Carl Lagoze, Associate Professor of Information at the School of Information, is offering a new Ph.D. seminar next term: SI 710-004 – Special Topics – Informetrics Winter 2015 – Wed. 1 – 4 p.m., NQ1265 Course Description: Recent advances in computer technology, network analysis algorithms and visualization tools have invigorated the study of science using informetric methods for the empirical analysis of large data sets. The field is experiencing the push of new technical capabilities and availability of large online data sources, and a pull from funding organizations such as NSF to provide informative insights to inform operational and policy decisions. This combination provides for exciting new research opportunities as well as the need for interdisciplinary training to ensure research quality. The focus of this course is as much on method, how to use informetric methods, in particular techniques of network analysis and visualization, as it is on the subject matter – the understanding of collaboration and knowledge transfer in science. It will combine practical experiences in empirical data analysis with theoretical discussions. The latter will cover ethical implications of a quantitative approach to ‘measure science’, how to address concerns of reliability and validity, and how to combine quantitative and qualitative methods to improve the interpretability of data. Examples will be drawn primarily from the domain of studying science, however issues of relevance in other domains such as research on social media, will be highlighted. The course will be run seminar style with discussions of seminal, current, and emerging literature. Students will expected to complete a final project; either a research-quality paper or exploratory project.
