Quantitative Methods for Communication (Spring 2022): Difference between revisions

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== Week 1: Introductions and the network perspective ==
== Week 1: Variables, Research Questions, and Hypotheses ==


August 24
==== January 11 ====


'''Assignment Due:'''  
'''Assignment Due:'''  
Line 198: Line 198:
'''Concepts:'''
'''Concepts:'''
* Class overview and expectations — We'll walk through this syllabus.
* Class overview and expectations — We'll walk through this syllabus.
* What are social networks?
* Goals of Quantitative Research
* Why study networks?




August 26
==== January 13 ====


'''Assignment Due:'''  
'''Assignment Due:'''  
Line 211: Line 210:


'''Class Schedule:'''
'''Class Schedule:'''
* Network simulation activity (bring a computer)
* Start work on [[/Homework 1|Homework 1]]


== Week 2: Network representations  ==


August 31
==== January 14 ====


'''Assignment Due (on Monday):'''  
'''Lab 1'''
* Install R and RStudio on your computer. [https://techvidvan.com/tutorials/install-r/ This tutorial] should help you to succeed.
* [[Communication and Social Networks (Fall 2021)/Homework 1|Homework 1]]
* [[#Discussion Questions|Discussion questions]] (Due Monday at noon!)


'''Lecture Video (before class):'''
== Week 2: Surveys ==
* [https://purdue.brightspace.com/d2l/le/content/335123/viewContent/6819548/View Network Data and Network Types Lecture] [19:18]
 
==== January 18 ====
 
'''Assignment Due:'''
 
 
'''Readings (before class):'''  
 
 
'''Concepts:'''
 
 
====January 20====


'''Readings (before class):'''  
'''Readings (before class):'''  
* James M. Cook, [http://www.umasocialmedia.com/socialnetworks/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/WhatIsASocialNetwork.pdf What is a Social Network?]
* James M. Cook, [http://www.umasocialmedia.com/socialnetworks/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/IndividualsVersusNetworks.pdf Individuals versus Networks]
* (Optional/skim) Freeman, L. C. (2000). [https://www.cmu.edu/joss/content/articles/volume1/Freeman.html Visualizing social networks]. Journal of social structure, 1(1), 4.




'''Concepts:'''
'''Concepts:'''
* Complex systems and networks
 
* Individual and collective behavior
====January 21====




September 2
== Week 3: Descriptive Statistics ==


'''Class Schedule:'''
* Go through [https://ncase.me/polygons/ Parable of the Polygons] by Nicky Case
* Start work on [[/R Lab 1|R Lab 1]]


== Week 3: How are communication networks formed? ==
====January 25====
 
'''Readings (before class):'''




September 7
'''Concepts:'''


'''Assignment Due (on Monday):'''
====January 27====
* [[/R Lab 1|R Lab 1]]
** [https://purdue.brightspace.com/d2l/le/content/335123/viewContent/7337413/View Video explanation]
* [[#Discussion_Questions|Discussion Questions]]


'''Lecture Video:'''
* [https://purdue.brightspace.com/d2l/le/content/335123/viewContent/6819550/View Edge Creation] [12:43] [[https://jeremydfoote.com/Communication-and-Social-Networks/week_3/lecture/tie_formation.html Slides]]


'''Readings:'''  
'''Readings (before class):'''  
* Monge, P. R., & Contractor, N. S. (2003). [https://purdue.brightspace.com/d2l/le/content/208700/viewContent/5245859/View Theories of communication networks]. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. (pp. 298--314) - On Brightspace under Content > Readings
* Feld, S. L. (1981). [https://www.jstor.org/stable/2778746 The focused organization of social ties]. American Journal of Sociology, 86(5), 1015–1035.
* McPherson, M., Smith-Lovin, L., & Cook, J. M. (2001). [https://www-jstor-org.ezproxy.lib.purdue.edu/stable/2678628 Birds of a Feather: Homophily in Social Networks]. Annual Review of Sociology, 27, 415–444.


''Note:'' This week involves reading two academic articles. [[#Reading_Academic_Articles|Read this]] to understand my expectations and some tips for reading and understanding these articles.


'''Concepts:'''
'''Concepts:'''
* Exposure, formation, maintenance, decay
* Homophily
* Reciprocity
* Triadic closure


* [https://jeremydfoote.com/Communication-and-Social-Networks/week_3/lecture/week_3.html Class Slides]
====January 28====


'''Lab 3'''


September 9


== Week 4: Z-scores and correlation ==


'''Supplementary R lectures (watch before class):'''
====February 1====
* [https://purdue.brightspace.com/d2l/le/content/335123/viewContent/6819552/View Why R + Programming principles lecture] [12:53]
* [https://purdue.brightspace.com/d2l/le/content/335123/viewContent/6819553/View ggraph explanation video] [12:14]
** [https://jeremydfoote.com/Communication-and-Social-Networks/week_6/ggraph_walkthrough.html webpage for ggraph explanation video]


'''Class Schedule:'''
'''Readings (before class):'''  
* [https://github.com/jdfoote/Communication-and-Social-Networks/raw/fall-2021/week_4/creating_networks.Rmd R Lab 2]
 
 
'''Concepts:'''
 
====February 3====
 
 
'''Readings (before class):'''


== Week 4: Small group networks ==


September 14
'''Concepts:'''


'''Assignment Due:'''
====February 4====
* [[#Discussion Questions|Discussion questions]]
* [https://github.com/jdfoote/Communication-and-Social-Networks/raw/fall-2021/week_4/creating_networks.Rmd R Lab 2] (right-click, save to your computer, and open in RStudio)
** [https://purdue.brightspace.com/d2l/le/content/335123/viewContent/6819549/View Homework explanation video]


'''Lecture video:'''
'''Lab 4'''
* [https://purdue.brightspace.com/d2l/le/content/335123/viewContent/7373077/View Networks in small groups] [14:43] [[https://jeremydfoote.com/Communication-and-Social-Networks/week_4/lecture/small_groups.html Slides]]


== Week 5: Reliability and Validity ==


'''Readings:'''  
====February 8====
* 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.
 
* Katz, N., Lazer, D., Arrow, H., & Contractor, N. (2004). [https://libkey.io/libraries/228/articles/5387888/full-text-file?utm_source=api_559 Network theory and small groups]. Small Group Research, 35(3), 307–332.
'''Readings (before class):'''  




'''Concepts:'''
'''Concepts:'''
* Informal networks
* Networks and group outcomes


== Week 5: Ego networks and network perception ==
====February 10====


September 21


'''Assignment Due:'''  
'''Readings (before class):'''  
* [[#Discussion Questions|Discussion questions]]
 
* Turn in your [[Self Assessment Reflection]] on Brightspace
 
'''Concepts:'''
 
====February 11====
 
'''Lab 5: Scatterplots and correlation'''




'''Lecture:'''
== Week 6: Sampling ==
* [https://purdue.brightspace.com/d2l/le/content/335123/viewContent/6819551/View Ego networks and network perceptions lecture] [17:14] [[https://jeremydfoote.com/Communication-and-Social-Networks/week_5/lecture/ego_nets.html Slides]]


'''Readings:'''
====February 15====
* 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])
* Marsden, P. V. (1987). [https://www-jstor-org.ezproxy.lib.purdue.edu/stable/2095397 Core Discussion Networks of Americans]. American Sociological Review, 52(1), 122–131.
* [https://hbr.org/2016/05/research-you-have-fewer-friends-than-you-think Research: You Have Fewer Friends than You Think]. (2016, May 12). Harvard Business Review.
* Smith, E. B., Menon, T., & Thompson, L. (2012). [https://pubsonline-informs-org.ezproxy.lib.purdue.edu/doi/full/10.1287/orsc.1100.0643 Status Differences in the Cognitive Activation of Social Networks]. Organization Science, 23(1), 67–82.


'''Readings (before class):'''


September 23


'''Class Schedule:'''
'''Concepts:'''
* [https://github.com/jdfoote/Communication-and-Social-Networks/raw/fall-2021/week_6/power_visualization.Rmd R Lab 3]


== Week 6: Power, centrality, and hierarchy ==


Due to Dr. Foote's illness, Sept. 28 discussion moved to Sept. 30
====February 17====


September 28
'''Review for Midterm'''


'''Assignment Due:'''
* [https://github.com/jdfoote/Communication-and-Social-Networks/raw/fall-2021/week_6/power_visualization.Rmd R Lab 3] (Right-click, save, open in RStudio, and knit)
** [https://jeremydfoote.com/Communication-and-Social-Networks/week_6/ggraph_walkthrough.html Introduction to tidygraph and ggraph]. Now that you've been at it for a while review this walkthrough that I wrote to help you to figure out how all of the different pieces work in tidygraph and ggraph.
* [[#Discussion Questions|Discussion questions]]


'''Video lecture:'''
====February 18====
* [https://purdue.brightspace.com/d2l/le/content/335123/viewContent/7413870/View Centrality measures] [18:44] [[https://jeremydfoote.com/Communication-and-Social-Networks/week_6/lecture/centrality.html Slides]]


'''Readings:'''  
'''Lab 6: Reliability and Cronbach's alpha'''
* 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]
* Healy, K. (2013). [https://kieranhealy.org/blog/archives/2013/06/09/using-metadata-to-find-paul-revere/ Using Metadata to find Paul Revere].
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0unzqsPaPk8 Centrality measures]. Matthew Jackson. From [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCnG8fKY45aH73ahmGK2xcg Social and Economic Networks course]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q8oBWwS2wAQ Centrality Eigenvector Measures]. Matthew Jackson
* (Optional) Holliday, Audrey, Campbell, & Moore, (2016). [https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4898141/ Identifying well-connected opinion leaders for informal health promotion]


'''Class Schedule:'''


== Week 7: Experimental Design ==


September 30


'''Class Schedule:'''
====February 22====


== Week 7: Social Capital, structural holes, and weak ties ==
'''MIDTERM EXAM'''




October 5
====February 24====


'''Assignment Due:'''  
'''Readings (before class):'''  
* [[#Discussion Questions|Discussion questions]]


'''Lecture Video:'''
* [https://purdue.brightspace.com/d2l/le/content/335123/viewContent/6819554/View Capital and Social Capital] [16:02] [[https://jeremydfoote.com/Communication-and-Social-Networks/week_7/lecture/social_capital.html Slides]]


'''Readings:'''  
'''Concepts:'''
* Granovetter, M. S. (1973). [https://www-jstor-org.ezproxy.lib.purdue.edu/stable/2776392?sid=primo&seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents The Strength of Weak Ties]. American Journal of Sociology, 78(6), 1360–1380. https://doi.org/10.1086/225469
* Kadushin, C. (2012).  [https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/purdue/reader.action?docID=829477&ppg=175 Networks as Social Capital], in Kadushin, C. (2012). Understanding Social Networks. Theories, Concepts and Findings. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
* Putnam, R.D. (1995). [https://muse.jhu.edu/article/16643 Bowling Alone: America's Declining Social Capital]. Journal of Democracy 6(1), 65-78.
* (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.
* (Optional) 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.
* (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:'''
====February 25====
* R Review
** Go through the [https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jdfoote/Communication-and-Social-Networks/fall-2021/resources/tidygraph_tutorial.Rmd Tidygraph Tutorial] in groups


== Week 8: Small worlds  ==
'''Lab 7: Review for SPSS Quiz 1'''


October 12
== Week 8: Causality  ==


OCTOBER BREAK - NO CLASS
==== March 1 ====


October 14
'''Readings (before class):'''


'''Assignment Due:'''
* [[#Discussion Questions|Discussion questions]] - Just one question this week


'''Lecture Video:'''
'''Concepts:'''
* [https://purdue.brightspace.com/d2l/le/content/335123/viewContent/6819555/View Small worlds video] [18:45] [[https://jeremydfoote.com/Communication-and-Social-Networks/week_8/lecture/small_worlds.html Slides]]


'''Readings:'''
====March 3====
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcxZSmzPw8k The Science of Six Degrees of Separation][video][9:22]
* Travers, J. and Milgram, S. (1969). [https://www-jstor-org.ezproxy.lib.purdue.edu/stable/2786545  An experimental study of the small world problem]. ''Sociometry'', 32(4):425-443
* (Optional but short) Dodds, P. S., Muhamad, R., & Watts, D. J. (2003). [https://science-sciencemag-org.ezproxy.lib.purdue.edu/content/301/5634/827 An Experimental Study of Search in Global Social Networks]. ''Science'', 301(5634), 827.


'''Readings (before class):'''


'''Class Schedule:'''


== Week 9: Scale-free networks and the friendship paradox ==
'''Concepts:'''


October 19
====March 4====


'''Assignment Due:'''  
'''Lab 8: SPSS Quiz 1'''
* [[/Social Search Assignment|Social Search Assignment]]
* [[#Discussion Questions|Discussion questions]]


'''Lecture Video:'''
* [https://purdue.brightspace.com/d2l/le/content/335123/viewContent/7524997/View Scale-free networks and the Friendship Paradox][18:21] [[https://jeremydfoote.com/Communication-and-Social-Networks/week_9/lecture/scale_free_and_friend_paradox.html Slides]]


'''Readings:'''
== Week 9: Central Limit Theorem and standard errors ==
* Feld, Scott L. (1991), [https://www-jstor-org.ezproxy.lib.purdue.edu/stable/2781907 Why your friends have more friends than you do]. American Journal of Sociology, 96 (6): 1464–1477. https://doi.org/10.1086%2F229693
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tP2MLp7GL7Q Early Detection of an Outbreak using the Friendship Paradox]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c867FlzxZ9Y Networks are everywhere with Albert-László Barabási]


(Optional)
====March 8====
* Christakis, N. A., & Fowler, J. H. (2010). Social Network Sensors for Early Detection of Contagious Outbreaks. PLOS ONE, 5(9), e12948. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0012948


October 21
'''Readings (before class):'''


'''Class Schedule:'''
* [[/Six Degrees of Wikipedia Activity|Six Degrees of Wikipedia Activity]]


'''Concepts:'''


== Week 10: Social influence and diffusion ==
====March 10====


October 26
'''Readings (before class):'''


'''Weekly lecture:'''
* [https://purdue.brightspace.com/d2l/le/content/335123/viewContent/7547996/View Social Influence and Contagion][22:12] [[https://jeremydfoote.com/Communication-and-Social-Networks/week_10/lecture/influence_and_diffusion.html Slides]]


'''Assignment Due:'''  
'''Concepts:'''
* Turn in your [[Self Assessment Reflection]] on Brightspace
* [[Communication and Social Networks (Fall 2021)/Dutch School Data Visualization challenge|Dutch School Data Visualization
Challenge]]
* [[#Discussion Questions|Discussion questions]]


'''Readings:'''
====March 11====
* Chapter 4, "[https://web.archive.org/web/20191019100528/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://youtu.be/D9XF0QOzWM0 Duncan Watts on Common Sense]
* [Optional] Centola, D., & Macy, M. (2007). [https://www-journals-uchicago-edu.ezproxy.lib.purdue.edu/doi/full/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). [https://onlinelibrary-wiley-com.ezproxy.lib.purdue.edu/doi/full/10.1002/sim.5408 Social contagion theory: Examining dynamic social networks and human behavior]. Statistics in Medicine, 32, 556–577.


'''Lab 9'''


October 28
====SPRING BREAK MARCH 14-18====
* Troubled Lands


== Week 10: Testing hypotheses ==


== Week 11: Communities and Core-periphery ==
====March 22====


November 2
'''Readings (before class):'''


'''Assignment Due:'''
* [[#Discussion Questions|One discussion question]]
* Submit two exam questions on Brightspace
* [https://github.com/jdfoote/Communication-and-Social-Networks/raw/fall-2021/week_11/groups_in_networks.Rmd Finding and visualizing groups in networks] (Right-click, save, and open in RStudio).


'''Video Lecture:'''
'''Concepts:'''
* [https://purdue.brightspace.com/d2l/le/content/335123/viewContent/7556414/View Communities and Core-periphery] [23:15] [[https://jeremydfoote.com/Communication-and-Social-Networks/week_11/lecture/communities_in_networks.html Slides]]


'''Readings:'''
* Girvan, M., & Newman, M. E. (2002). [https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/99/12/7821.full.pdf Community structure in social and biological networks]. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
* Barberá, P., Wang, N., Bonneau, R., Jost, J. T., Nagler, J., Tucker, J., & González-Bailón, S. (2015). [https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0143611 The critical periphery in the growth of social protests]. PLoS ONE.
* (Optional) Hanneman, R. A., & Riddle, M. (2005). [http://faculty.ucr.edu/~hanneman/nettext/C11_Cliques.html Cliques and sub-groups]. In Introduction to social network methods. University of California.


'''Class Schedule:'''
====March 24====


== Week 12: Technology and networks ==
'''Readings (before class):'''


November 9


'''Concepts:'''


'''Assignment Due:'''
* [[#Discussion Questions|Discussion questions]]


'''Lecture Video:'''
====March 25====
* [https://purdue.brightspace.com/d2l/le/content/335123/viewContent/7947991/View Technology and networks] [19:38]


'''Readings:'''
* Pariser, E. [https://www.ted.com/talks/eli_pariser_beware_online_filter_bubbles Beware Online Filter Bubbles TED talk]
* Fletcher, R. [https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/risj-review/truth-behind-filter-bubbles-bursting-some-myths The truth behind filter bubbles: Bursting some myths].
* Bail, C. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwRm_ssTarE Should we break our echo chambers?]
* Cohen, M. [https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/finding-love-the-scientific-take/202012/context-collapse Context Collapse]


(Optional)
== Week 11: Significance tests ==
* Kleinberg, J. (2012). [https://link-springer-com.ezproxy.lib.purdue.edu/chapter/10.1007%2F978-3-642-29952-0_8 The Convergence of Social and Technological Networks]. In M. Agrawal, S. B. Cooper, & A. Li (Eds.), Theory and Applications of Models of Computation.
* Chris Bail, et al. (2018). [https://www.pnas.org/content/115/37/9216 Exposure to opposing views on social media can increase political polarization]. PNAS.


====March 29====


November 11
'''Readings (before class):'''


* How does the Internet work?


== Week 13: Collective behavior ==
'''Concepts:'''


November 16
====March 31====


'''Assignment Due:'''
'''Readings (before class):'''  
* [[#Discussion Questions|One discussion question]]
* Keep working on the [[Communication_and_Social_Networks_(Spring_2020)/Final_project | final project]]


'''Readings:'''
* 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://youtu.be/sdI-b5mfjH4 Video discussion with Dr. Becker] (watch after reading paper)
* Do [http://ncase.me/crowds/ The Wisdom or Madness of Crowds Simulation]


November 18
'''Concepts:'''


* Take-home exam is due
==== April 1 ====


== Week 14: Networks and collaboration ==


November 23
== Week 12: t-tests ==


Asynchronous class - Happy Thanksgiving!
====April 5====


'''Assignment Due:'''  
'''Readings (before class):'''  
* 1 Discussion Question




'''Lecture video:'''
'''Concepts:'''
* [https://purdue.brightspace.com/d2l/le/content/335123/viewContent/8035051/View Networks and Collaboration][17:19]


'''Readings:'''
====April 7====
* 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://www-jstor-org.ezproxy.lib.purdue.edu/stable/1562247 Coase’s Penguin, or, Linux and "The Nature of the Firm."] The Yale Law Journal, 112(3), 369.


== Week 15: Networked racism ==
'''Readings (before class):'''


November 30


'''Assignment Due:'''  
'''Concepts:'''
* Rough draft of [[/Final project|Final Project]] on Brightspace and sent to your "peers"


====April 8====


'''Readings:'''
* Fernandez, R. M., & Fernandez-Mateo, I. (2006). [https://journals-sagepub-com.ezproxy.lib.purdue.edu/doi/pdf/10.1177/000312240607100103 Networks, Race, and Hiring]. American Sociological Review, 71(1), 42–71. '''Read the introduction (pp. 42–47) and the Summary and Conclusion (pp. 65–67)'''
* Sunstein, C. R. (1991). Why markets don’t stop discrimination. Social Philosophy and Policy, 8(02), 22–37. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0265052500001114




December 2
== Week 13: Errors and Ethics ==


No class - work on Final Project
====April 12====


== Week 16: Network Visualization Principles ==
'''Readings (before class):'''


December 7


'''Assignment Due:'''
'''Concepts:'''
* Peer feedback on final project


'''Class Schedule:'''
====April 14====
* Review principles of good network visualizations
** Put examples at https://padlet.com/jdfoote1/networks (I will explain in class)
* Work on final projects


'''Readings (before class):'''


December 9


No class - work on Final Project
'''Concepts:'''


== Week 16.5: Finals week  ==


====April 15====


'''Assignment Due:'''
* [[Communication and Social Networks (Fall 2021)/Final project|Final Project]] - Due Wednesday, December 15
* Turn in your [[Final self reflection]] on Brightspace




<!-- Bikerack
== Week 14-15: Final Project ==


* Skim [https://kateto.net/network-visualization Static and dynamic network visualization with R] by Katya Ognyanova
== Week 16: Final Exam ==
* Show family networks
* Introduction to RStudio
** R files - Download [https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jdfoote/Communication-and-Social-Networks/master/activities/r_example.R example file here].
** R Notebook files - Download [https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jdfoote/Communication-and-Social-Networks/master/activities/r_markdown_example.Rmd example file here].
* 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!
* Troubled Lands Activity
* 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/fall-2021/activities/network_visualization_examples_and_assignment.Rmd THIS LINK], save it, and open it in RStudio.
* [https://github.com/jdfoote/Communication-and-Social-Networks/raw/fall-2021/week_10/lecture/ 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).
* [https://youtu.be/d3C2r7gPfBU Great video about homophily in networks]
* [https://youtu.be/MzA12DkQGBw Answering questions about R]
* [https://github.com/jdfoote/Communication-and-Social-Networks/raw/fall-2021/activities/school_data_example.Rmd Example with code for the Dutch School assignment]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prCmVEUTxQE Video explaining my example]
* [https://youtu.be/mOtVC0N-ItA Networks in Organizations lecture]
-->


= Policies =
= Policies =

Revision as of 23:04, 29 December 2021

Course Information

COM 304: Quantitative Methods for Communication Research

Lecture

Location: LWSN 1142
Class Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays; 9:30-10:20 AM

Recitations

Location: BRNG B286
Section 002: 1:30-2:20 PM F, with Yihan Jia
Section 003: 12:30-1:20 PM F, with Grace Lee
Section 006: 11:30-12:20 PM F, with Grace Lee
Section 007: 2:30-3:20 PM F, with Yihan Jia

Instructors

Professor: Jeremy Foote
Email: jdfoote@purdue.edu
Office Hours: Thursdays; 2:00–4:00pm and by appointment
Graduate TA: Grace Lee
Email: lee3416@purdue.edu
Graduate TA: Yihan Jia
Email: jia110@purdue.edu

Course Overview and Learning Objectives

Welcome to COM 304: Quantitative Methods for Communication! We are excited to have you in the class. Nearly all communication jobs involve quantitative research in some way; in this course, we will provide you a foundation for doing quantitative communication research.

I know that for many Communication majors even thinking of math and statistics is traumatic, but we will work hard to provide the resources that you need to succeed and we will take things one step at a time. You can do this!

Course Description and Objectives: This course introduces students to a range of social-scientific research methods used to investigate human communication. By the end of this course, you will be able to:

  1. Explain the types of research questions, methods, and analyses used by scholars who conduct social-scientific studies of communication, as well as by practitioners in fields such as marketing and consumer research, political polling, etc.;
  2. Critically evaluate quantitative research reports, including those you may read in other courses at Purdue as well as those described in the popular media, appearing in business reports, grant applications, and so forth;
  3. Design and conduct basic research studies about communication-related topics.

The course is organized into three components which are addressed simultaneously throughout the semester: (1) Research Design, (2) Statistics, and (3) Statistical Software.

The Research Design component focuses on the process of planning research, considering the range of choices researchers must make in order to conduct useful studies. This component will not only help you conduct research, it will make you a more critical research consumer.

The Statistics component is concerned with analyses by which numerical data can be synthesized, described, and interpreted. This component provides a strong conceptual introduction to statistics—with a limited amount of math—and will help you to be confident in analyzing basic numerical data for almost any purpose.

The Software component is closely allied with the Statistics component. This component focuses on basic applications of the Statistics Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS)—a powerful, but user-friendly computer program—and will give you an immediately marketable skill (something to put on the resume). This course should be of use to students with a number of goals, including those: (a) who are contemplating graduate study in communication or related fields; (b) whose current or future career may require them to answer questions by collecting and analyzing data (e.g., advertising, human relations, marketing, public relations); and (c) who want to develop their skills at critically evaluating research and knowledge claims made by “experts” on communication issues.


Required resources and texts

Readings

  • Required texts:
  • Salkind, N. J. (2017). Statistics for people who (think they) hate statistics

(6th ed.). Los Angeles, CA: Sage.

    • Note: I believe that you should be fine with one edition newer or older than this one, too

You also will be assigned readings from online resources; these readings are listed on the course schedule of this syllabus (below) and links are provided in each lecture’s folder on the course Brightspace site. Readings from the text and online resources will be covered in the midterm and final exams.

Technology

Smart phone or laptop to complete in-class Hotseat participation questions.


Course logistics

Note About This Syllabus

Although the core expectations for this class are fixed, this is my first time teaching the course and I may make some adjustments to the details of readings and assignments. 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 you plan to read more than one week ahead, contact me first.
  2. 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 Brightspace that should be emailed to everybody in the class if you have notifications turned on.
  3. I will ask the class for voluntary anonymous feedback. Please let me know what is working and what can be improved.

Class Sessions

There are two types of class sessions: lecture sessions and lab sessions.

The lectures sections will be led by Dr. Foote and will be Tuesdays and Thursdays in Lawson 1142. The lab sessions will be on Fridays and will be led by Grace and Yihan, the TAs of the course.

I expect you to come to the lecture sessions prepared, having read the material. It is fine to have questions--indeed, one of the goals of these sessions is to identify things that are confusing and to clear up misconceptions.


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 on Thursdays, from 2-4 (sign up here).

I will also check Discord at least once a day. 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.


Assignments

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

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.

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.


Discussion Questions

In order to make sure that we are prepared to have a productive discussion, you are required to submit one or two discussion questions that you think would be interesting to discuss on Monday by noon. Post your questions on the shared Google Doc at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AK4MhWLVwDuxqvTwLomN7hu4aLpo59n5qXgEap8SBNc/edit?usp=sharing; try to group similar questions together.

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 network ties get created. I made a list of my closest friends and I realized that most of them only became friends after we happened to be in the same groups over and over again. What role does repetition have in forming ties?
  • I was confused by the reading on social capital. What's the difference between social capital and power? And if they are the same, then why not just call it "network power"?
  • Imagine you were asked to analyze the network of a big company to help them to identify people who deserve a raise. What measures would you use to identify them? What would you not use?

Some weeks will also include more practical homework (mostly data manipulation and visualization in R). On those weeks, portions of our discussions will center around going over homework questions and identifying places where folks are still confused.

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.

Exams

There will be one take home exam. It will assess your understanding of core communication and social networks concepts.

Final Project

Students will work on a Final Project that explains how network analysis and a network approach can benefit an organization.

A number of intermediate assignments through the semester will help you to gain the skills and data necessary to be successful.

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 three stages, at the end of weeks 5, 10, 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 social networks, 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 many of the homework assignments.

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 some 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

If you feel like you need to earn extra credit in order to earn the grade that you would like, the course is signed up for extra credit through the Brian Lamb School of Communication Research Participation System.

Schedule

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


Week 1: Variables, Research Questions, and Hypotheses

January 11

Assignment Due:

Required Readings:

  • None

Concepts:

  • Class overview and expectations — We'll walk through this syllabus.
  • Goals of Quantitative Research


January 13

Assignment Due:

  • Read the entire syllabus (this document)

Readings:


Class Schedule:


January 14

Lab 1

Week 2: Surveys

January 18

Assignment Due:


Readings (before class):


Concepts:


January 20

Readings (before class):


Concepts:

January 21

Week 3: Descriptive Statistics

January 25

Readings (before class):


Concepts:

January 27

Readings (before class):


Concepts:

January 28

Lab 3


Week 4: Z-scores and correlation

February 1

Readings (before class):


Concepts:

February 3

Readings (before class):


Concepts:

February 4

Lab 4

Week 5: Reliability and Validity

February 8

Readings (before class):


Concepts:

February 10

Readings (before class):


Concepts:

February 11

Lab 5: Scatterplots and correlation


Week 6: Sampling

February 15

Readings (before class):


Concepts:


February 17

Review for Midterm


February 18

Lab 6: Reliability and Cronbach's alpha


Week 7: Experimental Design

February 22

MIDTERM EXAM


February 24

Readings (before class):


Concepts:

February 25

Lab 7: Review for SPSS Quiz 1

Week 8: Causality

March 1

Readings (before class):


Concepts:

March 3

Readings (before class):


Concepts:

March 4

Lab 8: SPSS Quiz 1


Week 9: Central Limit Theorem and standard errors

March 8

Readings (before class):


Concepts:

March 10

Readings (before class):


Concepts:

March 11

Lab 9

SPRING BREAK MARCH 14-18

Week 10: Testing hypotheses

March 22

Readings (before class):


Concepts:


March 24

Readings (before class):


Concepts:


March 25

Week 11: Significance tests

March 29

Readings (before class):


Concepts:

March 31

Readings (before class):


Concepts:

April 1

Week 12: t-tests

April 5

Readings (before class):


Concepts:

April 7

Readings (before class):


Concepts:

April 8

Week 13: Errors and Ethics

April 12

Readings (before class):


Concepts:

April 14

Readings (before class):


Concepts:


April 15

Week 14-15: Final Project

Week 16: Final Exam

Policies

Attendance

I try very hard to make our meeting times valuable to you and I expect that you attend. That being said, we are in the midst of a pandemic, so if you feel sick or think that you might have COVID, please do not come to class. If you need to miss class, then it is your responsibility to seek out support from classmates for notes, handouts, and other information.

Only I 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, please inform me of the situation as far in advance as possible. For unanticipated or emergency conflicts, when advance notification is not possible, 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 on Brightspace includes a link to the Dean of Students under 'Campus Resources.'

Classroom Discussions and Peer Feedback

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

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

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

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

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


Mental Health

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

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

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