# Class Notes

This page presents the detailed agenda for each class session, and lecture notes used in some of the class sessions. The notes are provided in two formats: full-page slides, and slides with instructor's notes.

SES # | TOPICS AND AGENDAS | LECTURE SLIDES & NOTES
--- | --- | ---
Finding and telling stories with data
1 | Introduction Fill out the application for enrollment |
2 | Course overview & asking questions Course overview Crit practice What is climate change data? Do a data sculpture Review homework WTFcsv question brainstorming activity | Lecture 1 slides (PDF - 1.3MB) Lecture 1 notes (PDF)
3 | Course overview & asking questions (contd.) |
4 | Getting and cleaning data Review data logs, data storage and cleanliness Grad students present open data papers How the web works Defining the tools space, tool demos Homework review and prep | Lecture 2 slides (PDF - 1.3MB) Lecture 2 notes (PDF)
5 | Analyzing data Basic statistics Grad reading presentation Tool demonstrations WordCounter story-finding activity A taxonomy of story types Homework prep | Lecture 3 slides (PDF - 2.1MB) Lecture 3 notes (PDF - 1.1MB)
6 | Telling a data-driven story Critique practice Grad reading presentation Talk about readings A taxonomy of techniques Remix activity Homework prep | Lecture 4 slides (PDF - 2.2MB) Lecture 4 notes (PDF - 1.3MB)
Sketch 1: Charts and creative charts
7 | Overview Inspirational examples Viz Zoo activity Tool demos Project datasets Group forming | Lecture 5 slides (PDF - 1.5MB) Lecture 5 notes (PDF)
8 | Studio (in-class work time) Grad reading presentation Reading review Open work time for your group Each group has a 5–10 minute check-in with Rahul for questions and advice |
9 | Presentations and discussion Present sketches for critique Assign next grad reading presentations |
Sketch 2: Data sculptures
10 | Overview Readings review Inspirational examples Physical visualization review activity Tools and techniques, datasets Group forming | Lecture 6 slides (PDF - 1.2MB) Lecture 6 notes (PDF)
11 | Studio (in-class work time) Open work time for your group Each group has a 5–10 minute check-in with Rahul for questions and advice |
12 | Presentations and discussion Present sketches for critique |
Sketch 3: Personal stories
13 | Overview Storytelling pair & share Readings review Examples, tools & techniques, datasets Group forming Word-web activity (supplies: big papers and markers) | Lecture 7 slides (PDF) Lecture 7 notes (PDF)
14 | Studio (in-class work time) Open work time for your group Each group has a 5–10 minute check-in with Rahul for questions and advice |
| Optional: evening round-table with Emerson College and Northeastern University students Share with undergraduate and graduate students taking a very similar course in a journalism school. See and react to their projects, and share your own projects for feedback or collaborative brainstorming on how it might turn into a final project for this course. |
15 | Presentations and discussion Present sketches for critique Assign next grad reading presentations |
Sketch 4: Participatory data games
16 | Overview Inspirational examples Readings, tools, datasets Team-forming | Lecture 8 slides (PDF) Lecture 8 notes (PDF)
17 | Studio (in-class work time) Open work time for your group Each group has a 5–10 minute check-in with Rahul for questions and advice |
18 | Presentations and discussion Present sketches for critique Pick who will do Tableau and who will do CartoDB tutorials |
Sketch 5: Maps and creative maps
19 | Overview Fundamental concepts Sharing activity Inspirational examples Tools, datasets and team-forming | Lecture 9 slides (PDF - 1.9MB) Lecture 9 notes (PDF)
20 | Studio (in-class work time) Open work time for your group Each group has a 5–10 minute check-in with Rahul for questions and advice |
21 | Presentations and discussion Present sketches for critique |
Final project studio
22 | Group forming Group work time Review homework |
23 | Mentor feedback and studio (in-class work time) Short intro to assessing impact (logic models, pre/post interview, interviews) Work in your final project groups |
24 | Studio (in-class work time) Review the final project requirements Work in your final project groups, consult with Rahul |
25 | Final project presentations and discussion Each group has 10 minutes to present their final project and discuss it Fill in the course evaluation |