SOC 102A: Analyzing Digital MediaInstructor: Jiayi Zhang Prerequisites: None Course Description: According to a survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, data analysis is the top skill employers seek in recent graduates. The proposed class, “Analyzing Digital Media,” will give students critical skills that employers say they want, as well as prepare them to do original scholarly research in burgeoning new fields. Taken either as a freestanding class or in conjunction with a research seminar, this two-credit class will prepare students to collect text data from social media and analyze it effectively and ethically. </br></br> Analyzing Digital Media will train students in methods of gathering and analyzing digital content, especially text from social media sites such as X, BlueSky, and Reddit, among others. These sites have become major fora for discussing virtually every topic in the social sphere and thus can provide a wealth of data for original and timely research in public opinion. This data, however, have to be properly gathered and analyzed to be useful to scholars: communities using particular discussion threads, for example, need to be described; bots need to be identified and discounted; opinions need to be weighed for their statistical significance within a conversation. Beyond proper treatment of data, prospective researchers also need to learn how to frame a research question and project design that will yield significant findings. Session: Session I Day: T, Th Time: 1:50pm - 4:20pm Credit Hours: 2 Credits Course Format: On-Campus Course for Summer 2026 Brandeis Graduation Requirement Fulfilled: Enrollment Limit: Course Classification: Undergraduate Level Course Course Tuition: $2,025 Course Fees: None Open to High School Students: Yes |
