Visualization Assignment
As part of learning different ways to conduct social media research, you will collect YouTube data, do some preliminary analysis, and write up a short description of your preliminary findings.
Step 1: Data Collection
Using the DigitalMethods.Net YouTube tools (https://tools.digitalmethods.net/netvizz/youtube/), collect data from one of the network modules.
- Channel Network Module (https://tools.digitalmethods.net/netvizz/youtube/mod_channels_net.php) to find connections via “featured channels”
- Video Network Module (https://tools.digitalmethods.net/netvizz/youtube/mod_videos_net.php) to find relations between videos
- Video Info and Comments Module, user network (https://tools.digitalmethods.net/netvizz/youtube/mod_video_info.php) to find relations between users in a comments section
Think about:
What data can you get focusing on one channel or video? What does that enable or disable? What data can you get by mapping a network, and what does that enable or disable? How does a video vs. a channel as the base unit change what is available? What kinds of questions can you answer with these different data?
Step 2: Analysis
Import your network data into Gephi. Here’s the quick start guide for more detail (https://gephi.org/users/quick-start/)
- Modify the the nodes (size, labels, color)
- Modify the layout. Try a few different options until you get one that lets you see patterns.
- You are free to try any of the other tools in the tutorial, but nodes and layout are the only requirements. Be sure to keep track of what you are doing to create the visualization so that you can explain it later.
Think about:
What can you see from which nodes are close together or far away? Are the groupings meaningful to you? Are there other data you would want to understand the groupings?
Once you have something that you feel has meaning and helps you understand what’s happening in your network, export that graphic as an image. Turn it in with your writeup.
Step 3: Write-up
- What did you do to collect data (tool, search term/network seed, etc.), and why did you make those choices? What do those parameters allow you to see/focus on?
- What steps did you take in your preliminary analysis (network layout choices, visualization choices)?
- What did your preliminary analysis find? What did you see that’s meaningful? What are your initial thoughts about what it might mean?
- What would you do next to further understand the data that you have? What other questions does it raise, or what else would you want to collect or analyze to make sense of it?
