1. Intro to Visualizing Data
Much of this course focuses on the basics of mathematical statistics. This is understandable, considering that we are interested in answering empirical questions about the social world in a rigorous way. However, empirical social science is not just about answering questions like, "what are the odds that the thing we observed occurred by chance?" Rather, social scientists are also concerned with being able to communicate information when making certain claims. One important way of doing so is through the use of visualizations and graphical techniques that conveys the claims we wish to make in a clear and intuitive manner.
While it remains a normative goal of social science to accurately and honestly convey information through the use of visualizations, we must also be wary of its potential abuses. Although charts are graphs can be seductive and persuasive, they can also be deceptive if we are not careful. In addition to covering what goes into a good visualization, this module also goes over examples in which data and data visualizations can be misleading.
This module covers the fundamentals of creating charts and graphical visualizations of data. The videos contained in this module are not intended to be a comprehensive overview of data visualization. Nevertheless, we will not shy away from the basics that go into the charts and graphs you see in both top-flight social science research and everyday life, and the potential abuses to look out for.
As usual, we encourage you to complete the practice quizzes and to consult the external resources on this topic at the end of this module in order to strengthen your understanding of this module's content.
Module Learning Outcomes
After completing this module, you should be able to...
1. Understand the basics of creating data visualizations
2. Have a firm grasp of the specific features that ought to be included when creating graphs and charts
3. What to look for when considering data and its representation through graphical visualizations