(Listed as Emerging Technologies, JOUR 4462 and 7462, Section 2)
Instructor: Chris Canipe, [email protected]
Instructor of record: Mike Jenner, [email protected], cell: (573) 808-4785
Office hours: By appointment
We’ll be exploring tools and principles that help us visualize data and tell stories online. There are a lot of ways to skin the proverbial cat, but we’re going to focus on basic JavaScript programming, everyday data formatting and visualization techniques that leverage the D3.js library. At the end of 8 weeks you’ll produce a reporting project that tells a story with data. The class will meet from 6-8 p.m. Tuesdays beginning Jan. 20 and ending March 10, 2015. Classes will meet in 247 Walter Williams. Students should bring their laptops to every class session. There is no textbook for this class; links to relevant readings will be shared with students.
- Learn how to make things for the web using HTML, CSS and JavaScript
- Learn how to utilize libraries and frameworks such as Bootstrap and D3.js
- Learn how to work with data programmatically
- Get comfortable with version control via GitHub
- Discuss and understand the principles of data visualization and interaction design
- Build projects that incorporate tools and principles discussed in class
Set up Git, introduce work environment
- Terminal basics
- What you can learn from the browser inspector
- Working with a text editor (Aptana, Sublime, etc…)
- Intoduction to JavaScript, HTML and CSS and how they work together
Working with data.
- Structured JSON.
- Iterating through data with JavaScript
- Accessing data points within an object
- Your first chart
Introduction to libraries:
- jQuery
- Bootstrap
- D3.js
Charting with D3.js
- Simple bars and fever charts
- Pitch and develop your final project
- Continue making charts with d3
- Discuss layouts and labeling in depth
- Discuss the principles of interaction design
Grading will be based on the following components:
| Three assignments | 60 percent |
| Final project | 30 percent |
| Class attendance, participation & engagement | 10 percent |
The final project for this class involves creating a functional interactive data visualization. The final project will be the subject of much discussion throughout the semester, and students should begin thinking about their projects right away. The topic will be chosen by the student but must be approved in advance by the instructors. Data will be gathered by the student. The deadline for submitting the completed final project will be 5 p.m. Friday, March 13. More information about this will be shared and discussed in class as the semester progresses.
There is no midterm or final exam for this course.
Graduate students will be given an additional assignment to earn graduate credit for this course. This is in addition to other assignments required of all students in the course. The graduate assignment will consist of identifying an advanced D3 interactive, then analyzing and explaining how it works. Students will write an annotated summary of their findings. Successfully completing the graduate assignment is a stipulation for passing the course. A grade of C or better is required, even if all other course work is completed satisfactorily. Grad students should discuss this assignment individually with Chris or Mike and obtain approval before beginning work on the assignment.
94-100% A
90-93% A-
88-89% B+
84-87% B
80-83% B-
78-79% C+
74-77% C
70-73% C-
68-69% D+
64-67% D
63-60% D-
59% & below
This points scale will be used for undergrads and grad students; grades for graduate students may include plusses or minuses.
Students are expected to attend class. Students who fail to attend class will miss receiving important information from instructors, as well as missing in-class lessons completely.
Academic honesty is fundamental to the activities and principles of a university. All members of the academic community must be confident that each person's work has been responsibly and honorably acquired, developed and presented. Any effort to gain an advantage not given to all students is dishonest whether or not the effort is successful.
Academic misconduct includes but is not limited to the following:
- Use of news or story content from another author without citation or attribution.
- Use of verbatim content from another author without citation or attribution.
- Extensive use of materials from past assignments without permission of your instructor.
- Extensive use of materials from assignments in other classes without permission of your instructor.
- Fabricating information in news or feature stories, whether for publication or not.
- Fabricating sources in news or feature stories, whether for publication or not.
- Fabricating quotes in news or feature stories, whether for publication or not.
- Lack of full disclosure or permission from editors when controversial reportorial techniques, such as going undercover to get news, are used.
When in doubt about plagiarism, paraphrasing, quoting or collaboration, consult with your instructor. For closed-book exams and exercises, academic misconduct includes conferring with other class members, copying or reading someone else's test and using notes and materials without prior permission of the instructor. For open-book exams and exercises, academic misconduct includes copying or reading someone else's work.
The use of open-source code freely shared or published on Github or in other ways is not considered plagiarism. Sharing code for graphics and interactive projects is a common practice in the world of interactive data visualization, and use of another designer’s shared coding is not considered unethical or an act of academic misconduct. This issue will be addressed by the instructors in class.
Classroom misconduct includes forgery of class attendance; obstruction or disruption of teaching, including late arrival or early departure; failure to turn off cellular telephones leading to disruption of teaching; playing games or surfing the Internet on laptop computers unless instructed to do so; physical abuse or safety threats; theft; property damage; disruptive, lewd or obscene conduct; abuse of computer time; repeated failure to attend class when attendance is required; and repeated failure to participate or respond in class when class participation is required.
IMPORTANT: Entering a classroom late or leaving a classroom before the end of the period can be extremely disruptive behavior. Students are asked to arrive for class on time and to avoid early departures. This is particularly true of large lectures, where late arrivals and early departures can be most disruptive. Instructors have the right to deny students access to the classroom if they arrive late and have the right to dismiss a student from the class for early departures that result in disruptions.
Under MU policy, your instructor has the right to ask for your removal from the course for misconduct, disruptive behavior or excessive absences. The instructor then has the right to issue a grade of withdraw, withdraw failing or F. The instructor alone is responsible for assigning the grade in such circumstances.
MU faculty are required to report all instances of academic or classroom misconduct to the appropriate campus officials. Allegations of classroom misconduct will be forwarded immediately to MU's Vice Chancellor for Student Services. Allegations of academic misconduct will be forwarded immediately to MU's Office of the Provost. In cases of academic misconduct, the student will receive at least a zero for the assignment in question.
The School of Journalism is committed to the highest standards of academic and professional ethics and expects its students to adhere to those standards. Students should be familiar with the Code of Ethics of the Society of Professional Journalists and adhere to its restrictions. Students are expected to observe strict honesty in academic programs and as representatives of school-related media. Should any student be guilty of plagiarism, falsification, misrepresentation or other forms of dishonesty in any assigned work, that student may be subject to a failing grade from the instructor and such disciplinary action as may be necessary under University regulations.
Students may make audio or video recordings of course activity for personal use and review unless specifically prohibited by the faculty member in charge of the class. However, to foster a safe learning environment in which various viewpoints are respected, the redistribution of audio or video recordings or transcripts thereof is prohibited without the written permission of the faculty member in charge of the class and the permission of all students who are recorded. (Collected Rules and Regulations, University of Missouri, Sect. 200.015, Academic Inquiry, Course Discussion and Privacy)
The University of Missouri System is an Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action institution and is nondiscriminatory relative to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, age, disability or status as a Vietnam-era veteran. Any person having inquiries concerning the University of Missouri-Columbia's compliance with implementing Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Americans With Disabilities Act of 1990, or other civil rights laws should contact the Assistant Vice Chancellor, Human Resource Services, University of Missouri-Columbia, 1095 Virginia Ave., Room 101, Columbia, Mo. 65211, (573) 882-4256, or the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education.
If you have special needs as addressed by the Americans with Disabilities Act and need assistance, please notify Jenner immediately. The school will make reasonable efforts to accommodate your special needs. Students are excused for recognized religious holidays. Please let us know in advance if you have a conflict.
If you have special needs as addressed by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and need assistance, please notify the Office of Disability Services, S5 Memorial Union, 882-4696, or notify Jenner immediately. Reasonable efforts will be made to accommodate your special needs.
The University community welcomes intellectual diversity and respects student rights. Students who have questions concerning the quality of instruction in this class may address concerns to either the Departmental Chair or Divisional leader or Director of the Office of Students Rights and Responsibilities (http://osrr.missouri.edu/). All students will have the opportunity to submit an anonymous evaluation of the instructor(s) at the end of the course.