it. Excel is an exceptionally powerful and relatively easy-to-use tool that can do more than you might think. Demystify Excel by learning to sort and filter data, write simple formulas or functions, and create powerful pivot tables that can aggregate your data and provide you with keen insights.