SPRING 2006
Schedule of Classes link to GEOS/WSM 595e, CLQ 5
Instructor: Katie Hirschboeck
Day & Time:
Alternate Mondays (see schedule below) from 1:00- 2:50 pm:
in Tree-Ring West / Math East Annex
Room 20 -- see
map
Open to graduate students in Geosciences, Watershed
Management, Geography & Regional Development, Arid Lands Resource
Sciences, Global Change (GC-GIDP), or any other related program
|
    |
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The theme of this 1 unit
Colloquium is "Presentation & Display of Analytical Results"
The course will revolve around the interesting (and sometimes controversial)
views of Dr. Edward Tufte on the visualization and presentation of scientific
information. Tufte is a Professor Emeritus at Yale University where he taught
courses in statistical evidence and analytical design. Currently he
writes, designs, and self-publishes books on analytical design. Tufte's work
will provide a framework for the course's overall goal of designing,
critiquing, and improving oral and visual presentations of students'
analytical research results.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
(1) to read,
discuss, and critique selected writings of Edward Tufte as well as other
writings on analytical design and presentation.
(2) to lead and
facilitate a class discussion on the course readings
(3) Mini
Project: to produce
and present an effective visual presentation of one aspect of your own
research, or of researchers whose work is foundational to your current/planned
research
(4)
to complete a self-critique of your presentation that includes concrete
suggestions for improving your effectiveness
INSTRUCTOR:
Dr. Katie Hirschboeck,
Associate Professor of Climatology, Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research (also Joint
Associate Professor in the departments of: Geography and Regional
Development, Hydrology and Water Resources, and Atmospheric Sciences)
KEY WEBSITES:
THE WORK OF EDWARD TUFTE &
ET WRITINGS, DISCUSSION,
& ETC
INFORMATION ON:
Tufte's
one-day courses (highly recommended!)-- he'll be in
Albuquerque on February 7,2006!
TEXTS & READINGS: (additional ones may be added)
Textbooklets:
Edward R. Tufte (1997) Visual and Statistical
Thinking: Displays of Evidence for Making Decisions: Graphics Press
LLC, 27 pp. (reproduction of Chapter 2 of Visual Explanations: Images and
Quantities, Evidence and Narrative)
_____________ (2003) The Cognitive Style of PowerPoint:
Graphics Press LLC, 31 pp.
Tufte's Books:
______________(1997) Visual Explanations, Images and
Quantities, Evidence and Narrative: Graphics Press, Cheshire, Connecticut
156 pp.
Edward R. Tufte (1983) The Visual Display of Quantitative
Information: Graphics Press, Cheshire, Connecticut 197 pp.
(second edition now available)
______________ (1990) Envisioning Information: Graphics
Press, Cheshire, Connecticut 126 pp.
Advance chapters in Tufte's forthcoming book Beautiful Evidence:
Sparklines:
Intense, Simple Word-Sized Graphics
Corrupt
Techniques in Evidence Presentations: Effects Without Causes, Cherry-Picking,
Punning, Chartjunk
Discussion Forum on Tufte's Work and Related Topics:
The "ASK ET" Discussion Forum (ongoing)
"Classics" -- recommended by Tufte:
Stephen J. Gould,
"The Median
Isn't the Message" (first published in Discover Magazine,
June 1985)
Austin Bradford Hill (1965),
“The
Environment and Disease: Association or Causation? Proceedings
of the Royal Society of Medicine, v. 58, pp. 295-300.
Frederick Mosteller (1980).
"Classroom and Platform Performance" The American Statistician,
v.34 pp 11-17.
John W. Tukey (1972)
"Some
Graphic and Semigraphic Displays" in T.A. Bancroft, ed., Statistical
Papers in Honor of George W. Snedecor, The Iowa State University Press
(Ames, Iowa), pp. 293-316
Other
Readings, Articles, Discussion, Opinion Pieces, etc.
(more to be added as the semester progresses)
An
Interview with Edward Tufte (1995) originally from Computer Literacy
Bookshops, Inc.
[pdf version]
"Tufte on Visualizing Information" (1997) by Eugene Eric Kim (a
description of one of Tufte's one-day courses)
[pdf
version]
Does PowerPoint make you stupid? (2004) by Tad Simmons,
editor-in-chief of Presentations magazine posted on
Presentations.com [pdf
version]
Tufte doesn't hate PowerPoint, he hates the culture that surrounds it
(2004) by Tad Simmons
[pdf version]
GRADING CRITERIA:
Your grade will be based on successful completion of the
following activities, with emphasis distributed as indicated. A grading rubric
will be distributed to that you will know what level of performance is
expected for (a), (b) and (c).
|
CLASS ACTIVITIES & ASSIGNMENTS |
% of Grade |
|
(a) Active & regular participation in each class
discussion |
20% |
|
(b) Leading &
facilitating one class discussion session (in student pairs) |
30% |
|
(c) Mini
Project: Visualization & presentation of one aspect of your
research w/ self-critique |
50 % |
OTHER COURSE GUIDELINES & POLICIES
Attendance:
Required -- especially since we will meet only once a week or every other
week. If unavoidable problems require you to miss a class,
arrangements can be made to make-up one absence.
- All holidays or special events observed by organized religions will be
honored for those students who show affiliation with that particular
religion,
- Absences pre-approved by the UA Dean of Students (or Dean's designee)
will be honored.
Academic
Integrity:
A synopsis of the University of Arizona's Code of Academic Integrity can be
found at:
http://dos.web.arizona.edu/uapolicies/ You are responsible
for knowing it, understanding it, and adhering to it.
Contacting me:
Office Hours (TBA)
will be available and you are encouraged to visit me during them. You
may also contact me via email to set up a separate appointment outside
office hours..