Padm-Gp 4119 001
Padm-Gp 4119 001
Course Information
● Class Meeting Dates and Times: Thursdays, 6:45–8:25 pm
• 06/02/2022
• 06/09/2022
• 06/16/2022
• 06/23/2022
• 06/30/2022
• 07/07/2022
• 07/14/2022
● Class Location: ONLINE (Zoom links accessible via Brightspace)
Recitation
● Meeting Times: 8:35 – 9:35 PM after class dates
● Instructor: Abe Nelson
● Email: acn376@nyu.edu
● Location: ONLINE
● Office Hours: Wednesdays (around 6pm but times offered upon request)
(you must email 24 hours in advance to receive the Zoom link)
Course Prerequisites
● Introduction to Statistics
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Course Description
In our increasingly data-reliant and data-saturated society, people who understand how to leverage
data to generate insights have the power to change the world. Data visualization and storytelling is a
crucial skill for policy and data analysts, communications and marketing professionals, and managers
and decision-makers within nonprofits, social organizations, and the government. With the advent of
visualization tools that do not require coding, data storytelling in the digital age is also an attainable
skill set for people with varying levels of technical ability.
This hands-on introductory course will teach students how to develop meaningful data stories that
reveal visual insights accessible for relevant audiences. Students will also learn the basics of
Tableau, the industry standard in data visualization tools, to make sense of and visualize publicly
available data. Students will leave the course with a portfolio of data visualization projects, analog
and digital, that demonstrate the application of data storytelling. This course is intended for a
beginner in data visualization and storytelling. Students with extensive prior experience should
consult the instructor before enrolling.
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Class Policies
This is a fast-paced, hands-on course with a lot of material condensed into seven weeks.
Students should be mindful of the following expectations to ensure that they are benefitting from the
sessions and achieving intended learning objectives:
● Attendance for the entire class session for all seven sessions is mandatory. Students should
not register for the class if they anticipate any conflicts.
● We will meet synchronously at the standard class time using Zoom. In the event that a student
needs to be out of class, we are recording each class session via Zoom and making them
available in NYU Brightspace. All students should access them there.
● Active engagement during the sessions is essential. This course is designed to be a largely
practice-based course. Students will maximize class learning if they come prepared having
completed their assigned reading and training materials, developed a basic knowledge and
theory of the weekly session topic, and are ready to engage during the course discussions,
labs, and recitations.
● Deeper engagement with the content outside of the class sessions will be needed to ensure
students are able to complete assignments and projects successfully. Due to the condensed
nature of the course, students will need to put in additional time outside of class sessions and
should plan accordingly.
Required Materials
Readings: There is no textbook requirement for this class. Required readings will come from
noteworthy articles, blogs and book excerpts; all materials are available online via hyperlinks on this
syllabus or the NYU Brightspace website.
Software: To ensure successful lab/recitation participation, students are required to:
● Have downloaded a Tableau Desktop license on their laptop (students are eligible for
a free one-year license).
● Ensure they have Microsoft Excel on their laptop.
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Course Components
Readings
This course is designed to be a largely practice-based course. Therefore, it is crucial to come
prepared to class with the basic knowledge and theory needed to have interactive discussions and
a hands-on lab. (See Detailed Course Overview for more information for each week.) All materials
are available online via hyperlinks on this syllabus or the NYU Brightspace folder. Students must
read assigned chapters/articles before coming to the respective session.
Orienting Discussions
Most course sessions will begin with a brief orienting discussion to recap best practices and
lessons on data visualization and storytelling. Each discussion will build on the assigned reading
material for that week and should be an opportunity to deepen knowledge and clarify questions.
Assignments
Assignments are formative, intended to help students understand data viz tools and best practices.
They consist of completion of lab-related deliverables, writing a data viz critique blog, and
storyboarding the final project. Details on each assignment will be provided in the previous class
session.
Projects
Unlike the formative assignments, projects are intended to assess mastery over data viz content
and skills. Evaluation information can be found under Assessment Assignments and Evaluation.
Projects will be uploaded via the blog tool on NYU Brightspace.
To ensure that students are on track with their final project, the following completion deliverables
will be enforced:
● June 30: Finalize final project topic and data set; bring storyboard idea (we will do a
storyboarding workshop during the class session).
● July 7: Come to class with a rough Tableau workbook of your final project (there will be
an opportunity to ask questions during class).
● July 14: Final projects due.
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Assessment Assignments and Evaluation
Participation (15%):
Students are required to attend all class sessions and come prepared for and actively participate in
class. All students will begin with the full 15 points. If students miss class or are unprepared for a
class session, a maximum of 3 points will be deducted each session. Given the remote nature of
this semester, active participation will include asking/answering questions during the session
(including in chat) as well as contributing to the discussion in breakout groups. Please contact the
instructor if any issues arise during the semester.
Participation in recitation sessions is strongly encouraged and will help students develop their
Tableau skills, but will not be counted toward your Participation grade. However, hands-on
exercises in recitations 2 and 4 count toward Tableau lab assignments and should be
completed/submitted in NYU Brightspace, regardless of recitation attendance.
All homework assignments should be submitted via NYU Brightspace by the beginning of class on
the specified due date. Late assignments will have 10 points deducted for every day it is late (even
if submitted the same day but after class, 10 points will be deducted). If you receive a zero on a
homework assignment, you can resubmit one homework assignment per semester for a maximum
of 50% the total value of the assignment.
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DATA VIZ CRITIQUE GRADING RUBRIC
CRITERIA
Students are
expected to: 0 points 15 points 30 points 50 points 60 points 70 points
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ANALOG DATA VIZ PROJECTS GRADING RUBRIC
NOTE: Instructor reserves the right to grade in partial increments when needed (e.g., a student satisfies some, but not all, of the
criteria in a given category)
Create a Student does not Multiple aspects of Aspects of the 4Cs The 4Cs are well
visualization that submit a data the 4Cs are are apparent; represented.
demonstrates visual. missing, or have opportunity exists
creativity, not been well for further Visualization
attention to detail addressed in the enhancement. demonstrates
and design, and visualization. thoughtful
an understanding Visualization planning.
of Shaffer’s 4Cs Visualization does shows thought and
(i.e. clean, clear, not demonstrate planning, and most Color choices are
concise, thoughtful aspects work in conscious and
captivating) planning. harmony. May consistent. Choice
exhibit minor of position, size,
Visualization issues with and other
appears sloppy and alignment or sizing emphasis
may be difficult to mismatching with elements clarify
understand as a importance. and/or enhance
coherent whole. the viz to create a
Multiple issues with visually appealing
positioning or other and engaging
distracting whole.
characteristics.
Demonstrate a Student does not The visualization There is a clear The visualization is
clear POV that submit a data suggests some message targeted to the
allows the visual. possibilities, but conveyed, but the audience, the POV
intended does not lead to action or is evident, and the
audience to clarity of conclusion that conclusion or action
arrive at a quick, understanding or should be drawn is is clear.
fact-based action. less clear.
conclusion. The visualization
Difficult to Study is required facilitates quick
understand how to interpret the cognition and
interpret the data data and how it leading to a fact-
and how it applies applies to the based conclusion
to the thesis of the thesis of the or assertion.
analysis. analysis.
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Letter Grades
Letter grades for the entire course will be assigned as follows:
A- 3.7 points 90 – 94
B+ 3.3 points 87 – 89
B 3.0 points 83 – 86
B- 2.7 points 80 – 82
C+ 2.3 points 77 – 79
C 2.0 points 73 – 76
C- 1.7 points 70 – 72
F 0.0 points
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Student grades will be assigned according to the following criteria:
(A) Excellent: Exceptional work for a graduate student. Work at this level is unusually
thorough, well-reasoned, creative, methodologically sophisticated, and well written. Work
is of exceptional, professional quality.
(A-) Very good: Very strong work for a graduate student. Work at this level shows signs
of creativity, is thorough and well-reasoned, indicates strong understanding of
appropriate methodological or analytical approaches, and meets professional standards.
(B+) Good: Sound work for a graduate student; well-reasoned and thorough,
methodologically sound. This is the graduate student grade that indicates the student
has fully accomplished the basic objectives of the course.
(B) Adequate: Competent work for a graduate student even though some weaknesses are
evident. Demonstrates competency in the key course objectives but shows some
indication that understanding of some important issues is less than complete.
Methodological or analytical approaches used are adequate but student has not been
thorough or has shown other weaknesses or limitations.
(B-) Borderline: Weak work for a graduate student; meets the minimal expectations for a
graduate student in the course. Understanding of salient issues is somewhat incomplete.
Methodological or analytical work performed in the course is minimally adequate. Overall
performance, if consistent in graduate courses, would not suffice to sustain graduate
status in “good standing.”
(C/-/+) Deficient: Inadequate work for a graduate student; does not meet the minimal
expectations for a graduate student in the course. Work is inadequately developed or
flawed by numerous errors and misunderstanding of important issues. Methodological
or analytical work performed is weak and fails to demonstrate knowledge or technical
competence expected of graduate students.
(F) Fail: Work fails to meet even minimal expectations for course credit for a graduate
student. Performance has been consistently weak in methodology and understanding,
with serious limits in many areas. Weaknesses or limits are pervasive.
Detailed Course Overview
WEEK 1
Class Topics:
● The case for data visualization and storytelling
● Data visualization and storytelling details and best practices
● Introduction to Tableau (Lab Session)
Recitation topics:
● Tableau Review + Best practices
Pre-Class Preparation:
Readings Due:
1. Dykes, Brent. “Data Storytelling: The Essential Data Science Skill Everyone Needs.”
Forbes.com. March 31, 2016.
2. Shaffer, Jeffrey A. “The Shaffer 4 C’s of Data Visualization.” Data + Science. [Google
Drive]
3. Shaffer, Jeffrey A. “The Shaffer 4 C’s of Data Visualization: Clean Examples.”
Data + Science. [Google Drive]
4. Read these articles to generally understand what they’re trying to
accomplish, as well as consider their similarities and differences. We’ll be
using them in a class activity.
• The New York Times. (2020, November 3). Presidential election results: Biden wins.
The New York Times. Retrieved December 18, 2021.
• Cai, W., & Fessenden, F. (2020, December 21). Immigrant neighborhoods
shifted red as the country chose blue. The New York Times. Retrieved
December 18, 2021.
Deliverable:
● Submit completed Lab 1 Student Handout in NYU Brightspace before class start
Recitation:
● Completed Lab 1 Student Handout document
WEEK 2
Class Topics:
● The what, why, and how of critiquing data stories
● Introduction of data critique assignment and the analog data viz project
● Choosing the right visuals in Tableau (Lab Session)
Recitation Topics:
● Hands-on Exercise (Using Tableau for Data Driven Decision making)
● Review of Data Prep homework
● Review of Tableau visuals lab session
Pre-Class Preparation:
Readings Due:
1. Fung, Kaiser. “Junk Charts Trifecta Checkup: The Definitive Guide”
2. Schwabish, Jonathan. “An Economist’s Guide to Visualizing Data”
3. Home Office Digital. Design for Accessibility
4. National Neighborhood Indicators Project. Data Visualization: Tips and Practice.
Focus on Slides 4-7.
5. Tufte, Edward. The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, “Graphical
Integrity” [Google Drive]
6. Hardin et al. (Tableau), “Which chart or graph is right for you?” [Google Drive]
7. Visit Dear-Data.com and Dear-Data-Two.com [In preparation for selecting team project]
Deliverables:
● Submit completed Data Prep homework in NYU Brightspace before class start
Recitation:
● Hands-On Exercise: Using Tableau for Data Driven Decision making [NYU Brightspace]
WEEK 3
Class Topics:
● Data viz critiques – breakout group presentations
● Introduction to calculated fields and dashboarding in Tableau (Lab Session)
Recitation Topics:
● Advanced maps in Tableau
● Review of Calculated fields/dashboarding Lab Session
Pre-Class Preparation:
Readings Due:
● Hardin, Maila, Daniel Hom, Ross Perez, and Lori Williams. Which Chart or Graph is Right
for You? Seattle, WA: Tableau Software.
Deliverable:
● Upload data viz critique assignment in NYU Brightspace
● Submit completed Hands-on Exercise from Recitation 2 in NYU Brightspace before class
start [assigment information found on NYU Brightspace]
Recitation:
● Global Superstore.xlsx [Google Drive]
● Recitation Handout [Google Drive]
WEEK 4
Class Topics:
● Analog project presentations
● Introduction of final projects
● Tableau Review/Q&A (Lab Session)
Recitation Topics:
● Final Projects: Review of Data Sources, Preparation and Analysis, Import and Blending
Pre-Class Preparation:
Readings Due:
● N/A – work on analog data viz projects!
Deliverable:
● Upload analog data viz project in NYU Brightspace before class start
Recitation:
● Bring your final project topic and dataset ideas
WEEK 5
Class Topics:
● Data storytelling in real world – breakout group discussion
● Final Projects Storyboarding Workshop (Lab Session)
Recitation Topics:
● Hands-on Exercise (Tableau Dashboarding)
Pre-Class Preparation:
Readings Due:
1. Ryan, Lindy. “Storyboarding Frame-by-Frame” in Visual Data Storytelling with
Tableau. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, 2018. [Google Drive]
• Pay particular attention to pages 176-178
2. Nussbaum, Cole. “#SWDchallenge: sticky notes.” Storytelling with Data (blog),
November 1, 2018.
3. Nussbaum, Cole. “how i storyboard.” Storytelling with Data (blog), August 25, 2015.
4. Review/skim these examples below. (If you have an example you'd like to share, please
do!) Be prepared to walk through these and compare the different data storytelling and
visualization techniques used:
• UN Sustainable Development Goals (skim the PDF report and review the
interactive Storymap by clicking on the individual SDG icons)
• Girls Who Code 2020 Annual Report
• Tableau Foundation Living Annual Report
• Health Intelligence, “A global overview of the magnitude, disparities and trend of
infant mortality in the world.”
Deliverable:
● Finalize final project topic and dataset and bring storyboard idea to class/recitation;
Recitation:
Hands-on Exercise (Tableau Dashboarding)
WEEK 6
Class Topics:
● Final Projects Q&A
● Advanced Tableau workshop and #MakeoverMonday Live Challenge (Lab Session)
Recitation Topics:
● Open Office Hours for Tableau Questions
Pre-Class Preparation:
Readings Due:
● Few, Stephen. Common Pitfalls in Dashboard Design. Boise, ID: ProClarity, 2006.
● Review Makeover Monday for live in-class challenge Accessed June 7, 2020 (Read the
home page, and then review examples in the gallery and community)
● Refresh: Ryan, Lindy. “Storyboarding Frame-by-Frame” in Visual Data Storytelling with
Tableau. Boston, MA: Pearson Education, 2018. [Google Drive]
▪ Pay particular attention to pages 176-178
Deliverable:
● Submit completed Hands-on Exercise from Recitation 5 in NYU Brightspace before class
start
● Submit your draft final project Tableau workbook. Make sure you have at least 2 draft story
points and notes about what data/graphs you are thinking about using to tell the story.
● Bring final project questions to class and recitation.
Class Topics:
● Course key takeaways and reflections
● Final project presentations
Recitation Topics:
● ** No recitation but longer class time to accommodate final presentations**
Pre-Class Preparation:
Readings Due:
1. N/A
There are countless blogs on data visualization online that can serve as helpful references. Here
are a few to get started:
● Tableau Public
● Storytelling with Data by Cole Nussbaumer
● FlowingData by Nathan Yau
● Information is Beautiful by David McCandless
● PolicyViz (Check out the podcast) by Jonathan Schwabish
● Junk Charts by Kaiser Fung
● Data Therapy by Rahul Bhargava
Select data sources that can potentially be used for the final project:
● Tableau Public
● Tableau Community Forums
● Gapminder
● NYC OpenData
● U.S. Census Data
● Data.gov
Supplementary Resources
● Edward Segel and Jeffrey Heer, “Narrative Visualization: Telling Stories with Data”
● Tableau Webinar, “How to Design Engaging Data Stories in Tableau: 7 Starter Story Types”
● Dashboarding Inspiration, Everyday Dashboards
NYU Brightspace and Course Communication
This is a living syllabus and may change throughout the semester. All changes will be
communicated via announcements through NYU Brightspace. Students should ensure they are
receiving notification emails when new announcements are posted. Lecture slides and completed
lab files will be uploaded after each class in NYU Brightspace under Content → respective week.
Students should feel free to email me with any questions and expect a response within 48 hours.
Students should be mindful that this is not my full-time job; responses during business hours will
likely be limited.
Technology Support
Students have 24/7 support to NYU’s IT services. Explore the NYU servicelink
knowledgebase for troubleshooting and student guides for all NYU-supported tools (like NYU
Brightspace, Zoom, etc). Contact askIT@nyu.edu or 1-212-998-3333 (24/7) for technology
assistance, or you may contact Zoom’s 24/7 technical support (this includes a chat function),
or Review Zoom’s support resources. Don’t forget, your peers are another source of support.
You could ask a friend or classmate for help or tips.
If you do not have the appropriate hardware technology nor financial resources to purchase
the technology, consider applying for the NYU Emergency Relief Grant.
Academic Integrity
Academic integrity is a vital component of Wagner and NYU. All students enrolled in this class are
required to read and abide by Wagner’s Academic Code. All Wagner students have already read
and signed the Wagner Academic Oath. Plagiarism of any form will not be tolerated and students
in this class are expected to report violations to me. If any student in this class is unsure about
what is expected of you and how to abide by the academic code, you should consult with me.