{
  "id": "1998-november-2000-tuneup",
  "slug": "1998-november-2000-tuneup",
  "url": "https://dwillis.github.io/uplink/article/1998-november-2000-tuneup.html",
  "year": 1998,
  "month": "November",
  "monthNum": 11,
  "headline": "2000 tuneup",
  "kicker": "CENSUS ACHIEVEMENT TEST",
  "author_name": "Steve Doig",
  "author_title": "",
  "affiliation": "Arizona State University",
  "summary": "A preparatory guide for journalists to get ready for analyzing data from the 2000 Decennial Census, emphasizing the need to develop spreadsheet and mathematical skills before the data's release.",
  "keywords": [
    "Census",
    "spreadsheet",
    "preparation"
  ],
  "topics": [
    "Demographics & Census",
    "Data & Databases",
    "Investigative Methods"
  ],
  "technologies": [
    "Excel"
  ],
  "full_text": "The first release of data from the 2000 Decennial Census is more than two years away, but it's none too soon to start preparing. Here's a checklist from someone who wrestled a lot with the 1990 Census, covering what you need to know and what you should do to get ready.\n\nThe basics\n\nMaster your spreadsheet skills: The majority of census analysis can be done using a spreadsheet program such as Excel. Make sure you know how to import a text file, build a spreadsheet, write and copy formulas, sort and filter, export your results into a table that can be published, and other such tasks.\n\nMaster your math skills: The census is numbers, lots of 'em. Memorize my formula for percentage change: NEW divided by OLD, minus one. (You don't believe it's that easy? Try it.) Make sure can be made to work with census data, too.",
  "provenance": {
    "extracted_by": "anthropic/claude-sonnet-4-6",
    "extracted_at": "2026-07-05",
    "verified": true
  },
  "similar": [
    {
      "slug": "2000-september-reporting-census-2000-and-related-resources",
      "score": 0.274
    },
    {
      "slug": "2001-mayjune-census-2000-heavy-lifting-ahead",
      "score": 0.266
    },
    {
      "slug": "2001-mayjune-preparation-pays-off",
      "score": 0.246
    },
    {
      "slug": "1998-november-census-preparation",
      "score": 0.244
    },
    {
      "slug": "2002-november-december-upcoming-car-census-training",
      "score": 0.229
    }
  ],
  "html_url": "https://dwillis.github.io/uplink/article/1998-november-2000-tuneup.html",
  "json_url": "https://dwillis.github.io/uplink/article/1998-november-2000-tuneup.json"
}