HU Credits: 3

Degree/Cycle: 2nd degree (Master)

Responsible Department: Communication and Journalism

Semester: 1st Semester

Teaching Languages: Hebrew

Campus: Mt. Scopus

Course/Module Coordinator: Nicholas John

Coordinator Email: n.john@huji.ac.il

Coordinator Office Hours: Prof.: Tuesday, 11-12
TA: Monday, 12:30-13:30

Teaching Staff:
Dr. Nicholas John
Asaf Nissenbaum

Course/Module description:
This course deals with a range of aspects of internet research – theoretical, practical, ethical, and more. It takes two main approaches, as well as an approach that combines the two. The first looks at how the internet can be used as a research tool. How can data collected through the internet help us understand the world around us? This includes the use of search engines, online databases, and other digitally-generated resources, such as the discussion pages for Wikipedia articles, hyperlinks, and Facebook profiles. The second looks at research of internet phenomena, such as social network sites, search engines, and more. These phenomena need not necessarily be researched using online tools: we might study online support groups by interviewing members face to face. The third approach is one where we use internet-based tools or data to study online phenomena.
In brief, the course asks how we can use the internet as a research tool, and it asks how we can research the internet. Throughout the course special emphasis is placed on tools and concepts that are unique to the internet, such as hyperlinks and websites. In addition to frontal lectures, the course has a very practical orientation, and students will learn hands on how to use new tools.

Course/Module aims:
The main objective of the course is to equip the students with a range of quantitative and qualitative tools for studying the internet. It also aims to provide students with criteria for assessing the ethics of their and others’ research.

Learning outcomes - On successful completion of this module, students should be able to:
1) Understand the structure of websites and create a simple site
2) Archive a website
3) Analyze social networks
4) Create data visualizations
5) Use advanced Google services
6) Analyze link networks
7) Use online surveys

Attendance requirements(%):
100

Teaching arrangement and method of instruction: Each week there will be a 1.5 hour lecture followed by a 45 minute hands on class

Course/Module Content:
1. Intro
2. Archives, web history
3. Archives, web history
4. Link analysis – scraping; inlinks/outlinks
5. Social network analysis
6. Visualizations
7. Google trends/ngrams, advanced search
8. Search engines, politics of search engines
9. Big data
10. Ethics
11. Taking traditional methods online: ethnography, interviews, focus groups
12. Taking traditional methods online: ethnography, interviews, focus groups
13. Social network sites? Facebook; Twitter – how to analyze?
14. Summary

Required Reading:
See course Moodle page

Additional Reading Material:
See course Moodle page

Course/Module evaluation:
End of year written/oral examination 64 %
Presentation 0 %
Participation in Tutorials 0 %
Project work 0 %
Assignments 36 %
Reports 0 %
Research project 0 %
Quizzes 0 %
Other 0 %

Additional information:
In order to participate in the practical classes and complete the various tasks, all students should make sure that they have accounts with the following services:
1) Google
2) Facebook
3) Twitter
The accounts do not have to be with your real names, but they are essential for carrying out the exercises.

Composition of the grade:
1) 7 exercises during the semester: 36%. The top 6 scores will count.
2) Take-home exam: 64%.