Institute for Analytic Journalism

One of the underlying -- and motivating -- assumptions here at the IAJ is that having good data is a prerequisite to doing good analysis. And the analytic journalist needs to know first what data is available before any questions can be raised about the quality and defintion of that data. All this means we are talking about transparency in government and, when possible, the private sector. (It also applies to transparency in journalism. More on that here and in days to come.)

One of our favorite and most reliable sources is The Scout Report. It informs us today:

"Development Gateway: Public Sector Transparency
http://topics.developmentgateway.org/special/transparency

The Scout Report has profiled various offerings from the Development Gateway in the past several years, but one of the group's latest creations is both
thought-provoking and helpful for policy-makers and persons generally interested in the subject of governance. This particular site casts an eye on the question of transparency in governmental transactions through interviews with leaders from a broad range of sectors, along with allowing space for individual feedback. The "Points of View" section is a good place to start, as it includes commentary from government officials from Bolivia, Guatemala, and Tanzania about the question of public sector transparency. Other sections on the site address such thorny questions as "What tools help sustain public sector transparency?" and "What practices promote public-private partnerships?" Those visual learners coming to visit the site may appreciate the gallery of charts that offer indicators of levels ofgovernance and transparency for more than 209 countries. [KMG]"

On that site you will find:
"This Special Report on Public Sector Transparency illustrates current international trends in advancing transparency through civil society, government and the media. Through extensive interviews with leaders across a range of sectors as well as survey feedback from Development Gateway users, this Report explores the practical issues of ensuring openness in governments around the world."

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What we can learn from fire science

by JTJ on Sat 30 Apr 2005 12:14 PM MDT

In the IAJ's on-going search for new methodologies, reinforcing lessons often come through. On Saturday, April 30, NPR's Scott Simon taked with John Lentini about analyzing fires. Lentini's comments emphasize the need for questioning assumptions and pressing hard to clarify definitions.

From NPR's "Weekend Edition Saturday:"
"John Lentini, an arson expert, tells Scott Simon about changes that have brought into question many convictions based on outdated methods of determining arson. One of this convictions resulted in the execution of a Texas man in 2004." To listen, click here.

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