6 ECTS credits
180 h study time

Offer 1 with catalog number 1021444CER for all students in the 2nd semester at a (C) Bachelor - specialised level.

Semester
2nd semester
Enrollment based on exam contract
Possible
Grading method
Grading (scale from 0 to 20)
Can retake in second session
Yes
Enrollment Requirements
Students must have taken ‘Introduction to SPC Methodology’, before they can enroll in this course.
Taught in
English
Partnership Agreement
Under interuniversity agreement for degree program
Faculty
Faculty of Social Sciences & SolvayBusinessSchool
Department
Communication Sciences
External partners
Universiteit Gent
Educational team
Ralf DE WOLF
Maria Vanden Abeele (course titular)
Activities and contact hours
45 contact hours Lecture
135 contact hours Independent or External Form of Study
Course Content

The processes of datafication that characterize our contemporary information society have led to an exponential growth in digital data. This provides challenges and opportunities for studying media and communication. In this course, we consider digital methods as those methodologies and methods that allow us to gain an understanding of the social world -both online and offline- by making use of data created by our interactions with digital technologies.

The central aim of this course is to provide:

  • a theoretical, conceptual and critical understanding of digital data and the knowledge they can generate,
  • an understanding of how and when to apply methods and techniques related to digital data in a social scientific context,
  • a select number of tools and skills to collect, analyze and visualize digital data.
Additional info

Course material
A list of reading materials accessible via the university library - these will be made available on the electronic platform Ufora.
PowerPoint-slides, notes, and documentation for practical exercises. All material will be offered online through the digital learning platform Ufora.

Additional info
The course covers the following topics:

Part 1:

  • Introduction to Digital Methods
  • Social research in the digital age
    • Big data & ethics
    • Observing online behavior vs. Observing behavior online

Part 2:
Introduction to quantitative digital methods for data collection and data analysis.
Typical examples are APIs and scraping; digital trace data & log data analysis; social network analysis, automated text analysis; predictive modeling: regression and classification.

Part 3:
Introduction to qualitative digital methods for data collection and data analysis.
Typical examples are the walk-through method; digital ethnography; scrolling back; mobile instant messaging interviews.

Teaching methods
This course combines different teaching methods: Lectures, practicals, self-study and online discussion.
Support through Ufora (slides, lectures schemes, additional documentation, links, FAQ, email).

References

  • Book: Salganik, Matthew J. 2017. Bit by Bit: Social Research in the Digital Age. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
  • The book of R - https://web.itu.edu.tr/~tokerem/The_Book_of_R.pdf
  • Van Atteveldt, W., Trilling, D., & Calderón, C. A. (2022). Computational Analysis of Communication. John Wiley & Sons. https://cssbook.net
Learning Outcomes

General competences

After successful completion of this course:

  • students can name, describe, explain, and evaluate important developments in the field of digital methods and internet research.
  • students are able to (describe how and when to) apply digital methods and techniques in communication scientific research.
  • students are able to recognize and reflect critically on ethical and political aspects concerning the usage and the implications of digital methods.

Grading

The final grade is composed based on the following categories:
Written Exam determines 100% of the final mark.

Within the Written Exam category, the following assignments need to be completed:

  • Written Exam with a relative weight of 75 which comprises 75% of the final mark.
  • Written Assignment with a relative weight of 25 which comprises 25% of the final mark.

Additional info regarding evaluation

The end-of-term evaluation consists of two parts.

  • Part 1 (75%). A written exam consisting of multiple questions that assess whether students have acquired knowledge, understanding, skills and critical reflection in relation to digital methods.The multiple-choice exam will be graded by positive scoring using a ‘Higher Pass Mark’ (standard setting). So no points will be deducted for a wrong answer
  • Part 2 (25%). A written assignment.
Allowed unsatisfactory mark
The supplementary Teaching and Examination Regulations of your faculty stipulate whether an allowed unsatisfactory mark for this programme unit is permitted.

Academic context

This offer is part of the following study plans:
Bachelor of Social Sciences: Communication Studies
Bachelor of Social Sciences: Political Sciences
Bachelor of Social Sciences: Sociology