6 ECTS credits
180 u studietijd

Aanbieding 1 met studiegidsnummer 1021444CER voor alle studenten in het 2e semester met een gespecialiseerd bachelor niveau.

Semester
2e semester
Inschrijving onder examencontract
Mogelijk
Beoordelingsvoet
Beoordeling (0 tot 20)
2e zittijd mogelijk
Ja
Inschrijvingsvereisten
Students who want to enroll for this course, must have passed ‘Introduction to SPC Methodology’ and must have obtained at least 30 ECTS-credits on bachelor level
Onderwijstaal
Engels
Onder samenwerkingsakkoord
Onder interuniversitair akkoord mbt. opleiding
Faculteit
Faculteit Sociale Wetensch & SolvayBusinessSchool
Verantwoordelijke vakgroep
Communicatiewetenschappen
Externe partnerinstelling(en)
Universiteit Gent
Onderwijsteam
Ralf DE WOLF
Jeroen Stragier
Maria Vanden Abeele (titularis)
Onderdelen en contacturen
0 contacturen Exam
45 contacturen Lecture
135 contacturen Self study
Inhoud

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:

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

  1. Book: Salganik, Matthew J. 2017. Bit by Bit: Social Research in the Digital Age. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
  2. Ackland, R. (2013). Web social science: Concepts, data and tools for social scientists in the digital age. London: Sage.
  3. Kitchin, R. (2014). The data revolution: Big data, open data, data infrastructures and their consequences. London: Sage.
  4. Rogers, R. (2013). Digital methods. Cambridge, MA: MIT press.
Leerresultaten

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.

Beoordelingsinformatie

De beoordeling bestaat uit volgende opdrachtcategorieën:
Examen Schriftelijk bepaalt 100% van het eindcijfer

Binnen de categorie Examen Schriftelijk dient men volgende opdrachten af te werken:

  • Written Exam met een wegingsfactor 75 en aldus 75% van het totale eindcijfer.
  • Written Assignment met een wegingsfactor 25 en aldus 25% van het totale eindcijfer.

Aanvullende info mbt evaluatie

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.
  • Part 2 (25%). A written assignment.

Due to COVID19 and the measures to prevent further dissemination, modified evaluation forms can be rolled out if deemed necessary. Deviations will be communicated via Ufora.

Toegestane onvoldoende
Kijk in het aanvullend OER van je faculteit na of een toegestane onvoldoende mogelijk is voor dit opleidingsonderdeel.

Academische context

Deze aanbieding maakt deel uit van de volgende studieplannen:
Bachelor of Social Sciences: Communication Studies (enkel aangeboden in het Engels)
Bachelor of Social Sciences: Political Sciences (enkel aangeboden in het Engels)
Bachelor of Social Sciences: Sociology (enkel aangeboden in het Engels)