🔎 🧠 How journalists find stories in data, people and audiences

Hello Storybenchers!

This week’s selections focus on how journalism uncovers patterns — in conversations, communities and audience behavior. From Alvin Chang’s exploration of human connection through data to practical guides for mapping census information, these stories show how reporters are combining analysis with storytelling to make complex topics more easy-to-read.

We’re also reading about visual investigations, public health insights and social media strategy, along with a look back at datasets tracking Boston’s bike infrastructure. 

Here’s what caught our attention this week!

Here is our featured content this week:

🎙️ 🤝Exploring Human Connection: Alvin Chang on “30 Minutes with a Stranger”

Alvin Chang from The Pudding discusses his interactive project examining conversations between strangers and how short interactions can build connections. Using the CANDOR dataset of more than 1,600 conversations, the project analyzes emotional shifts and communication patterns. 

This piece explores Chang’s creative process and how data storytelling can reveal optimistic insights about human behavior. 

🗺️ 💻Build a tract-level census map with R in just 10 minutes

This fun and interesting tutorial can walk you through creating a census-tract map in R by pulling both demographic data and geographic boundaries in a single workflow. The method removes the need for manual downloads or traditional GIS software and keeps the data reusable for future reporting. The guide highlights how tract-level data can support stories on housing, income, health and other local issues. 

Cool Stuff Corner: What are we reading?

👗 📏Women’s sizing

This Pudding interactive examines how inconsistent clothing sizes leave many adult women outside standard retail ranges. Using demographic data and historical sizing trends, the project shows how body measurements shift over time while brands maintain inconsistent and largely unregulated size systems. The piece uses visual storytelling to explain why finding well-fitting clothes remains difficult for many consumers. Read here

Did you know?💡

Roughly 1 out of 3 people who die globally every year are likely killed by heart disease, including nearly 700,000 in the United States.

There is a simple formula to boost your lifespan and lower your odds of developing heart diseases. The American Heart Association calls these things “Life’s Essential 8” because they’re the basis for a lifetime of good health. Here are the eight mantras to a healthy and happy heart.

From the Vault 🏛️

🚲 📊Bike-friendly Boston: These five datasets let journalists track the city’s progress

This piece highlights five public datasets that can be used to analyze Boston’s bicycle infrastructure and safety progress. The sources allow curious readers to track bike lanes, crashes, ridership and policy outcomes across neighborhoods. The story frames the datasets as starting points for accountability reporting and local transportation coverage. Go data crazy here!

📱 🎯Reeling in your audience: Emily Schario discusses The B-Side’s social media strategy

Boston Globe Media’s B-Side newsletter built a strong social presence on Instagram and TikTok by focusing on short, entertaining video content tailored to younger audiences. In this Storybench Q&A, editor Emily Schario explains how the team uses trending sounds, scripted explainers and local content to meet readers where they consume news. The discussion highlights how social media strategy complements newsletter journalism.

That's all we've got for this week! Thanks for reading, and let us know if there's anything you'd like to see in these newsletters or in our coverage at [email protected].

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