Context and Definitions
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I. Introduction (15m)
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II. Reporting (70m)
- Issues: COVID 19
- Issues: Education
- Issues: Family Care
- Issues: Changing Cities
- Issues: Rural Communities
- Issues: Housing
- Issues: The Justice System
- Issues: Racial Inequality
- Issues: Immigrant Communities
- Issues: Disability & Inequality
- How Much Evidence?
- Data Sources on Economic Mobility
- Context and Definitions
Reporters must understand what parameters each data source uses so that comparisons between regions or responses aren’t apples-to-oranges. They must also be analyzed contextually to tell the full story.
For instance, the Department of Health and Human Services uses U.S. Census data to update the federal threshold of poverty, defined by household income, annually. In 2020, for a family of four, that threshold was $26,200.1 But, undoubtedly, there are many Americans who both technically live above this threshold and struggle to make ends meet because the cost of living varies widely across the country.
For that reason, when using words like “poverty” or telling stories with data, it’s important to make these definitions clear and help audiences understand who they do and do not represent.
Additional data can help put these numbers in context. For example, MIT’s Living Wage Calculator provides deeper insight into how people across the country are faring by comparing minimum and living wages with the cost of living.