Be not afraid: Journalists should learn code
Actual computer code can be scary stuff. I’ve met too many veteran journalists who flinch and recoil when faced with even the smallest amount of computer code.
“I’m not a programmer,” they shriek. “I can’t do this.”
How about today’s college students? Surely these youngsters who grew up with MySpace and Facebook, are much more code-savvy, right?
Unfortunately, I haven’t found that to be the case, either. I’ve met countless college journalism students in the past few years who have no experience – or interest – in how to modify a web page with code, yet they have their own blogs, Facebook pages and more.
So even though it’s possible to lead a digital life without learning basic code skills, it will limit your ability to execute ideas and do better journalism. And besides, it’s really pretty easy stuff to learn.
“If I had one piece of advice to a journalist starting out now, it would be: learn to code,” Guardian technology editor Charles Arthur wrote on his blog. “And the journalism then flows on from that, because you can see so much more clearly.”
The more you understand about how digital content works, the better prepared you will be to work for a digital content operation. Basic knowledge of HTML, CSS and XML will allow you to see more clearly the opportunities for your journalism in the digital world.
Use the simple lessons here to begin your exploration of these concepts. When you come across a piece of jargon or an acronym you don’t understand, toss it into Google and keep going.
The only limit to understanding how the Web and digital content work is you. It’s all there; you just have to want to learn it.
I do not have a good grasp of API, which is becoming increasingly important in our business. Can you point to a good primer? I think that once I get my hands dirty, I’ll see the light a bit better.
Two great sources for the technophobe:
“Headfirst HTML” by O’Reilly – silly, but effective intro. Better than, say, the “Idiot’s Guide”-type books.
Also, the free online tutorials at http://www.w3schools.com/, which take you through HTML and other code in easy steps with a split screen to show you how changes in code changes how the site looks.
Best,
Michael
Editor
LocalHealthGuide.com
Wow, API. That’s something it is easy to get blind-sided with.
A couple of things about this. API is a generic term for any “Application Programming Interface.”
So there are many APIs that are made available by software libraries, computer products, and web sites. E.g., Facebook has an API, eBay has an API, amazon has an API, Windows has an API, JavaScript has many APIs available, etc. I suppose NYT online has (sets of) API.
There are probably two kinds that will show up the most frequently in on-line journalism exploration of the underlying technology.
There are APIs involved in the way some web requests are made. This is accomplished, typically, with the way web addresses are formed into requests that are handled by a site. The definition of the requests structure and function is part of the site’s API.
These same kinds of formations are used in what are called HTTP Requests that can be made from a web page back to one or more services. In this case, a script, such as one in JavaScript language, is forming the request and carrying it out on behalf of the page the browser is showing.
Finally, there are APIs that are use to make JavaScript use of libraries that may exist somewhere, and from a JavaScript to other JavaScript (somewhere) that is being used as a source of predefined operations. The form by which the different functions are requested may be formalized and defined as an API, often as part of a framework of useful functions. Ajax is often used to refer to the common methodology of such frameworks. jQuery is a particular one that is becoming rather popular.
You will probably learn two or three APIs to start, one style for web requests, one for basic JavaScript operations (such as accesing “the DOM”), another for exercising framework functions that are part of delivering a web page that interacts with the user and services elsewhere in appealing ways.
There are many other ways APIs show up. I hope this provides a sense although abstracted. Seeing one is probably more helpful.
Another good instruction source for technophobes is http://www.lynda.com, which has courses for a wide variety of software packages (Word, Photoshop, etc. etc.) as well as things like HTML, PHP, Dreamweaver. Monthly subscription of about $25 gets you access to all course offerings.
Michael McCarthy
Editor
LocalHealthGuideOnline.com
I’m trying to figure out what coding skills to learn. I’m fairly capable with HTML/CSS but want to expand my codes knowledge. Especially since our news org has a very, very, very small web dev team. Small like in 1 person, who’s more of an IT person, and myself. I wrote a blog post where I ask what skills I should pursue. Integrating APIs and data visualization/manipulation are at the top of my list. I’ve got accesss to Lynda.com account and I started a PHP w/ MySQL lesson. But what about Flash/ActionScript, or Drupal, or Django, or XML, or… It’s a bit daunting.
I absolutely agree. After learning just a little bit of CSS (after getting HTML down) really opened up my understanding of what you can do with a site. I also am using Lynda.com both for CSS and PHP lessons.
Andy –
Here’s a reply from a friend of mine who runs a successful web development company:
“All APIs are different. A good resource is the help sections for the company’s api you are trying to incorporate. There will need to be some base development knowledge of systems, front end, backend technologies to implement any API.”
So it probably makes sense to attack them one by one. The Google API would probably be first, then whatever your next project requires (Facebook Connect, iPhone, Twitter).
Carlos –
PHP and MySQL are a good direction to go once you’re comfortable with HTML/CSS. I wouldn’t worry about Flash/ActionScript unless you’re planning to specialize in multimedia graphics and presentation. Drupal or Django? Only needed if you’re getting a new CMS with one of those platforms. If you’re looking for advanced skills, JQuery is a flexible and powerful tool that is more universal than those CMS platforms.
Well this makes me feel better…
I’m a visual journalism student but I decided to take a computer web page design class because I really just needed a filler class. (And I thought it would be a nice compliment to the online journalism class I’m taking.) But as I go through it I’m seeing how helpful it’s becoming…I might have to take more. Journalism very much becoming a jack-of-all trades sort of profession.
Another good resource: http://www.webmonkey.com/ A site for web developers, but they have tutorials, coding references, a library, etc. Very helpful
Friends:
A debate about journalism and technology is right now opened in Latin America. Javier Darío Restrepo, a Colombian journalist, wrote in a book something like this: “After technology’s development, we need ethical solutions. Is it useful for journalism all that progress in technology if journalism finally loses its north? The problem is not if we learn to manage Internet and technical development. Our point is what to do with those tools.” (I’ve tried to translate it to English. Excuse me if I didn’t do as exact as I’d like).
So, I mean we could learn HTML, API, HTTP and all those codes. That’s fine. Probably, we’ll need them some time. But, we also need to focus in contents.
Regards.
CÉSAR CHAMAN
Hey Mark. Thanks for the advice. I’ve messed around a little JQuery and we’re doing more and more on Wordpress so more knowledge of PHP will come in handy.
Great post, Mark. I definitely want to learn more than what I know now, namely HTML, CSS and some XML, as well as VERY basic knowledge of AS3, JS and PHP.
If I do grad school, I’ll probably do the programming track of UM’s new multimedia journalism program and learn more of those, and maybe some Python.