Social Networking Graph Analysis

Rationale: Demonstrate ability to find numerical data to support a position, and create a clear graph that communicates an idea clearly. Practice Excel graph making skills including analyzing a trend over time. Use quantitative analysis skills to explain the meaning of the numbers in the graph and draw the reader to clear conclusions about how the numbers support an argument that then supports your position.

Overview: Research databases to find a credible source with numerical data that supports at least one argument in favor of your position. Then create a graph in Excel to convey the numerical data in a clear manner. The graph needs to be clearly marked with titles and axis and well chosen chart type and y axis so that the information is visually accurate and easy to understand on its own. Along with the graph, write a one page discussion explaining how the graphed numbers support the argument that then supports your position. Properly make in-text citations to give credit for all sourced information. Click here to see how this week's assignment fits into your larger social networking project.

Here is a sample graph analysis document

STEPS:

1) Look at feedback from your one social networking graph you already submitted, and the questions you answered about your data. You can use that graph, and the answers you gave will form the basis of your discussion.

2) Change your Excel graph based upon feedback if you have not done that already.

3) Write a discussion paper as a word document with these parts:

• Part 1: Paste your position from your pro/con website at the top of the page.
• Part 2: Insert a picture of your Excel graph and place a citation below it
  • Below the graph, label it Figure x (Your first graph will be Figure 1 and if you had a second graph it would be Figure 2.)
  • Follow "Figure x" with the chart title
  • If you are getting all your numbers for the graph from one source article: add "Adapted from" and then give the inline citation.
  • Here is the guideline for citing a figure in APA and in MLA. (I am accepting an in-text citation instead of a full citation.)
    
• Part 3: Write a one page discussion explaining how the graphed numbers support your position. Use your answers to "Social Networking Excel Graph analysis Questions to Answer" as a guide to what to write here.
  • Write this in third person (no "I" or "you") and avoid "I believe".
• Properly cite sources:
  • Refer to the figure and use at least one inline (parenthetical citation) citation for each paragraph that has any facts that rely upon the source.
    • If you copy text, be sure to use quotes.
    • Add inline citations for every fact in a form such as (Smith 3) for MLA or (Smith, 2010, p. 10) for APA.
  • Your entire cite must be either APA or MLA.
  • Inline citations need page numbers
  • Everything fact or argument should have at least one inline citation
  • Every source on the bottom of the page needs at least one inline citation referring to it.
  • You can review in-text citations sections of the citation video lecture found here
  • Here are the actual written guides to use:
    • Here are the APA Owl Guideline to in-text citations
    • Here are the MLA Owl Guideline to in-text citations
• Explain who or what is represented by the numbers.
  • Start with the information in last week's exercise in the "Social Networking Excel Graph Analysis Questions to Answer" to the scope of your numbers.
    
  • Watch out for the pitfalls mentioned in this article
  • Your explanation should include this information:

    If  it is a survey, tell me all this: 

    • How many people took the survey? 
    • What do you know about the people who took the survey (age, location, background, ethnicity, characteristic like depressed or bullied? ) 
    • When was the survey done?
    • Where was the survey done?
    • Who conducted the survey (what agency or researcher) ?
    • Will your graph use all the information in the survey or a few answers or a few groups of people? 
    • What is the wording of the survey questions you are graphing? (If this is unavailable, say so. However, first try to find the original study so you can learn the wording of the survey questions you are graphing.If you are looking at a pew research, see this video (starting at about 3:30) to find the survey details Otherwise, try just searching the internet for the name of the study.) 

    If it is not a survey: Explain where and when the information came from and who collected it and how it was collected. Also mention if you are only using a sub-section of the collected data. 

• Explain what your graph proves and how it supports an argument that relates to your position.
  • Discuss your graph(s) to explain the story they tell. Stick to just discussing the graphs and not everything about your topic or the article. (You can take this from the "What exactly does your graph prove? " question in the "Social Networking Excel Graph Analysis Questions to Answer" .)
  • Explain how what your graph proves supports an argument for your position.. (You can take this from the "Social Networking Excel Graph Analysis Questions to Answer" in which you wrote one argument for your position that your graph supports, the exact graph proof statements, and the tie to your argument.)
  • You do not need to write about any of your research that is not found in the graph or to prove your entire position - this document is only about the graphs you present.
• Explain all your assumptions and expose any possible weaknesses in your data
  • State whether the study you are using or the source of the numbers directly represents the population your position is referring to. If not, just make it clear what you are assuming.
  • For example, a study done in Britain is not necessarily going to represent what happens in the US or the world.
  • For another example, a study in which you ask people to self-assess their opinion is a measure of opinion, not facts.
  • It is okay to use data with weaknesses, but you need to clearly state all assumptions. Most data has some weakness.
• Part 4: Add the full citation of any sources you are using at the bottom.

4) Submit your work.

• Submit the word document that includes the picture of the graph and the discussion to the "Social Networking Graph Analysis" in Moodle. This is a turn it in assignment and can be resubmitted as often as you like until the due date. You will be able to review your own turn it in results and learn from those results. It will place copied text in red. All copied text should be quoted, and have an in-line citation.
• Also submit the Excel spreadsheet with the chart and data in "Submit the actual Excel spreadsheet used to create the Graph Analysis Assignment" in Moodle.

Grading Goals: