bolker@mcmaster.ca) and Jonathan Dushoff (dushoff@mcmaster.ca).Hamilton Hall 207: - Mon 10:30-11:20 - Tue 1:30-3:20
The objective of this course is for students to gain both a theoretical and practical grounding in the issues surrounding data visualization in statistics and data science, including both the foundational work of Cleveland, Tufte, and Wilkinson and recent developments and controversies in the area of data visualization. For practical applications the course will focus on the ggplot package for R, but other more specialized platforms (e.g. ggobi, leaflet, D3.js) will also be discussed.
The first half of the course will consist of lectures and demonstrations presented by the instructors. The second half of the course will shift to a student-led model, where students give presentations focusing on various advanced topics and work on a group project.
(which of these topics are covered and in what order will depend on student feedback)
rgl, plotly)ggobi, ggvis etc.)ggvis, plotly, google charts, D3.js (?))Policy on missed work or lectures: You should be aware of the Policy For Absence from School Due to Illness or Compassionate Reasons It is important to know your rights and your responsibilities. If you must miss a presentation or cannot submit assigned work on time for a valid reason (e.g., medical reasons, etc.) you may be able to obtain an excused absence by taking appropriate documentation (e.g. note from physician) to the Faculty/Program office and then discussing this with your instructor. If the Faculty/Program gives its approval, the final examination will then be given the appropriate extra weighting. Otherwise, a grade of zero will be entered for the missed work.
If you must miss a lecture or lab, it is your responsibility to find out what was covered. The best way to do this is to borrow a classmate’s notes, read them over, and then ask your instructor if there is something that you do not understand.
No calculators or other aids will be allowed during examinations unless explicitly indicated.
You will be required to bring your official McMaster University photo identification card to the final examination.
Students’ grades will be returned on Avenue.
Students who require academic accommodation must contact Student Accessibility Services (SAS) to make arrangements with a Program Coordinator. Academic accommodations must be arranged for each term of study. Student Accessibility Services can be contacted by phone 905-525-9140 ext. 28652 or e-mail sas@mcmaster.ca. For further information, consult McMaster University’s Policy for Academic Accommodation of Students with Disabilities
We reserve the right to change the weightings in the grading scheme. If changes are made, your grade will be calculated using the original weightings and the new weightings, and you will be given the higher of the two grades. At the end of the course the grades may be adjusted but this can only increase your grade and will be done uniformly. We will use the following grade chart to convert between letter grades, grade points and percentages:
| A+ | A | A- | B+ | B | B- | C+ | C | C- | D+ | D | D- | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 90-100 | 85-89 | 80-84 | 77-79 | 73-76 | 70-72 | 67-69 | 63-66 | 60-62 | 57-59 | 53-56 | 50-52 | 0-49 |
(from p. 29 of the current Undergraduate calendar)
The instructor and university reserve the right to modify elements of the course during the term. The university may change the dates and deadlines for any or all courses in extreme circumstances. If either type of modification becomes necessary, reasonable notice and communication with the students will be given with explanation and the opportunity to comment on changes. It is the responsibility of the student to check their McMaster email and course websites weekly during the term and to note any changes.
In most cases, missed work or tests will be addressed by reweighting the remaining work or tests. If you must miss a lecture, it is your responsibility to find out what was covered. The best way to do this is to borrow a classmate’s notes, read them over, and then ask your instructor if there is something that you do not understand.
All assignments are due, either on Avenue to Learn or as commits to a GitHub repository, prior to class, unless otherwise stated. We will penalize late work by 10% per day.
We may be using the learning software Avenue to Learn. Students should be aware that private information such as first and last names, user names for the McMaster e-mail accounts, and program affiliation may be visible to other students in the course. By taking this course you consent to this disclosure. If you have any questions or concerns about this, please discuss them with the course instructor. Grades will be posted on AtL.
The expectations for this class are fairly simple: however, if you have any questions or concerns please ask. See the McMaster Office of Academic Integrity’s web page for general information.
You are expected to exhibit honesty and use ethical behavior in all aspects of the learning process. Academic credentials you earn are rooted in principles of honesty and academic integrity. Academic dishonesty can result in serious consequences, including a notation on the transcript, or suspension or expulsion from the university. It is your responsibility to understand what constitutes academic dishonesty; for more information please refer to the Academic Integrity Policy at http://www.mcmaster.ca/academicintegrity.
Some common academic dishonesty issues:
This outline will be linked from the course home page. However, it is your responsibility to check the course home page and syllabus regularly for further announcements, course handouts, assigned work and its due dates, information about test dates and locations when this information becomes available, downloadable course related material, etc.. Recorded marks for tests and assignments will be posted on Avenue. You should check these once they become available and bring any discrepancies to the attention of the instructor or the TA as soon as possible.