The Data Situation

One of the key features that the genre of Data Narratives offers is increased transparency of data and its implications through a more profound interaction with the whole, macro situation in which the data in question exists.

In the video below, we discuss some key terms and philosophies for understanding how to write to a specific data situation. The core idea of this genre is that true data analysis and insight can only exist with the presentation of the full narrative which demands attention to situation, audience, exigence and constraints.

Situation

Research pertaining to the full scope of data. The should include specification of important events, complicating factors, communities involved, geographic location.

Audience

Who is receiving this message? What is their assumed data literacy? If you are writing to a team of seasoned data analysts. Likely, you will be using high level vocabulary and terminologies. If you’re writing to a wide audience, much of your work will involve translating the data, rather than simply presenting the insights.

Exigence

The reason the rhetoric is created. Situations give rise to new vocabulary. Language is invented to meet situations which necessitate it. For example, discourse on race was created by cultural movements questioning an opposing prejudice based on race. The prejudice is the exigence which necessitates the creation of the language. When analyzing data, think about the scenario that necessitated the collection and study of the data. Then, think about the language necessary to work in this topic.

Constraints

What are the limitations of your topic, your analysis, or your data? You should be transparent about these limitations. Remember that your prime objective is education, not manipulation. you ought to explain to your audience why your analysis could be flawed, why you might only have enough information to see relationships rather than calculate correlation.