Directed Research: Social Simulation and Informatics

Course Information

• Code: IDS 6918 / 7919
• Name: Directed Research
• Topic: Social Simulation and Informatics
• Location: Partnership II, Room 330
• Time: Thursday 9:00-10:30 am, and by appointment

Description

This course introduces the scientific research process, theories, techniques, studies, and tools related to the analysis and simulation of online social behavior. Students will acquire knowledge and skills in conducting research, studying online social phenomena, collecting and analyzing data, using specialized tools, and presenting research findings. Emphasis will be placed on building the knowledge base and relevant skills for conducting independent scientific research.

Course Objectives

Upon finishing the course, students should be able to

1. Explain the concepts, process, and methods involved in social science research
2. Develop scientific research studies that use informatics and simulation to examine social and behavioral phenomena
3. Understand various metrics for examining social networks and for data analysis
4. Complete a high-quality manuscript that is publishable at a peer-reviewed academic conference

Reading

1. [SSR] Bhattacherjee, Anol "Social Science Research: Principles, Methods, and Practices, 2nd ed." USF, 2012, ISBN-13: 978-1475146127.
2. [SEN] Jackson, M. O. "Social and Economic Networks," Princeton University Press, 2008.
3. [SMA] Various papers and notes on social media analytics and social simulation (to be provided).

Evaluation

1. Assignment -- There will be weekly or bi-weekly individual assignments (e.g., software exercises, writing a short essay, summarizing papers, proposing ideas for the research paper). Each assignment has a due date for submission (typically due within one or two weeks after release).
2. Term paper -- A term paper that reports a scientific research topic relevant to this course is required to be completed by the end of the semester. The paper shall be publishable at an academic conference. If the paper was submitted to a conference within the semester, then the time between that submission and the end of the semester will be used to extend the paper to be a journal submission. A preliminary version must be submitted in the middle of the semester for instructor's review. A final version must be submitted before the end of the semester. The submission due dates will be announced in the semester. Each student will be guided in the semester for the development of the paper.

Modules

I. Fundamentals of Social Research

1. Introduction to Research in Understanding Online Social Behavior

   • Science and scientific research (SSR, Ch. 1)
   • Thinking like a researcher (SSR, Ch. 2)
   • Research in physical science vs. social science

2. Research Process and Methods: Design science vs. behavioral science

   • The research process (SSR, Ch. 3)
   • Theories in scientific research (SSR, Ch. 4)
   • Behavioral science research vs. Design science research (Hevner 2004)

II. Social Network Representation and Modeling

1. Social Simulation Research: Networks Representation and Measurement

   • Importance of Social Networks and Behavior
   • Fundamentals of social networks (Jackson Ch. 1)
   • Representing and measuring networks (Jackson Ch. 2)
   • Structure of networks (Jackson Ch. 3)

2. Models and Structure of Social Networks (Handout #4, Handout #5 )

   • Metrics: diameter, clustering, degree distribution, centrality (Jackson Ch. 3)
   • Random networks (Jackson Ch. 4)
   • Dynamic social networks (Lymperopoulos 2016)
   • R tool for network analysis

3. Simulation of Social Networks (Handout #6, Handout #7, Handout #8, GitHub Modeling)

   • Growing random networks (Jackson Ch. 5)
   • Diffusion through networks (Jackson Ch. 7)

III. Data Analytics in Research

1. Informatics Metrics and Evaluation (Handout #9, Handout #10)

   • Sampling and random assignment (SSR, Ch. 8)
   • Scale reliability and validity (SSR, Ch. 7)

2. Data Summarization and Making Inferences

   • Descriptive and Inferential Statistics (SSR, Chs. 14-15)
   • Errors in statistical inferencing
   • R, JMP, and MySQL

3. Correlational Research

   • Types of research (SSR, Chs. 9-12)
   • Test for correlation
   • Correlation vs. Causation
   • R package for studying correlation and causation

IV. Research Presentation and Ethics

1. Research positioning and presentation (Handout #8, Designing Informing Systems)

   • Positioning design science research (Gregor)
   • CITI Program / SocialSim privacy training

2. Research Tools: Endnote, R, Scala, JMP, LaTeX, BibTex, Excel, MySQL, Repast

Notes

• Course Pre-requisite: Graduate-level standing; Bachelor's degree in a relevant discipline; college-level math; interest in scientific research and social phenomena.
• Academic Integrity: Students must hold the highest academic integrity in all the work done in this course. All attempts of academic dishonesty, plagiarism, unethical behavior, and similar issues are prohibited. Students who commit these issues will be punished by the respective university units or legal authorities.
  
• Assignment Submission: Unless otherwise stated, assignments are to be submitted as a file attachment to an email sent to the instructor before the start time of the class on the due date (due at noon if no class is held on that date). In addition, a paper version must be submitted to the instructor on the due date (at the beginning of class, or noon time if no class is held).

Copyright © 2018 Wingyan Chung. All Rights Reserved.