Fall Semester, 2023
This course will examine the basics of data visualization (what types
of data are there, what are common visualizations, how to decide among
alternative visualizations, and how to assess if a visualization is
helping as intended.) It will consider visualizations for a range
of data types (text, software, images, geospatial, and temporal) and
how the design of visualizations can be (partially) automated and how
they can work across media.
These topics will be discussed at both a conceptual and tool level. By
the end of the course, you will be able to look at an existing data
visualizaton or design a new system with an understanding of the impact
it may have on data comprehension and interpretation.
Students will will read and present papers on visualization and select
and develop group projects with a domain and data set of their chosing.
This course will focus around discussions of papers about data
visualization design taken from a variety of
conferences and journals concerning visualization, human-computer
interaction, etc.
Selected papers:
The links to the readings require access to the ACM, IEEE and
other digital libraries. Access to all of these is available from
on-campus computers or from your personal computers when using
TAMU VPN.
There will be a number of assignments due in class. These assignments
may require use of specific software outside of class time and will
take the form of short essays, written answers to questions, and
design documents.
Homework late policy:
The final project report (8-12 pages in ACM Format) will also require
the design of an evaluation procedure for refining the resulting
visualization. The in-class presentations of project progress will be
about 4 minutes long and the final presentation on the project will
be approximately 12 minutes long and include a demo of your working
system.
Project grades will be determined by both the instructor's review of the
project and student's description of their and other member's work.
Programming for projects:
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal
antidiscrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights
protection for persons with disabilities. Among other things, this
legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed
a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of
their disabilities. If you believe you have a disability requiring an
accommodation, please contact the Department of Student Life, Services
for Students with Disabilities in Room B118 of Cain Hall or call
845-1637.
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immediately assumes a commitment to uphold the Honor Code, to accept
responsibility for learning and to follow the philosophy and rules of
the Honor System. Students will be required to state their commitment
on examinations, research papers, and other academic work. Ignorance
of the rules does not exclude any member of the Texas A&M University
community from the requirements or the processes of the Honor
System. For additional information please visit:
www.tamu.edu/aggiehonor/
On all course work, assignments, and examinations at Texas A&M
University, the following Honor Pledge shall be preprinted and signed
by the student:
"On my honor, as an Aggie, I have neither given nor received
unauthorized aid on this academic work."
Students
There may be students from technical and non-technical disciplines
in this course. Projects and assignments are designed such that
each student can show off their own skills. Programming and
software development is part of the group projects so it is
recommended that students from outside of computer science join
project teams with students from computer science.Course description
There is more data about ourselves, our activities, and the world
around us than ever before and the types and quantities continue
to increase. Data visualization is one approach to make sense of
this data and help it inform our understanding and decisions. Prerequisites
Students should have a basic knowledge of computing and either the
ability to program complex systems or able to learn new software tools
on their own. Ask instructor if you have any questions.
Reading materials
Reading schedule and presenter/discussant listGrading
Short assignments 15%
Class participation 10%
Quizzes/reading write-ups 40%
Team project 35%
Grades will be on a 10 point scale: 90-100 = A, 80-89 = B, 70-79 = C,
60-69 = D, and <60 = F.Short assignments
List of assignments
Readings write-ups have 50% deducted for being at all late and an additional 5% for each day beyond the first -- do not try to do the write-up and submit during class because these will be counted as late! Other assignments have 10% deducted from your grade for every day late up to a maximum of one week after the original due
date. Class participation
Most class periods will include a lecture with opportunities for discussion of reading materials. All students are expected to have done the
readings and be able to participate in discussions. Team Project
Students will form 4 to 6-person teams and define a semester
project. There will be three preliminary progress reports for the
projects emphasizing particular phases of the interface design
process:
(1) identifying a topic, data source, task, cognitive issues,
and determining an approach,
(2) creating an initial design with rationale, and
(3) instantiating the design in a prototype implementation.
will be done in language and operating system of your choice on
machines to which you have access. General Note on Assignments
Important: All writing should be
the work of the student -- any text taken from other sources needs to
be quoted and referenced. It is expected that students will correct
grammar and spelling -- these are grounds to deduct from your
grade. (i.e. Use a spelling checker and reread what you write before
turning it in.)Attendance Policy
All students are expected to attend and participate every class.
Attendance policy will be administered in accordance with Texas A&M
University Student Rule 7.Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Policy Statement
The following ADA Policy Statement (part of the Policy on Individual
Disabling Conditions) was submitted to the UCC by the Department of
Student Life. The policy statement was forwarded to the Faculty
Senate for Information.Aggie Honor Code
"An Aggie does not lie, cheat, or steal or tolerate those who do."