science

Sensor journalism

Sensor journalism is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Sensor journalism rather than just read about it. In short: Sensor journalism refers to the use of sensors to generate or collect data, then analyzing, visualizing, or using the data to support journalistic inquiry. This is related to but distinct from data journalism.

Key takeaways

Sensor journalism belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Sensor journalism to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Sensor journalism from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Sensor journalism refers to the use of sensors to generate or collect data, then analyzing, visualizing, or using the data to support journalistic inquiry. This is related to but distinct from data journalism. Whereas data journalism relies on using historical or existing data, sensor journalism involves the creation of data with sensor tools. This also includes drone journalism.

Background Examples of sensor-based journalism (below) date back to the early 2000s and usually involve the use of sensor tools to generate or collect data to be reported on. The way in which the sensors are deployed varies. In some cases, a journalist will learn how to operate and deploy a sensor (see Houston Chronicle) while in others (see WNYC Cicada Tracker), the sensors are built and deployed by the general public. Journalists can also request data from existing sensor networks (see Sun Sentinel example) and remote sensors (see ProPublica example). Sensors used for reporting can be closed source with expressly stated terms of use or open source, which allows for modification of the sensor downstream of development. Sensor journalism modules have been taught at Emerson College (around water quality/contamination) and Florida International University (around sea-level rise). San Diego State University planned an air-quality sensor-journalism module for spring 2015.

Examples Houston Chronicle, In Harm’s Way A study about toxic chemicals in the air in public parks. USA Today, Ghost Factories A series that looked at lead-contaminated soil in neighborhoods around previous U.S. lead factories. Sun Sentinel, Above the Law A series about the tendencies of cops to speed. WNYC Cicada Tracker A project that revolved around the emergence of Magicicada. Washington Post, ShotSpotter A project with 300 acoustic sensors across 20 square miles in D.C. Planet Money, Planet Money Makes a T-shirt A project that followed the production of a shirt from beginning to end. ProPublica, Losing Ground A study of sea-level rise in Louisiana.

Related Citizen science Remote sensing Crowdsensing Crowdsourcing Crowdmapping Data journalism Data visualization Citizen journalism Environmental monitoring Open software/hardware Open source Open science

Tools and platforms OpenStreetMap CartoDB Xively Archived 2014-05-07 at the Wayback Machine OpenSensors.com Public Laboratory for Open Technology and Science Manylabs

References

External links Pitt, Fergus (editor). Tow Center report, Sensors & Journalism, 2014. Fahn, James. "The Promise and Perils of Sensor-Based Journalism," Earth Journalism Network, 2013. Moradi, Javaun. "What Do Open Sensor Networks Mean for Journalism?," 2011. Bui, Lilian. "A (Working) Typology of Sensor Journalism Projects," MIT Comparative Media Studies blog, 2014 "Sensor journalism student reflections from Emerson College" Archived 2014-11-17 at the Wayback Machine Kishor, Puneet. "A Taxonomy of Sensors," 2014. "What's In the Air?" project from San Diego State University King Tide Day project from Florida International University Archived 2022-10-29 at the Wayback Machine O'Donovan, Caroline. "The cicadas are coming: WNYC’s tracker is the latest sign of the rise of sensor news networks," Nieman Lab, 2013. Waite, Matt. "How sensor journalism can help us create data, improve our storytelling," Poynter, 2013. Nelson, Jennifer. "Sensor journalism: Finding meaning within the data," Reynolds Journalism Institute (2014).

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Sensor journalism

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Sensor journalism claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Sensor journalism before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Sensor journalism ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Sensor journalism

In research: Sensor journalism appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Sensor journalism in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Sensor journalism is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 21st-century introductions, Sensors, Types of journalism, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Sensor journalism outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Sensor journalism in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Sensor journalism means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Sensor journalism out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Sensor journalism in simple terms?

Why does Sensor journalism matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Sensor journalism?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Sensor journalism.