Data Into Insights (Spring 2021): Difference between revisions

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= Course Information =
= Course Information =
:'''COM 495/6/7: Turning Data into Insight and Stories'''
:'''COM 495/6/7: Turning Data into Insight and Stories'''
:'''Location:'''  
:'''Location:''' ONLINE
:'''Class Hours:''' Tuesdays and Thursdays; 10:30-11:45am
:'''Class Hours:''' Tuesdays and Thursdays; 10:30-11:45am


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:'''Instructor:''' [https://jeremydfoote.com Jeremy Foote]  
:'''Instructor:''' [https://jeremydfoote.com Jeremy Foote]  
:'''Email:''' jdfoote@purdue.edu
:'''Email:''' jdfoote@purdue.edu
:'''Office Hours:''' Thursdays; 3:00-5:00pm and by appointment
:'''[[User:Jdfoote/OH|Office Hours]]:''' Fridays 10am-noon and by appointment
 


<div style="float:right;">__TOC__</div>
<div style="float:right;">__TOC__</div>
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Students who complete this course will be able to:
Students who complete this course will be able to:
# Understand the role of narrative in interpreting and producing data analyses
# Understand the role of narrative in interpreting and producing data analyses
# Competently import, process, and prepare data from analysis in the [https://www.r-project.org/ R programming language]
# Competently import, process, and prepare data for analysis in the [https://www.r-project.org/ R programming language]
# Crititcally analyze data visualizations and presentations, and recognize poor or misleading visualizations
# Critically analyze data visualizations and presentations, and recognize poor or misleading visualizations
# Produce beautiful, well-designed data visualizations in R using [https://ggplot2.tidyverse.org/ ggplot2]
# Produce beautiful, well-designed data visualizations in R using [https://ggplot2.tidyverse.org/ ggplot2]
# Craft compelling data presentations
# Craft compelling data presentations
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This is a data analysis class and you will need access to a decent computer. You will need a machine with at least 2GB of memory. Windows, Mac OS, and Linux are all fine but an iPad or Android tablet won't work.
This is a data analysis class and you will need access to a decent computer. You will need a machine with at least 2GB of memory. Windows, Mac OS, and Linux are all fine but an iPad or Android tablet won't work.


<!--
 
== Readings ==
== Readings ==


* Required text: '''[https://smile.amazon.com/Six-Degrees-Science-Connected-Market Six Degrees: The Science of a Connected Age]''' by Duncan Watts. I will list required chapters in the weekly notes below.
* Required texts:
**  '''Data Visualization: A Practical Introduction''' by Kieran Healy. [https://socviz.co/index.html Web version (free!)] or [https://amzn.to/2vfAixM Print version (Amazon)]
** '''R for Data Science''' by Hadley Wickham and Garrett Grolemund. [https://r4ds.had.co.nz/index.html Web version (free!)] or [http://amzn.to/2aHLAQ1 Print version (Amazon)]
** '''Effective Data Storytelling''' by Brent Dykes. [https://purdue-primo-prod.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/vjfldl/PURDUE_ALMA51860241510001081 Purdue libraries] or [https://smile.amazon.com/dp/1119615712 Print version (Amazon)]


* Other readings: Other readings will be made available on Blackboard.
* Other readings: Readings will be linked to from this page. Where necessary, they will be put on Brightspace


== Additional readings and resources ==
=== Reading Academic Articles ===
 
* Barabasi, A-­‐L. (2002). Linked: The new science of networks. Cambridge, MA: Perseus.
* Hanneman, R. A., & Riddle, M. (2005). Introduction to social network methods. Riverside, CA: University of California, Riverside (available at http://faculty.ucr.edu/~hanneman/nettext/)
* Scott, J. (2000). Social network analysis: A handbook (2nd edition). London: Sage Publications.


Some of the readings will be academic articles. I do not expect you to read every word of these articles. Rather, you should practice intentional directed skimming. [https://writingcenter.gmu.edu/guides/strategies-for-reading-academic-articles This article] gives a nice overview. The TL;DR is that you should carefully read the abstract, introduction, and conclusion. For the rest of the article, focus on section headings and topic sentences to extract the main ideas.


= Course logistics =
= Course logistics =
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# Although details on this syllabus will change, I will not change readings or assignments less than one week before they are due. If I don't fill in a "''To Be Determined''" one week before it's due, it is dropped. If you plan to read more than one week ahead, contact me first.
# Although details on this syllabus will change, I will not change readings or assignments less than one week before they are due. If I don't fill in a "''To Be Determined''" one week before it's due, it is dropped. If you plan to read more than one week ahead, contact me first.
# Closely monitor your email. Because this a wiki, you will be able to track every change by clicking the ''history'' button on this page. I will also summarize these changes in an announcement that will be emailed to everybody in the class.
# Closely monitor the class [https://discord.gg/WvzkwY4fDK Discord]. Because this a wiki, you will be able to track every change by clicking the ''history'' button on this page. I will also summarize these changes in an announcement on Discord that should be emailed to everybody in the class.
# I will ask the class for voluntary anonymous feedback frequently. Please let me know what is working and what can be improved.
# I will ask the class for voluntary anonymous feedback frequently. Please let me know what is working and what can be improved.


== Office hours and email ==
== Class Sessions ==
 
This course will follow "flipped" classroom model. I expect you to learn most of the content of the course asynchronously. The goal of our time together is not to tell you new things, but to consolidate knowledge and to clear up misconceptions.
 
The Tuesday meeting will be a collaborative, discussion-centric session. Typically, about half of each session will be devoted to going over assignments and the other half will be a discussion of the readings and videos from that week. We will take collaborative notes [https://etherpad.wikimedia.org/p/com-495-data-insight using this Etherpad].
 
If you would like to create collaborative summaries of the readings, you can [https://etherpad.wikimedia.org/p/com-495-summaries use this Etherpad].
 
The Thursday meetings will be more like a lab. Some of these sessions will include synchronous activities but they will often be more of a co-working time, where you can work synchronously on assignments and I can be available to answer questions.
 
== Getting Help ==
 
Your first place to look for help should be each other. By asking and answering questions on Discord, you will not only help to build a repository of shared information, but to reinforce our learning community.
 
I will also hold office hours Friday mornings on Discord ([[User:Jdfoote/OH|sign up here]]). If you come with a programming question, I will expect that you have already tried to solve it yourself in multiple ways and that you have discussed it with a classmate (e.g., on Discord). This policy lets me have time to help more students, but it's also a useful strategy. Often [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber_duck_debugging just trying to explain your code] can help you to recognize where you've gone wrong.


* I will hold office hours Thursday afternoons and by appointment. If you come with a programming question, I will expect that you have already tried to solve it yourself in multiple ways and that you have discussed it with at least two classmates. This policy lets me have time to help more students, but it's also a useful strategy. Often [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rubber_duck_debugging just trying to explain your code] can help you to recognize where you've gone wrong.
I will also keep an eye on Discord during normal business hours. I encourage you to post questions there, and to use it as a space where we can help and instruct each other. In general, you should contact me there. I am also available by email. You can reach me at [mailto:jdfoote@purdue.edu jdfoote@purdue.edu]. I try hard to maintain a boundary between work and home and I typically respond only on weekdays during business hours.
* I am also available by email. You can reach me at [mailto:jdfoote@purdue.edu jdfoote@purdue.edu]. I try hard to maintain a boundary between work and home and I typically respond only on weekdays during business hours (~9-5) but during the week I will generally respond within 24 hours.
 
=== Resources ===
 
Especially for the programming assignments, I will often create video walkthroughs that will be linked from the schedule. I also created the following general videos that may be helpful:
 
* Explanation of ggplot (and Chapter 3 in R4DS) [[https://purdue.brightspace.com/d2l/le/content/208726/viewContent/5507580/View Video]]
* Finding and fixing bugs in your code [[https://purdue.brightspace.com/d2l/le/content/208726/viewContent/5708092/View Video]] [[https://jeremydfoote.com/TDIS/week_8/debugging.Rmd R Markdown file]] [[https://jeremydfoote.com/TDIS/week_8/debugging.html HTML file]]


= Assignments =
= Assignments =
''Note'': Edited after the move to online classes to remove second exam and explain final project.


There will be multiple types of assignments, designed to encourage learning in different ways.
There will be multiple types of assignments, designed to encourage learning in different ways.
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== Participation ==
== Participation ==


I expect you to be an active member of our class. This includes paying attention in class, participating in activities, and being actively engaged in learning, thinking about, and trying to understand the material.
This will be a very participatory class, and I expect you to be an active member of our class, engaged in helping us all to gain insight and inspritation. This includes paying attention in class, participating in activities, and being actively engaged in learning, thinking about, and trying to understand the material.  


To make sure that everyone has an opportunity to participate and to encourage you to do the assignments, I will randomly select students to discuss readings or to explain portions of homework assignments and labs.
This also includes doing the readings and watching the videos. To make sure that everyone has an opportunity to participate and to encourage you to do the assignments, I will randomly select students to answer discussion questions or to explain portions of homework assignments and labs. I will keep track of the quantity and quality of your responses and I will make that data available to you to help guide our discussion around grades.


I will also create discussion spaces on Brightspace. I encourage you to use that space to discuss the readings and homeworks. I know that some people prefer text communication to talking in class and I expect those who are quieter in class to be more active on Brightspace.
== Discussion Questions ==
 
This course will have two "modes". For much of the class, we will be reading about theories of communication and rhetoric, about principles of data visualization, etc. For these sessions, you will be required to submit 1-2 discussion questions on Discord on Monday by noon. I will then curate some of these questions (and add some of my own) to use to guide our discussion on Tuesday. I will post the questions on the Etherpad at https://etherpad.wikimedia.org/p/com-495-data-insight
 
Questions should engage with the readings and either connect to other concepts or to the "real world". Here are some good example questions:
 
* The readings this week talked a lot about how data visualizations can be misleading. How can we tell when visualizations are intentionally trying to mislead versus when they are just poorly designed?
* I was confused by the reading on counterfactuals. We obviously can't really know what would have happened in different conditions, so why even try?
* Imagine you were asked to create an ad campaign to recruit students to Purdue. What types of appeals would you use and why?
 
During other weeks, we will be more focused on learning practical skills (mostly data manipulation and visualization in R). On those weeks, discussions will center around identifying places where folks are still confused and students will be randomly selected to share their responses to homework questions.


== Homework/Labs ==
== Homework/Labs ==


There will be a number of homework assignments. At the beginning of the class, these will be designed to help you to grasp foundational network concepts. As the class progresses, more and more of them will be analyzing and visualizing networks in R.
There will be a number of homework assignments. At the beginning of the class, these will be designed to help you to grasp foundational concepts about storytelling, visualization, and data. As the class progresses, more and more of them will be based on learning and developing proficiency in visualizing data in R.


== Exams ==
== Exams ==


There will be one in-class exam, approximately one-third through the semester. It will assess your understanding of core communication and social networks concepts.
There will be one in-class exam. It will assess your understanding of core concepts around storytelling and visualization.


'''NOTE''': Before the move to online classes, there were two exams. The points from the second exam will not be moved to the final project.


== Final Project ==
== Final Project ==


Students will work on a [[Communication_and_Social_Networks_(Spring_2020)/Final project|Final Project]] that explains how network analysis and a network approach can benefit an organization.
The main outcome of this course will be your final project, which will be a data presentation, either as a website or a slide deck + presentation. A detailed description of the project is [[{{PAGENAME}}/Final project|at this link]].


I made a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3eX8Jn2dJI video explaining the project].
There will be a number of intermediate assignments through the semester to help you to identify a dataset, explore the data for insights, and get and give feedback on visualizations and story elements.


= Grades =
= Grades =


Most of this course will follow a "self-assessment" philosophy. I am more interested in helping you to learn things that will be useful to you than in assigning grades. The university still requires grades, so you will be leading the evaluation of your work. This will be completed with me in four stages, at the end of weeks 4, 8, 12, and 16. In each stage, you will use [[Self Assessment Reflection|this form]] to reflect on what you have accomplished thus far, how it has met, not met, or exceeded expectations, based both on rubrics and personal goals and objectives. At each of these stages you will receive feedback on your assessments. By the end of the semester, you should have a clear vision of your accomplishments and growth, which you will turn into a grade. As the instructor-of-record, I maintain the right to disagree with your assessment and alter grades as I see fit, but any time that I do this it will be accompanied by an explanation and discussion. These personal assessments, reflecting both honest and meaningful reflection of your work will be the most important factor in final grades.
This course will follow a "self-assessment" philosophy. I am more interested in helping you to learn things that will be useful to you than in assigning grades. In general, I think that my time is much better spent in providing better feedback and in being available to work through problems together.
 
The university still requires grades, so you will be leading the evaluation of your work. This will be completed with me in four stages, at the end of weeks 4, 8, 12, and 16. In each stage, you will use [[Self Assessment Reflection|this form]] to reflect on what you have accomplished thus far, how it has met, not met, or exceeded expectations, based both on rubrics and personal goals and objectives. At each of these stages you will receive feedback on your assessments. By the end of the semester, you should have a clear vision of your accomplishments and growth, which you will turn into a grade. As the instructor-of-record, I maintain the right to disagree with your assessment and alter grades as I see fit, but any time that I do this it will be accompanied by an explanation and discussion. These personal assessments, reflecting both honest and meaningful reflection of your work will be the most important factor in final grades.


We will use the following rubric in our assessment:
We will use the following rubric in our assessment:
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* 20%: class participation, including attendance and participation in discussions and group work
* 20%: class participation, including attendance and participation in discussions and group work
* 20%: Labs and homework assignments
* 20%: Labs and homework assignments
* 30%: Exam
* 25%: Exam
* 30%: Final Project
* 35%: Final Project


The exam will be graded like a normal exam and the score will make up 30% of your grade. For the rest of the assignments (and the other 70% of your grade), I will provide feedback which will inform an ongoing conversation about your work.
The exam will be graded like a normal exam and the score will make up 25% of your grade. For the rest of the assignments (and the other 75% of your grade), I will provide feedback which will inform an ongoing conversation about your work.


My interpretation of grade levels (A, B, C, D/F) is the following:
My interpretation of grade levels (A, B, C, D/F) is the following:


A: Reflects work the exceeds expectations on multiple fronts and to a great degree. Students reaching this level of achievement will:
A: Reflects work the exceeds expectations on multiple fronts and to a great degree. Students reaching this level of achievement will:
* Do what it takes to learn the principles and techniques of social networks, including looking to outside sources if necessary.
* Do what it takes to learn the principles and techniques of data storytelling, including looking to outside sources if necessary.
* Engage thoughtfully with an ambitious final project.
* Engage thoughtfully with an ambitious final project.
* Take intellectual risks, offering interpretations based on synthesizing material and asking for feedback from peers.
* Take intellectual risks, offering interpretations based on synthesizing material and asking for feedback from peers.
* Share work early allowing extra time for engagement with others.
* Share work early allowing extra time for engagement with others.
* Write reflections that grapple meaningfully with lessons learned as well as challenges.
* Write reflections that grapple meaningfully with lessons learned as well as challenges.
* Complete most, if not all homework assignments at a high level.
* Complete all or nearly all homework assignments at a high level.


B: Reflects strong work. Work at this level will be of consistently high quality. Students reaching this level of achievement will:
B: Reflects strong work. Work at this level will be of consistently high quality. Students reaching this level of achievement will:
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* Exceed requirements, but in fairly straightforward ways - e.g., an additional post in discussion every week.
* Exceed requirements, but in fairly straightforward ways - e.g., an additional post in discussion every week.
* Compose complete and sufficiently detailed reflections.
* Compose complete and sufficiently detailed reflections.
* Complete many of the homework assignments.
* Complete nearly all of the homework assignments, typically at a fairly high level


C: This reflects meeting the minimum expectations of the course. Students reaching this level of achievement
C: This reflects meeting the minimum expectations of the course. Students reaching this level of achievement
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* Be collegial and continue discussion, through asking simple or limited questions.
* Be collegial and continue discussion, through asking simple or limited questions.
* Compose reflections with straightforward and easily manageable goals and/or avoid discussions of challenges.
* Compose reflections with straightforward and easily manageable goals and/or avoid discussions of challenges.
* Not complete homework assignments or turn some in in a hasty or incomplete manner.
* Not complete homework assignments or turn many in in a hasty or incomplete manner.


D/F: These are reserved for cases in which students do not complete work or participate. Students may also be
D/F: These are reserved for cases in which students do not complete work or participate. Students may also be impeding the ability of others to learn.
impeding the ability of others to learn.


== Extra Credit for Participating in Research Studies ==
== Extra Credit for Participating in Research Studies ==
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== Week 1: Introductions and the network perspective ==
== Week 1: Introduction ==


[https://jeremydfoote.com/teaching/2020-spring/comm_and_soc_networks/intro_week1/ Slides]
January 19
 
January 14


'''Assignment Due:'''  
'''Assignment Due:'''  
* None
* [[/Discord signup|Sign up for Discord]] and introduce yourself
* Take [https://forms.gle/spJzcKBCsERVLHNSA this very brief survey]


'''Required Readings:'''  
'''Readings (before class):'''  
* None
* None


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January 16
January 21


'''Assignment Due:'''  
'''Assignment Due:'''  
* Read the entire syllabus (this document)
* Read the entire syllabus (this document)
* Introduce yourself on our Brightspace discussion board
* Take this very brief [https://forms.gle/xz7N8KQWo2T2L2f19 survey]


'''Readings:'''
== Week 2: Storytelling and Narratives  ==
* [https://books.google.com/books?id=2IIlOf_n43UC&lpg=PP1&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false Six Degrees, Preface and Chapter 1]


'''Class Schedule:'''
* Network simulation activity
* Start work on [[Communication and Social Networks (Spring 2020)/Homework 1|Homework 1]]


== Week 2: Small worlds and scale-free networks  ==
January 26


[https://jeremydfoote.com/teaching/2020-spring/comm_and_soc_networks/small_worlds_week2/ Slides]
'''Assignment Due:'''
 
* [[#Discussion Questions|Discussion questions]]
January 21


'''Assignment Due:'''
* [[Communication and Social Networks (Spring 2020)/Homework 1|Homework 1]]


'''Readings (before class):'''  
'''Readings (before class):'''  
* Six Degrees, Chapter 2
* Zak, P. (2013). [https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_stories_change_brain How stories change the brain]
* Travers, J. and Milgram, S. (1969). [https://www.jstor.org/stable/2786545  An experimental study of the small world problem]. ''Sociometry'', 32(4):425-443
* Langston, C. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3klMM9BkW5o How to use rhetoric to get what you want] (video)
* (Optional but short) Dodds, P. S., Muhamad, R., & Watts, D. J. (2003). [https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1081058 An Experimental Study of Search in Global Social Networks]. ''Science'', 301(5634), 827.
* Leighfield, L. [https://boords.com/ethos-pathos-logos-aristotle-modes-of-persuasion Ethos, Pathos & Logos: Aristotle’s Modes of Persuasion]
* Purdue OWL [https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/rhetorical_situation/aristotles_rhetorical_situation.html Aristotle's Rhetorical Situation]
* [http://www.openculture.com/2014/02/kurt-vonnegut-masters-thesis-rejected-by-u-chicago.html Kurt Vonnegut's Shapes of Stories]
* Lafrance, A. [https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2016/07/the-six-main-arcs-in-storytelling-identified-by-a-computer/490733/ The Six Main Arcs in Storytelling, as Identified by an A.I.]
* (Optional) A Rulebook for Arguments (link on Brightspace)


'''Class Schedule:'''
* Complex systems and networks
* Individual and collective behavior
** Go through [https://ncase.me/polygons/ Parable of the Polygons] by Nicky Case
* Small worlds
January 23
'''Assignment Due:'''
'''Readings:'''
* Six Degrees, Chapter 3


'''Class Schedule:'''
'''Class Schedule:'''
* In class activity: [[Communication and Social Networks (Spring 2020)/Six Degrees of Wikipedia Activity|Six Degrees of Wikipedia]]
* Begin [[Communication and Social Networks (Spring 2020)/Social Search Assignment|Homework 2]]


== Week 3: Social network data and analysis ==
== Week 3: Data insights and data stories ==


[https://jeremydfoote.com/teaching/2020-spring/comm_and_soc_networks/network_types_week3/ Slides]


January 28
February 2


'''Assignment Due:'''
'''Assignment Due:'''
* [[Communication and Social Networks (Spring 2020)/Social Search Assignment|Homework 2]]
* [[#Discussion Questions|Discussion questions]]


'''Readings:'''  
'''Readings:'''
* James M. Cook, [http://www.umasocialmedia.com/socialnetworks/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/WhatIsASocialNetwork.pdf What is a Social Network?]
* Effective Data Storytelling (EDS) Ch. 1--3 ([https://purdue-primo-prod.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/permalink/f/vjfldl/PURDUE_ALMA51860241510001081 Purdue libraries copy])
 
* Matei, S. [https://purdue.brightspace.com/d2l/le/content/208726/viewContent/4750659/View What is a (data) story?]
'''Class Schedule:'''
* [https://purdue.brightspace.com/d2l/le/content/208726/viewContent/5392546/View Counterfactuals and Storytelling lecture ] [4:49]
* Using R for network analysis and visualization
* (Optional) Levy, J. (2015). [https://www-tandfonline-com.ezproxy.lib.purdue.edu/doi/full/10.1080/09636412.2015.1070602 Counterfactuals, Causal Inference, and Historical Analysis]
* Start work on [[Communication and Social Networks (Spring 2020)/Extended Family Assignment|Homework 3]]
* (Optional) [https://towardsdatascience.com/storytelling-for-data-scientists-317c2723aa31 Storytelling for Data Scientists]
 
* (Optional) [https://towardsdatascience.com/how-to-properly-tell-a-story-with-data-and-common-pitfalls-to-avoid-317d8817e0c9 How to properly tell a story with data — and common pitfalls to avoid]  
 
January 30
 
'''Assignment Due:'''
* Finish [[Communication and Social Networks (Spring 2020)/Extended Family Assignment|Homework 3]]
* Install R and RStudio on your computer if you want to use your computer instead of lab computers. [https://techvidvan.com/tutorials/install-r/ This tutorial] should help you to succeed.
 
 
'''Readings:'''


'''Class Schedule:'''
'''Class Schedule:'''
* Work on [https://www.datacamp.com/courses/free-introduction-to-r Introduction to R], chapters 1-3
* Identifying insights
* Counterfactual thinking
* The role of statistics


== Week 4: Continuing introduction to R ==
== Week 4: The ethics of data stories (Part I) ==


[https://jeremydfoote.com/teaching/2020-spring/comm_and_soc_networks/learning_r_week_4/ Slides]


February 4
February 9


'''Assignment Due:'''
'''Assignment Due:'''
* Turn in your [[Self Assessment Reflection]] on Brightspace
* Turn in your [[Self Assessment Reflection]] on Brightspace
* Finish [https://www.datacamp.com/courses/free-introduction-to-r Introduction to R], chapters 1-3
* [[/Purdue WP Case|Case Study]] (Be prepared to talk about this case, based on the readings and the class so far)
 
* No Discussion Questions (but feel free to have discussions on Discord!)


'''Readings:'''  
'''Readings:'''  
 
* Salganik, M. (2017). [https://www.bitbybitbook.com/en/ethics/ethics-intro/ Chapter 6: Ethics] from ''Bit by Bit''.
* Kassner, M. [https://www.techrepublic.com/article/5-ethics-principles-big-data-analysts-must-follow/ 5 ethics principles big data analysts must follow]
* McNulty, K. (2018). [https://drkeithmcnulty.com/2018/07/22/beware-of-storytelling-in-data-and-analytics/ Beware of 'storytelling' in data and analytics]
* (Optional) Steinmann, M., Matei, S. A., & Collmann, J. (2016). A Theoretical Framework for Ethical Reflection in Big Data Research. (On Brightspace)




'''Class Schedule:'''
'''Class Schedule:'''
* Show family networks
* Ethical frameworks
* Introduction to RStudio
* What are ethical data stories?
** R files - Download [https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jdfoote/Communication-and-Social-Networks/master/activities/r_example.R example file here].
* When do analysts need to make ethical decisions?
** R Notebook files - Download [https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jdfoote/Communication-and-Social-Networks/master/activities/r_markdown_example.Rmd example file here].
* Transparency, respect, beneficence, honesty
* Start [https://www.datacamp.com/courses/free-introduction-to-r Introduction to R], chapters 4-5


== Week 5: Where does data come from? ==


February 6


'''Assignment Due:'''
February 16
* Finish [https://www.datacamp.com/courses/free-introduction-to-r Introduction to R], chapters 4-5
 
 
'''Readings:'''
 
 
'''Class Schedule:'''
* Start [https://campus.datacamp.com/courses/network-analysis-in-r/ Network Analysis in R], chapter 1
* Use R to create an accurate network image of the family network you created for Homework #3.  Include node labels for each family member.
** If you get stuck, [https://youtu.be/isBm5RTslow this video] may help.
** Use [https://kateto.net/network-visualization Static and dynamic network visualization with R] to figure out how to make it look nice!
 
== Week 5: Density, centrality, and power ==
 
[https://jeremydfoote.com/teaching/2020-spring/comm_and_soc_networks/centrality_week_5/ Slides]
 
February 11


'''Assignment Due:'''  
'''Assignment Due:'''  
* Finish Network Analysis in R, Chapter 1
* [[#Discussion Questions|Discussion questions]]
* Turn in your best network visualization
 


'''Readings:'''
'''Readings:'''
* Hanneman, R. A., & Riddle, M. (2005). Introduction to social network methods. [https://faculty.ucr.edu/~hanneman/nettext/C10_Centrality.html Chapter 10: Centrality and Power]
* [https://purdue.brightspace.com/d2l/le/content/208726/viewContent/5431820/View Where data comes from lecture] [14:02]
* Healy, K. (2013). [https://kieranhealy.org/blog/archives/2013/06/09/using-metadata-to-find-paul-revere/ Using Metadata to find Paul Revere].
* Pelz, W. [https://courses.lumenlearning.com/suny-hccc-research-methods/chapter/chapter-6-measurement-of-constructs/ Measurement of Constructs] in ''Research Methods for the Social Sciences''.
* [https://uxplanet.org/dirty-data-what-is-it-and-how-to-prevent-it-742accad081e Dirty Data article]
* Salganik, M. [https://www.bitbybitbook.com/en/1st-ed/observing-behavior Observing behavior] in ''Bit by Bit''
* EDS Chapter 5
* Perkel, J. [https://www-nature-com.ezproxy.lib.purdue.edu/articles/d41586-018-05990-5 A toolkit for data transparency takes shape]
* (Optional) Tayi, G. K. and Ballou, D. P. (1998). [https://www.researchgate.net/publication/27297579_Examining_Data_Quality Examining Data Quality]


'''Class Schedule:'''
'''Class Schedule:'''


== Week 6: Introduction to R ==


February 13


'''Assignment Due:'''
February 23


'''Readings:'''
'''Assignment Due:'''  
* Holliday, Audrey, Campbell, & Moore, (2016). [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4898141/ Identifying well-connected opinion leaders for informal health promotion]
* [[/R Lab 1|R Lab 1]]
** [https://purdue.brightspace.com/d2l/le/content/208726/viewContent/5457615/View Video to help with lab] [7:39]


'''Class Schedule:'''
* Guest lecture by [https://cla.purdue.edu/directory/profiles/seungyoon-lee.html Seungyoon Lee]
== Week 6: Ego networks and mid-term ==
[https://jeremydfoote.com/teaching/2020-spring/comm_and_soc_networks/ego_nets_week_6/ Slides]
February 18
'''Assignment Due:'''


'''Readings:'''  
'''Readings:'''  
* Hanneman, R. A., & Riddle, M. (2005). Introduction to social network methods. University of California. ([https://faculty.ucr.edu/~hanneman/nettext/C9_Ego_networks.html Chapter 9])
* [https://purdue.brightspace.com/d2l/le/content/208726/viewContent/5477440/View Why Programming + Intro to R lecture] [12:53]
* Marsden, P. V. (1987). Core Discussion Networks of Americans. American Sociological Review, 52(1), 122–131. https://doi.org/10.2307/2095397
* [https://source.opennews.org/articles/what-i-learned-recreating-one-chart-using-24-tools/ What I Learned Recreating One Chart Using 24 Tools]. Lisa Charlotte Rost
* [https://r4ds.had.co.nz/introduction.html R4DS Ch. 1]
(Optional)
* [https://rladiessydney.org/courses/ryouwithme/01-basicbasics-0/ Unit 1: Basic Basics (R Ladies Sydney)]
* [https://communitydata.science/~ads/teaching/2020/stats/r_tutorials/w01-R_tutorial.html Intro to R tutorial (Aaron Shaw)]


'''Class Schedule:'''
'''Class Schedule:'''
* Introduce ego networks
* Review for mid-term


== Week 7: Making figures in R ==


February 20
March 2


'''In-class midterm exam'''
'''Assignment Due:'''  


== Week 7: Social Capital, structural holes, and weak ties ==
* [[/R4DS Chapter 3 Exercises|R4DS Chapter 3 Exercises]]
 
** [https://purdue.brightspace.com/d2l/le/content/208726/viewContent/5507580/View Video overview of how to do assignment + ggplot explanation] [13:33]
[https://jeremydfoote.com/teaching/2020-spring/comm_and_soc_networks/social_capital_week7/ Slides]
 
February 25
 
'''Assignment Due:'''


'''Readings:'''  
'''Readings:'''  
* Granovetter, M. S. (1973). The Strength of Weak Ties. American Journal of Sociology, 78(6), 1360–1380. https://doi.org/10.1086/225469
* [https://r4ds.had.co.nz/data-visualisation.html R4DS Chapter 3]
* (Optional) Bourdieu, P. (1986). [https://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/philosophy/works/fr/bourdieu-forms-capital.htm The forms of capital]. In J. Richardson (Ed.) Handbook of Theory and Research for the Sociology of Education (New York, Greenwood), 241-258.
* [https://socviz.co/gettingstarted.html DV Chapter 2]


'''Class Schedule:'''
'''Class Schedule:'''
* ggplot2


== Week 8: Manipulating and Aggregating Data  ==


February 27
March 9


'''Assignment Due:'''  
'''Assignment Due:'''
* Start [[/R4DS Chapter 5 Exercises|R4DS Chapter 5 Exercises]]
** [https://purdue.brightspace.com/d2l/le/content/208726/viewContent/5562641/View Video explanation of homework] [26:45]
* Turn in your [[Self Assessment Reflection]] on Brightspace


'''Readings:'''
'''Readings:'''
* Rainie, L. and Perrin, A. (2019). [https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/07/22/key-findings-about-americans-declining-trust-in-government-and-each-other/ Key findings about Americans’ declining trust in government and each other]. Pew Research Center.
* [https://r4ds.had.co.nz/workflow-basics.html R4DS Chapter 4 - Workflow Basics]
* Putnam, R.D. (1995). [https://muse.jhu.edu/article/16643 Bowling Alone: America's Declining Social Capital]. Journal of Democracy 6(1), 65-78.
* [https://r4ds.had.co.nz/transform.html R4DS Chapter 5 - Data transformation]
* (Optional) Burt, R. S. (2000). [https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0191308500220091 The network structure of social capital]. Research in Organizational Behavior, 22, 345–423.
 
'''Class Schedule:'''
* Troubled Lands Activity
 
 
== Week 8: More advanced network visualizations  ==


[https://jeremydfoote.com/teaching/2020-spring/comm_and_soc_networks/network_visualization_week8/ Slides]
== Week 9: Visualization Principles ==


March 3
March 16


'''Assignment Due:'''
'''Assignment Due:'''
* Turn in your [[Self Assessment Reflection]] on Brightspace
* [[/R4DS Chapter 5 Exercises|R4DS Chapter 5 Exercises]]
* Troubled Lands reflection on Brightspace
* [[#Discussion Questions|Discussion questions]]


'''Readings:'''
* Freeman, L. C. (2000). [https://www.cmu.edu/joss/content/articles/volume1/Freeman.html Visualizing social networks]. Journal of social structure, 1(1), 4.
* Skim [https://kateto.net/network-visualization Static and dynamic network visualization with R] by Katya Ognyanova
'''Class Schedule:'''
* Finish discussion about social capital
* Introduce more advanced visualization methods in R
* Begin working through Chapters 2 and 3 [https://campus.datacamp.com/courses/network-analysis-in-r Network Analysis in R]
March 5
'''Assignment Due:'''
* Finish Chapters 2 and 3 of [https://campus.datacamp.com/courses/network-analysis-in-r Network Analysis in R]


'''Readings:'''  
'''Readings:'''  
 
* [https://datavizm20.classes.andrewheiss.com/content/02-content/ Graphic Design] by Andrew Heiss. Make sure to watch all 4 videos.
* EDS Chapter 7
* Healy, K. [https://socviz.co/lookatdata.html Data Visualization Chapter 1]
* (Optional) Gelman, A. and Unwin, A. (2012). [http://www.stat.columbia.edu/~gelman/research/published/vis14.pdf Infovis and statistical graphics: Differrent goals, different looks].
* (Optional) Williams, R. (2008). [https://purdue-primo-prod.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/primo-explore/fulldisplay?docid=PURDUE_ALMA51793773920001081&context=L&vid=PURDUE&lang=en_US&search_scope=everything&adaptor=Local%20Search%20Engine&tab=default_tab&query=any,contains,The%20Non-Designer%27s%20Design%20Book&mode=Basic The Non-Designer's Design Book], Chapters 1-6


'''Class Schedule:'''
'''Class Schedule:'''
* Answer questions about DataCamp
* Review principles of good network visualizations
* Find and assess networks visualizations ([https://padlet.com/jdfoote1/networks padlet is here])
* Begin visualization challenge
** Right click on [https://github.com/jdfoote/Communication-and-Social-Networks/raw/master/activities/network_visualization_examples_and_assignment.Rmd THIS LINK], save it, and open it in RStudio.


== Week 9: Tie formation and decay ==
March 18 - READING DAY


[https://jeremydfoote.com/teaching/2020-spring/comm_and_soc_networks/tie_formation_week_9/ Slides]
== Week 10: Visualization Principles II and Exploratory Data Analysis ==


March 10
March 23


'''Assignment Due:'''  
'''Assignment Due:'''  
* Summary and questions for Dr. Feld
* [[Data_Into_Insights_(Spring_2021)/Final_project#Step_1:_Identify_a_dataset|Submit the data source for your final project]]
* [[Data_Into_Insights_(Spring_2021)/Visualization Project|Visualization Project]]


'''Readings:'''  
'''Readings:'''  
 
* [https://socviz.co/groupfacettx.html#groupfacettx DV Chapter 4: Show the right numbers]
* Feld, S. L. (1981). [https://www.jstor.org/stable/2778746 The focused organization of social ties]. American Journal of Sociology, 86(5), 1015–1035.
* EDS Chapter 8
* Feld, S., Knighton, D., and McGail, A. (forthcoming). [https://purdue.brightspace.com/d2l/le/content/7389/viewContent/519954/View Reflections On 'The Focused Organization of Social Ties' And Its Implications For Bonding and Bridging]. In Personal Networks: Frontiers of Ego-Network Analysis. Edited by Mario Small, Ned Smith, Brea Perry, and Bernice Pescosolido. Oxford University Press.
* Hullman, J. [https://www-scientificamerican-com.ezproxy.lib.purdue.edu/article/how-to-get-better-at-embracing-unknowns/ How to get better at embracing unknowns]
* Yau, N. [https://flowingdata.com/2018/01/08/visualizing-the-uncertainty-in-data/ Visualizing the uncertainty in data].
* (Optional) Review [https://r4ds.had.co.nz/transform.html R4DS Ch 5]


'''Class Schedule:'''
'''Class Schedule:'''
* Guest lecture by Scott Feld
* Summarize and discuss readings
* Peer feedback on data source + visualization project
* R4DS Chapter 5 (continued)


March 13
== Week 11: Text as data ==


'''Assignment Due:'''
March 30


'''Assignment Due:'''
* [[#Discussion Questions|Discussion questions]] - One discussion question and one or more examples of "bad" visualizations that you found


'''Readings:'''  
'''Readings:'''


* Monge, P. R., & Contractor, N. S. (2003). [https://purdue.brightspace.com/d2l/le/content/7389/Home Theories of communication networks]. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. (pp. 298--314) - On Brightspace under Content > Readings
* Grimmer, J., & Stewart, B. M. (2013). [https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/F7AAC8B2909441603FEB25C156448F20/S1047198700013401a.pdf/text-as-data-the-promise-and-pitfalls-of-automatic-content-analysis-methods-for-political-texts.pdf Text as data: The promise and pitfalls of automatic content analysis methods for political texts]. Political Analysis.
* Reagan, A. J., Mitchell, L., Kiley, D., Danforth, C. M., & Dodds, P. S. (2016). [https://epjdatascience.springeropen.com/articles/10.1140/epjds/s13688-016-0093-1 The emotional arcs of stories are dominated by six basic shapes]. EPJ Data Science.




'''Class Schedule:'''
'''Class Schedule:'''
* Review tie formation and decay
* Guest lecture by [https://ryanjgallagher.github.io/ Ryan J. Gallagher]
* Revisit R and network visualizations
 
== March 17, 19: SPRING BREAK ==


'''Spring Break: No Class'''
== Week 12: Advanced visualizations in R ==


Have a great Spring Break!
April 6
 
= Online Schedule =
 
From now on, we will be moving to an online learning format. While I would love to do a video chat version of the class, I know that members of the class are now in different time zones, with different responsibilities and stresses. In order to allow the class to fit into your schedule, we are going to make all assignments asynchronous.
 
The tentative plan is to have two things due every week: an assignment plus a video response on our [https://flipgrid.com/com411 Flipgrid page]. These will both be due by Friday (although I encourage you to stay engaged on FlipGrid and post videos as you work on things).
 
=== Slack ===
 
We're also going to be using Slack to communicate - please [https://join.slack.com/t/com114-2020/shared_invite/zt-d8tya9ma-7LQ7vJ8Safk3GH9XJscATQ Join our Slack channel] and ask your questions there.
 
 
=== Office Hours ===
 
I will hold virtual office hours Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1-2 pm at [https://meet.jit.si/JeremyOffice https://meet.jit.si/JeremyOffice]
 
== Week 10: Social influence and diffusion ==
 
March 27
 
'''Weekly lecture:'''
* [https://jeremydfoote.com/teaching/2020-spring/comm_and_soc_networks/diffusion_week_10/ Slides]
* [https://youtu.be/5EOHaU_R94o Weekly lecture] on social influence and network diffusion
* [https://youtu.be/sdI-b5mfjH4 Interview with Josh Becker] (skim his article below first).


'''Assignment Due:'''  
'''Assignment Due:'''  
* [[Communication and Social Networks (Spring 2020)/Dutch School Data Visualization challenge|Dutch School Data Visualization
* [[Self Assessment Reflection]]
Challenge]]
* [[/Story Time|Story Time Mini-project]]
* Do [http://ncase.me/crowds/ The Wisdom or Madness of Crowds Simulation] and discuss on Flipgrid.


'''Readings:'''  
'''Readings:'''  
* Chapter 4, "[http://everythingisobvious.com/wp-content/themes/eio/assets/EIO_chapter4.pdf Special People]", in Watts, D. J. (2011). Everything is Obvious: Once you know the answer. New York, NY: Crown Business.
* [https://socviz.co/maps.html#maps DV Chapter 7: Maps]
* Becker, J., Brackbill, D., & Centola, D. (2017). [https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1615978114 Network dynamics of social influence in the wisdom of crowds]. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 201615978.
* [https://r4ds.had.co.nz/graphics-for-communication.html R4DS Ch. 28]
* [Optional] Centola, D., & Macy, M. (2007). [https://doi.org/10.1086/521848 Complex Contagions and the Weakness of Long Ties]. American Journal of Sociology, 113(3), 702–734.
* [Optional] Christakis, N. A., & Fowler, J. H. (2012). Social contagion theory: Examining dynamic social networks and human behavior. Statistics in Medicine, 32, 556–577.


'''Other Resources:'''
'''Class Schedule:'''
* [https://youtu.be/d3C2r7gPfBU Great video about homophily in networks]
* Maps
* [https://youtu.be/D9XF0QOzWM0 Duncan Watts on Common Sense]
* [https://jeremydfoote.com/Communication-and-Social-Networks/week_6/ggraph_walkthrough.html Networks]
* [https://github.com/jdfoote/Communication-and-Social-Networks/raw/master/activities/school_data_example.Rmd Example with code for the Dutch School assignment]
* Annotations
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prCmVEUTxQE Video explaining my example]


== Week 11: Cliques, clans, and groups in networks ==
== Week 13: Importing and cleaning data ==


April 3
April 13


'''Weekly lecture:'''
READING DAY
* [https://youtu.be/6cIe5qSRoSE Groups and communities]; Also goes over the assignment (no slides)


'''Assignment Due:'''
* Synchronous session moved to April 15
* [https://github.com/jdfoote/Communication-and-Social-Networks/raw/master/activities/groups_in_networks.Rmd Finding and visualizing groups in networks] (Right-click, save, and open in RStudio). I go over the document in the YouTube video.
* Flipgrid response


'''Readings:'''
April 15
* Hanneman, R. A., & Riddle, M. (2005). Introduction to social network methods. [https://faculty.ucr.edu/~hanneman/nettext/C11_Cliques.html Chapter 11: Cliques and sub-groups]


'''Other Resources:'''
'''Assignment Due:'''
 
* [[Data Into Insights (Spring 2021)/Final project#Step_2:_Explore_the_data_and_write_a_proposal|Proposal for final project]]
 
* [[/R4DS Chapter 12|R4DS Chapter 12 (12.2 and 12.3)]]
== Week 12: Networks in organizations ==


April 10
'''Weekly Lecture:'''
* [https://youtu.be/mOtVC0N-ItA Networks in Organizations lecture]
* [https://youtu.be/MzA12DkQGBw Answering questions about R]
'''Assignment Due:'''
* Turn in your [[Self Assessment Reflection]] on Brightspace
* One paragraph summary of Krackhardt reading + 1 question about the reading
* Keep working on [https://github.com/jdfoote/Communication-and-Social-Networks/raw/master/activities/groups_in_networks.Rmd Groups in networks]; enhance your visualization of the Dutch school data by including community detection of some kind.


'''Readings:'''
'''Readings:'''
* Krackhardt, D., & Hanson, J. R. (1993). [https://hbr.org/1993/07/informal-networks-the-company-behind-the-chart Informal networks: The company behind the chart]. Harvard business review, 71(4), 104-111.
* [https://r4ds.had.co.nz/data-import.html R4DS Chapters 11--12]
* (SKIM) Katz, N., Lazer, D., Arrow, H., & Contractor, N. (2004). [http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1046496404264941 Network theory and small groups]. Small Group Research, 35(3), 307–332.
* (Optional) Wickham, H. (2014). [http://vita.had.co.nz/papers/tidy-data.pdf Tidy Data]. Journal of statistical software, 59(10), 1-23.
* (Optional) Huntington-Klein, N. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CnY5Y5ANnjE&t=785s Data Wrangling with R and the Tidyverse]


== Week 13: The dark side of networks ==
'''Class schedule:'''
* Provide peer feedback on final project proposal


April 17
== Week 14: Crafting data stories ==


[https://jeremydfoote.com/teaching/2020/comm_and_soc_networks/dark_side_week_13/#/ Slides]
April 20


'''Assignment Due:'''
'''Assignment Due:'''  
 
* [[#Discussion Questions|One discussion question]]
* One paragraph summary of each reading + 1 question about each reading
* [[Data_Into_Insights_(Spring_2021)/Final_project#Step_2:_Explore_the_data_and_write_a_proposal|New version of final project proposal]] (edited following peer feedback)
* Talk about readings/concepts on FlipGrid
* [[/R4DS Chapter 12|R4DS Chapter 12 (12.4-12.6)]]  
* Watch [https://youtu.be/sNR39Z9Tm3M this week's lecture]
* Keep working on the [[Communication_and_Social_Networks_(Spring_2020)/Final_project | final project]]


'''Readings:'''
'''Readings:'''
* Krebs, V. E. (2002). Mapping networks of terrorist cells. Connections, 24(3), 43–52.
* Kim, Y. et al. (2017). [http://users.eecs.northwestern.edu/~jhullman/explaining_the_gap.pdf Explaining the Gap: Visualizing One’s Predictions Improves Recall and Comprehension of Data].
* Kleinberg, J. (2007). The wireless epidemic. Nature, 449(7160), 287–288. https://doi.org/10.1038/449287a
* Knaflic, C. N. (2019). [https://purdue.alma.exlibrisgroup.com/view/uresolver/01PURDUE_PUWL/openurl?ctx_enc=info:ofi/enc:UTF-8&ctx_id=10_1&ctx_tim=2020-06-13T12%3A39%3A32IST&ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&url_ctx_fmt=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rfr_id=info:sid/primo.exlibrisgroup.com-PURDUE_ALMA&req_id=_c20e3fe9e4a9a31b0162ece2023b8d45&rft_dat=ie=01PURDUE_PUWL:51807454010001081,language=eng,view=PURDUE&svc_dat=viewit&u.ignore_date_coverage=true&req.skin=PUWL&Force_direct=true&is_new_ui=true Storytelling with Data] Chapter 6
 
* EDS Chapter 9
== Week 14: Networks and technology ==


April 24
== Week 15: Ethics of data stories (Part II) ==


[https://jeremydfoote.com/teaching/2020/comm_and_soc_networks/tech_and_networks_week_14 Slides]
April 27


'''Assignment Due:'''  
'''Assignment Due:'''  
* Watch [https://youtu.be/_cqjrGErPjA this week's lecture]
* 1 [[#Discussion Questions|Discussion question]]
* Turn in reading summary on Brightspace
* [[Data_Into_Insights_(Spring_2021)/Final_project#Step_3:_Write_a_rough_draft|Final project rough draft]] for peer feedback


'''Readings:'''  
'''Readings:'''
* Kleinberg, J. (2012). [https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-29952-0_8 The Convergence of Social and Technological Networks]. In M. Agrawal, S. B. Cooper, & A. Li (Eds.), Theory and Applications of Models of Computation.
* Re-read McNulty, K. (2018). [https://drkeithmcnulty.com/2018/07/22/beware-of-storytelling-in-data-and-analytics/ Beware of 'storytelling' in data and analytics] and reflect on how you see this differently now that you know more about data storytelling


== Week 15: Networks and collaboration ==
'''Topics:'''
* What does an ethical data story look like?


May 1
April 29


'''Assignment Due:'''  
'''Assignment Due:'''
* Watch [https://youtu.be/xKzOrIHpnmI this week's lecture] ([https://jeremydfoote.com/teaching/2020/comm_and_soc_networks/networks_and_collaboration_week_15/ Slides])
* Peer feedback (via email or Discord)
* Turn in reading summary on Brightspace
 
'''Readings:'''
* Read the [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wealth_of_Networks Wikipedia Article about The Wealth of Networks]
* Skim section two of Benkler, Y. (2002). [https://doi.org/10.2307/1562247 Coase’s Penguin, or, Linux and "The Nature of the Firm."] The Yale Law Journal, 112(3), 369.


== Week 16: Finals week  ==
== Week 16: Finals week  ==
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'''Assignment Due:'''
'''Assignment Due:'''
* [[Communication and Social Networks (Spring 2020)/Final project|Final Project]] - Due Wednesday, May 6
* [[{{PAGENAME}}/Final project|Final Project]] - Due Thursday, May 6
* Turn in your [[Final self reflection]] on Brightspace - Due Friday, May 8
* Turn in your [[Final self reflection]] on Brightspace


= Administrative Notes =
= Policies =


== Attendance Policy ==
== Attendance ==


Attendance is very important and it will be difficult to make up for any classes that are missed. It is expected that students communicate well in advance to faculty so that arrangements can be made for making up the work that was missed. It is the your responsibility to seek out support from classmates for notes, handouts, and other information.
In general, I expect students to attend our Tuesday meetings and to typically attend our Thursday meetings. It is expected that students communicate well in advance to faculty so that arrangements can be made for making up the work that was missed. It is your responsibility to seek out support from classmates for notes, handouts, and other information.


Only the instructor can excuse a student from a course requirement or responsibility. When conflicts can be anticipated, such as for many University-sponsored activities and religious observations, the student should inform the instructor of the situation as far in advance as possible. For unanticipated or emergency conflicts, when advance notification to an instructor is not possible, the student should contact me as soon as possible on Discord or by email. In cases of bereavement, quarantine, or isolation, the student or the student’s representative should contact the Office of the Dean of Students via email or phone at 765-494-1747. Our course Brightspace includes a link to the Dean of Students under 'Campus Resources.'


== Electronic Devices ==
== Classroom Discussions and Peer Feedback ==


I love technology and I study how technology can help us to collaborate and create. However, the research is increasingly clear that in a classroom setting technology can easily become more of a distraction than an aid. Cell phones fall clearly into this category. Unless you have a specific and vital need to be accessible by phone, please silence your phone and keep it put away.
Throughout the course, you may receive, read, collaborate, and/or comment on classmates’ work. These assignments are for class use only. You may not share them with anybody outside of class without explicit written permission from the document’s author and pertaining to the specific piece.


Laptops can also be distracting, to you and to others. I strongly suggest that you take notes using pen and paper. Taking notes on a laptop is permitted but please refrain from using your laptop from non-class purposes (email, Facebook, shopping, etc.). Please close any applications which might be distracting.
It is essential to the success of this class that all participants feel comfortable discussing questions, thoughts, ideas, fears, reservations, apprehensions and confusion. Therefore, you may not create any audio or video recordings during class time nor share verbatim comments with those not in class linked to people’s identities unless you get clear and explicit permission. If you want to share general impressions or specifics of in-class discussions with those not in class, please do so without disclosing personal identities or details.
 
 
== Incomplete ==
 
A grade of incomplete (I) will be given only in unusual circumstances. The request must describe the circumstances, along with a proposed timeline for completing the course work. Submitting a request does not ensure that an incomplete grade will be granted. If granted, you will be required to fill out and sign an “Incomplete Contract” form that will be turned in with the course grades. Any requests made after the course is completed will not be considered for an incomplete grade.




Line 568: Line 476:
   
   
While I encourage collaboration, I expect that any work that you submit is your own. Basic guidelines for Purdue students are outlined [https://www.purdue.edu/odos/osrr/academic-integrity/index.html here] but I expect you to be exemplary members of the academic community. Please get in touch if you have any questions or concerns.
While I encourage collaboration, I expect that any work that you submit is your own. Basic guidelines for Purdue students are outlined [https://www.purdue.edu/odos/osrr/academic-integrity/index.html here] but I expect you to be exemplary members of the academic community. Please get in touch if you have any questions or concerns.


== Nondiscrimination ==
== Nondiscrimination ==
Line 575: Line 484:
Purdue University is committed to maintaining a community which recognizes and values the inherent worth and dignity of every person; fosters tolerance, sensitivity, understanding, and mutual respect among its members; and encourages each individual to strive to reach his or her own potential. In pursuit of its goal of academic excellence, the University seeks to develop and nurture diversity. The University believes that diversity among its many members strengthens the institution, stimulates creativity, promotes the exchange of ideas, and enriches campus life.
Purdue University is committed to maintaining a community which recognizes and values the inherent worth and dignity of every person; fosters tolerance, sensitivity, understanding, and mutual respect among its members; and encourages each individual to strive to reach his or her own potential. In pursuit of its goal of academic excellence, the University seeks to develop and nurture diversity. The University believes that diversity among its many members strengthens the institution, stimulates creativity, promotes the exchange of ideas, and enriches campus life.


== Students with Disabilities ==
 
== Accessibility ==


Purdue University strives to make learning experiences as accessible as possible. If you anticipate or experience physical or academic barriers based on disability, you are welcome to let me know so that we can discuss options. You are also encouraged to contact the Disability Resource Center at: drc@purdue.edu or by phone: 765-494-1247.
Purdue University strives to make learning experiences as accessible as possible. If you anticipate or experience physical or academic barriers based on disability, you are welcome to let me know so that we can discuss options. You are also encouraged to contact the Disability Resource Center at: drc@purdue.edu or by phone: 765-494-1247.


== Emergency Preparation ==
== Emergency Preparation ==


In the event of a major campus emergency, I will update the requirements and deadlines as needed.
In the event of a major campus emergency, I will update the requirements and deadlines as needed.


== Mental Health ==
== Mental Health ==
Line 587: Line 499:
If you or someone you know is feeling overwhelmed, depressed, and/or in need of mental health support, services are available. For help, such individuals should contact Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at 765-494-6995 during and after hours, on weekends and holidays, or by going to the CAPS office of the second floor of the Purdue University Student Health Center (PUSH) during business hours.
If you or someone you know is feeling overwhelmed, depressed, and/or in need of mental health support, services are available. For help, such individuals should contact Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at 765-494-6995 during and after hours, on weekends and holidays, or by going to the CAPS office of the second floor of the Purdue University Student Health Center (PUSH) during business hours.


== Acknowledgements ==


I reached out to a number of network scholars for guidance with this syllabus. This version is based most strongly on the course taught by [https://www.cla.purdue.edu/directory/profiles/seungyoon-lee.html Seungyoon Lee], but I also received syllabi, materials, or ideas from [https://commstudies.utexas.edu/faculty/joshua-b-barbour Josh Barbour], [http://brooke-welles.squarespace.com/ Brooke Foucault-Welles], [http://www.katypearce.net/ Katy Pearce], and [https://dimenet.asc.upenn.edu/people/sgonzalezbailon/ Sandra González-Bailón].
== Incompletes ==
 
A grade of incomplete (I) will be given only in unusual circumstances. The request must describe the circumstances, along with a proposed timeline for completing the course work. Submitting a request does not ensure that an incomplete grade will be granted. If granted, you will be required to fill out and sign an “Incomplete Contract” form that will be turned in with the course grades. Any requests made after the course is completed will not be considered for an incomplete grade.
 
 
== Additional Policies ==


I also drew from online resources, including James Cook's wonderful (and freely available) [http://www.umasocialmedia.com/socialnetworks/ social networks course] and Matt Salganik's [http://www.princeton.edu/~mjs3/soc204_s2017/ course materials].
Links to additional Purdue policies are on our Brightspace page. If you have questions about policies please get in touch.
-->

Latest revision as of 19:23, 8 May 2021

Course Information[edit]

COM 495/6/7: Turning Data into Insight and Stories
Location: ONLINE
Class Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays; 10:30-11:45am

Instructor[edit]

Instructor: Jeremy Foote
Email: jdfoote@purdue.edu
Office Hours: Fridays 10am-noon and by appointment

Course Overview and Learning Objectives[edit]

We are increasingly surrounded by data, and those with the technical skills to analyze it are highly sought after. Even more valuable are those who can not only identify insights from data, but can communicate and persuade with those insights. This course will focus on both developing data skills and crafting persuasive data stories.

Students who complete this course will be able to:

  1. Understand the role of narrative in interpreting and producing data analyses
  2. Competently import, process, and prepare data for analysis in the R programming language
  3. Critically analyze data visualizations and presentations, and recognize poor or misleading visualizations
  4. Produce beautiful, well-designed data visualizations in R using ggplot2
  5. Craft compelling data presentations

Required resources and texts[edit]

Laptop[edit]

This is a data analysis class and you will need access to a decent computer. You will need a machine with at least 2GB of memory. Windows, Mac OS, and Linux are all fine but an iPad or Android tablet won't work.


Readings[edit]

  • Other readings: Readings will be linked to from this page. Where necessary, they will be put on Brightspace

Reading Academic Articles[edit]

Some of the readings will be academic articles. I do not expect you to read every word of these articles. Rather, you should practice intentional directed skimming. This article gives a nice overview. The TL;DR is that you should carefully read the abstract, introduction, and conclusion. For the rest of the article, focus on section headings and topic sentences to extract the main ideas.

Course logistics[edit]

Note About This Syllabus[edit]

This is my first time teaching this course and this syllabus will be a dynamic document. Although the core expectations for this class are fixed, the details of readings and assignments may shift based on how the class goes. As a result, there are three important things to keep in mind:

  1. Although details on this syllabus will change, I will not change readings or assignments less than one week before they are due. If I don't fill in a "To Be Determined" one week before it's due, it is dropped. If you plan to read more than one week ahead, contact me first.
  2. Closely monitor the class Discord. Because this a wiki, you will be able to track every change by clicking the history button on this page. I will also summarize these changes in an announcement on Discord that should be emailed to everybody in the class.
  3. I will ask the class for voluntary anonymous feedback frequently. Please let me know what is working and what can be improved.

Class Sessions[edit]

This course will follow "flipped" classroom model. I expect you to learn most of the content of the course asynchronously. The goal of our time together is not to tell you new things, but to consolidate knowledge and to clear up misconceptions.

The Tuesday meeting will be a collaborative, discussion-centric session. Typically, about half of each session will be devoted to going over assignments and the other half will be a discussion of the readings and videos from that week. We will take collaborative notes using this Etherpad.

If you would like to create collaborative summaries of the readings, you can use this Etherpad.

The Thursday meetings will be more like a lab. Some of these sessions will include synchronous activities but they will often be more of a co-working time, where you can work synchronously on assignments and I can be available to answer questions.

Getting Help[edit]

Your first place to look for help should be each other. By asking and answering questions on Discord, you will not only help to build a repository of shared information, but to reinforce our learning community.

I will also hold office hours Friday mornings on Discord (sign up here). If you come with a programming question, I will expect that you have already tried to solve it yourself in multiple ways and that you have discussed it with a classmate (e.g., on Discord). This policy lets me have time to help more students, but it's also a useful strategy. Often just trying to explain your code can help you to recognize where you've gone wrong.

I will also keep an eye on Discord during normal business hours. I encourage you to post questions there, and to use it as a space where we can help and instruct each other. In general, you should contact me there. I am also available by email. You can reach me at jdfoote@purdue.edu. I try hard to maintain a boundary between work and home and I typically respond only on weekdays during business hours.

Resources[edit]

Especially for the programming assignments, I will often create video walkthroughs that will be linked from the schedule. I also created the following general videos that may be helpful:

Assignments[edit]

There will be multiple types of assignments, designed to encourage learning in different ways.

Participation[edit]

This will be a very participatory class, and I expect you to be an active member of our class, engaged in helping us all to gain insight and inspritation. This includes paying attention in class, participating in activities, and being actively engaged in learning, thinking about, and trying to understand the material.

This also includes doing the readings and watching the videos. To make sure that everyone has an opportunity to participate and to encourage you to do the assignments, I will randomly select students to answer discussion questions or to explain portions of homework assignments and labs. I will keep track of the quantity and quality of your responses and I will make that data available to you to help guide our discussion around grades.

Discussion Questions[edit]

This course will have two "modes". For much of the class, we will be reading about theories of communication and rhetoric, about principles of data visualization, etc. For these sessions, you will be required to submit 1-2 discussion questions on Discord on Monday by noon. I will then curate some of these questions (and add some of my own) to use to guide our discussion on Tuesday. I will post the questions on the Etherpad at https://etherpad.wikimedia.org/p/com-495-data-insight

Questions should engage with the readings and either connect to other concepts or to the "real world". Here are some good example questions:

  • The readings this week talked a lot about how data visualizations can be misleading. How can we tell when visualizations are intentionally trying to mislead versus when they are just poorly designed?
  • I was confused by the reading on counterfactuals. We obviously can't really know what would have happened in different conditions, so why even try?
  • Imagine you were asked to create an ad campaign to recruit students to Purdue. What types of appeals would you use and why?

During other weeks, we will be more focused on learning practical skills (mostly data manipulation and visualization in R). On those weeks, discussions will center around identifying places where folks are still confused and students will be randomly selected to share their responses to homework questions.

Homework/Labs[edit]

There will be a number of homework assignments. At the beginning of the class, these will be designed to help you to grasp foundational concepts about storytelling, visualization, and data. As the class progresses, more and more of them will be based on learning and developing proficiency in visualizing data in R.

Exams[edit]

There will be one in-class exam. It will assess your understanding of core concepts around storytelling and visualization.


Final Project[edit]

The main outcome of this course will be your final project, which will be a data presentation, either as a website or a slide deck + presentation. A detailed description of the project is at this link.

There will be a number of intermediate assignments through the semester to help you to identify a dataset, explore the data for insights, and get and give feedback on visualizations and story elements.

Grades[edit]

This course will follow a "self-assessment" philosophy. I am more interested in helping you to learn things that will be useful to you than in assigning grades. In general, I think that my time is much better spent in providing better feedback and in being available to work through problems together.

The university still requires grades, so you will be leading the evaluation of your work. This will be completed with me in four stages, at the end of weeks 4, 8, 12, and 16. In each stage, you will use this form to reflect on what you have accomplished thus far, how it has met, not met, or exceeded expectations, based both on rubrics and personal goals and objectives. At each of these stages you will receive feedback on your assessments. By the end of the semester, you should have a clear vision of your accomplishments and growth, which you will turn into a grade. As the instructor-of-record, I maintain the right to disagree with your assessment and alter grades as I see fit, but any time that I do this it will be accompanied by an explanation and discussion. These personal assessments, reflecting both honest and meaningful reflection of your work will be the most important factor in final grades.

We will use the following rubric in our assessment:

  • 20%: class participation, including attendance and participation in discussions and group work
  • 20%: Labs and homework assignments
  • 25%: Exam
  • 35%: Final Project

The exam will be graded like a normal exam and the score will make up 25% of your grade. For the rest of the assignments (and the other 75% of your grade), I will provide feedback which will inform an ongoing conversation about your work.

My interpretation of grade levels (A, B, C, D/F) is the following:

A: Reflects work the exceeds expectations on multiple fronts and to a great degree. Students reaching this level of achievement will:

  • Do what it takes to learn the principles and techniques of data storytelling, including looking to outside sources if necessary.
  • Engage thoughtfully with an ambitious final project.
  • Take intellectual risks, offering interpretations based on synthesizing material and asking for feedback from peers.
  • Share work early allowing extra time for engagement with others.
  • Write reflections that grapple meaningfully with lessons learned as well as challenges.
  • Complete all or nearly all homework assignments at a high level.

B: Reflects strong work. Work at this level will be of consistently high quality. Students reaching this level of achievement will:

  • Be more safe or consistent than the work described above.
  • Ask meaningful questions of peers and engage them in fruitful discussion.
  • Exceed requirements, but in fairly straightforward ways - e.g., an additional post in discussion every week.
  • Compose complete and sufficiently detailed reflections.
  • Complete nearly all of the homework assignments, typically at a fairly high level

C: This reflects meeting the minimum expectations of the course. Students reaching this level of achievement will:

  • Turn in and complete the final project on time.
  • Be collegial and continue discussion, through asking simple or limited questions.
  • Compose reflections with straightforward and easily manageable goals and/or avoid discussions of challenges.
  • Not complete homework assignments or turn many in in a hasty or incomplete manner.

D/F: These are reserved for cases in which students do not complete work or participate. Students may also be impeding the ability of others to learn.

Extra Credit for Participating in Research Studies[edit]

The Brian Lamb School of Communication uses an online program that expedites the process of recruiting, signing up, and granting extra credit to students for participating in research studies. The program is called the Research Participation System, and it provides an easy online method for you to sign up for research studies, to keep track of the studies you have completed, and to view how many credits you have earned for each study. You can access the system online at any time, from any computer with a standard web browser. By participating in studies done within the Brian Lamb School of Communication, you can learn first hand how a study is conducted, you can contribute to the advancement of the field, and you can improve your grade by earning extra credit.

  • You earn a ½ percent credit for every half-hour that you participate in a study. The maximum extra credit that you can earn for this course is 3%, which will be added to your total course points
  • If you sign up to participate in a study and fail to show up without canceling your appointment in advance (up to 2 hours before the study), you can be restricted from signing up for any studies for 30 days. You may quickly cancel your appointment online using the Research Participation System.
  • Please review the instructions before you sign up for studies; to view the instructions go to https://www.cla.purdue.edu/communication/research/participation/students.html
  • You can sign up to participate in studies by logging into http://purdue-comm.sona-systems.com/.

Schedule[edit]

NOTE This section will be modified throughout the course to meet the class's needs. Check back in weekly.


Week 1: Introduction[edit]

January 19

Assignment Due:

Readings (before class):

  • None

Class Schedule:

  • Class overview and expectations — We'll walk through this syllabus.


January 21

Assignment Due:

  • Read the entire syllabus (this document)

Week 2: Storytelling and Narratives[edit]

January 26

Assignment Due:


Readings (before class):


Class Schedule:

Week 3: Data insights and data stories[edit]

February 2

Assignment Due:

Readings:

Class Schedule:

  • Identifying insights
  • Counterfactual thinking
  • The role of statistics

Week 4: The ethics of data stories (Part I)[edit]

February 9

Assignment Due:

  • Turn in your Self Assessment Reflection on Brightspace
  • Case Study (Be prepared to talk about this case, based on the readings and the class so far)
  • No Discussion Questions (but feel free to have discussions on Discord!)

Readings:


Class Schedule:

  • Ethical frameworks
  • What are ethical data stories?
  • When do analysts need to make ethical decisions?
  • Transparency, respect, beneficence, honesty

Week 5: Where does data come from?[edit]

February 16

Assignment Due:

Readings:

Class Schedule:

Week 6: Introduction to R[edit]

February 23

Assignment Due:


Readings:

(Optional)

Class Schedule:

Week 7: Making figures in R[edit]

March 2

Assignment Due:

Readings:

Class Schedule:

  • ggplot2

Week 8: Manipulating and Aggregating Data[edit]

March 9

Assignment Due:

Readings:

Week 9: Visualization Principles[edit]

March 16

Assignment Due:


Readings:

Class Schedule:

March 18 - READING DAY

Week 10: Visualization Principles II and Exploratory Data Analysis[edit]

March 23

Assignment Due:

Readings:

Class Schedule:

  • Summarize and discuss readings
  • Peer feedback on data source + visualization project
  • R4DS Chapter 5 (continued)

Week 11: Text as data[edit]

March 30

Assignment Due:

  • Discussion questions - One discussion question and one or more examples of "bad" visualizations that you found

Readings:


Class Schedule:

Week 12: Advanced visualizations in R[edit]

April 6

Assignment Due:

Readings:

Class Schedule:

Week 13: Importing and cleaning data[edit]

April 13

READING DAY

  • Synchronous session moved to April 15

April 15

Assignment Due:


Readings:

Class schedule:

  • Provide peer feedback on final project proposal

Week 14: Crafting data stories[edit]

April 20

Assignment Due:

Readings:

Week 15: Ethics of data stories (Part II)[edit]

April 27

Assignment Due:

Readings:

Topics:

  • What does an ethical data story look like?

April 29

Assignment Due:

  • Peer feedback (via email or Discord)

Week 16: Finals week[edit]

Assignment Due:

Policies[edit]

Attendance[edit]

In general, I expect students to attend our Tuesday meetings and to typically attend our Thursday meetings. It is expected that students communicate well in advance to faculty so that arrangements can be made for making up the work that was missed. It is your responsibility to seek out support from classmates for notes, handouts, and other information.

Only the instructor can excuse a student from a course requirement or responsibility. When conflicts can be anticipated, such as for many University-sponsored activities and religious observations, the student should inform the instructor of the situation as far in advance as possible. For unanticipated or emergency conflicts, when advance notification to an instructor is not possible, the student should contact me as soon as possible on Discord or by email. In cases of bereavement, quarantine, or isolation, the student or the student’s representative should contact the Office of the Dean of Students via email or phone at 765-494-1747. Our course Brightspace includes a link to the Dean of Students under 'Campus Resources.'

Classroom Discussions and Peer Feedback[edit]

Throughout the course, you may receive, read, collaborate, and/or comment on classmates’ work. These assignments are for class use only. You may not share them with anybody outside of class without explicit written permission from the document’s author and pertaining to the specific piece.

It is essential to the success of this class that all participants feel comfortable discussing questions, thoughts, ideas, fears, reservations, apprehensions and confusion. Therefore, you may not create any audio or video recordings during class time nor share verbatim comments with those not in class linked to people’s identities unless you get clear and explicit permission. If you want to share general impressions or specifics of in-class discussions with those not in class, please do so without disclosing personal identities or details.


Academic Integrity[edit]

While I encourage collaboration, I expect that any work that you submit is your own. Basic guidelines for Purdue students are outlined here but I expect you to be exemplary members of the academic community. Please get in touch if you have any questions or concerns.


Nondiscrimination[edit]

I strongly support Purdue's policy of nondiscrimination (below). If you feel like any member of our classroom--including me--is not living up to these principles, then please come and talk to me about it.

Purdue University is committed to maintaining a community which recognizes and values the inherent worth and dignity of every person; fosters tolerance, sensitivity, understanding, and mutual respect among its members; and encourages each individual to strive to reach his or her own potential. In pursuit of its goal of academic excellence, the University seeks to develop and nurture diversity. The University believes that diversity among its many members strengthens the institution, stimulates creativity, promotes the exchange of ideas, and enriches campus life.


Accessibility[edit]

Purdue University strives to make learning experiences as accessible as possible. If you anticipate or experience physical or academic barriers based on disability, you are welcome to let me know so that we can discuss options. You are also encouraged to contact the Disability Resource Center at: drc@purdue.edu or by phone: 765-494-1247.


Emergency Preparation[edit]

In the event of a major campus emergency, I will update the requirements and deadlines as needed.


Mental Health[edit]

If you or someone you know is feeling overwhelmed, depressed, and/or in need of mental health support, services are available. For help, such individuals should contact Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at 765-494-6995 during and after hours, on weekends and holidays, or by going to the CAPS office of the second floor of the Purdue University Student Health Center (PUSH) during business hours.


Incompletes[edit]

A grade of incomplete (I) will be given only in unusual circumstances. The request must describe the circumstances, along with a proposed timeline for completing the course work. Submitting a request does not ensure that an incomplete grade will be granted. If granted, you will be required to fill out and sign an “Incomplete Contract” form that will be turned in with the course grades. Any requests made after the course is completed will not be considered for an incomplete grade.


Additional Policies[edit]

Links to additional Purdue policies are on our Brightspace page. If you have questions about policies please get in touch.