SI 755 / COMM 840.002 -- Winter 2018
Prof. Sandvig, University of Michigan
http://755.niftyc.org/

 

Announcements

 

About the Class

Instructor

Prof. Christian Sandvig
csandvig@umich.edu
734/763-0861
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~csandvig/
Office: 5385 North Quad OR 4244 ISR Thompson
My most frequently-checked physical mailbox is in the Communication Studies 5th floor mailbox room (5334 North Quad)
Office Hours: 3:00-4:00 p.m. Wednesdays and by appointment

Course Description

Any traditional research method was once unorthodox. While many are prone to think about methods as boring tools (or even as a necessary but unpleasant step on the road to results), every boring method was once daring and controversial. This seminar will cover challenging developments in both qualitative and quantitative research methods, including perspectives from the humanities, social sciences, art, design, and engineering. It will address the question of how new research methods are invented, applied, transferred between problems and disciplines, and formalized. The overall focus of the course will be research design, rather than learning the procedures of a single method. In addition, we will spend some time trying to think creatively about possible new methods and research designs. Readings are split between "classics" and recent innovations. In discussion of recent methodological trends, particular attention will be paid to Internet / digital / new media research, algorithm studies, new digital sources of data ("big data" or "computational social science"), spatial / geographic methods, visualization as a research method, activism in/as research methods, and unobtrusive methods. The primary goal of the seminar is to encourage people who want to find things out -- whether using new or old methods -- to see their research method as a creative act.

Learning Objectives

Course Credit

Class Requirements

Students will be responsible for a seminar paper proposal and a research paper of about 25 pages. In addition, there will be short weekly assignments or "questions" due at the beginning of each class meeting when reading is assigned. These will be read and discussed in class but not graded. All assignments will be turned in electronically. No late work! No incompletes!

The weekly questions will probably follow this pattern:

4 short responses to questions about methods
4 research designs
1 proposal for a new measure or statistic
2 ideas for new visualizations
1 item of curricular material about methods

Required Books

There ARE required books. Other readings will be distributed electronically. You can buy the required books anywhere you'd like. For example, if you buy them new from amazon.com they can be returned for a full refund within 30 days, and if you sign up for "Amazon Prime Student" two-day shipping is free. Most of these books are also widely available as discounted used books, as textbook rentals, and at the library. I did not list our books at the bookstore because we will decide some of them collectively on the first day of class, and this is past the bookstore deadline.

A quick word about buying the books: As befits the topic of the class some of them are unorthodox. A librarian and fan of the Lesy book commented, "I can't believe this is an assigned reading for a course!" I know the Webb book is not cheap and the Lesy book is strange but I think you will find them worthwhile.

  1. Unobtrusive Measures
    by Eugene J. Webb, Donald T. Campbell, Richard D. Schwartz, Lee Sechrest
    Sage, 1999
    (revised edition)
    [buy from amazon.com] [buy from alibris]
  2. Wisconsin Death Trip
    by Michael Lesy
    University of New Mexico Press, 2000
    (new edition)
    [buy from amazon.com] [buy from alibris]
  3. Watch this space! Additional required books will be decided collectively during the first class meeting, and announced here shortly after that.

Other Readings

Additional readings are available online. These are either free on the Web or use password-protected links to PDFs. These password-protected links lead to the reading folder in Canvas. You do not need to use Canvas to access these readings -- it is easiest to navigate to them by clicking on the links on this page.

Recommended Books

These books are recommended in the sense that every doctoral student working in a research tradition of the social sciences and humanities should own them already. If you don't own them, you should buy them! They are highly recommended.

  1. Writing for Social Scientists: How to Start and Finish Your Thesis, Book, or Article
    by Howard S. Becker & Pamela Richards.
    University of Chicago Press, 2007. (any edition is fine.)
    (Note that although the phrase "social scientist" is in the title of the book, this book is equally relevant to any researcher from the social sciences or humanities even if they don't identify with the phrase "social scientist".)
    [Buy from amazon.com] [Buy from alibris]
  2. The Elements of Style
    by William Strunk, Jr. & E. B. White.
    New York: Longman, 2000.
    (I like the fourth edition, but any edition is fine except for the 1920 or 2011 "Original Edition" that does not include E. B. White. Be sure it has E. B. White. If it has Kalman as a co-author too, I think that is OK -- this just means it is the illustrated edition.)
    [Buy from amazon.com] [Buy from alibris]

Schedule

These dates and readings will be adjusted to reflect a student interest survey and our progress (or lack of it). This means that you should check the class Web site regularly for updates.

 

Part I: An Overview of Orthodoxy and Research Methods

3 Jan (Wed): Introductions, Syllabus Design Session

  • The syllabus is this page. Please carefully read the syllabus.

10 Jan (Wed): The Fundamentals: Methods, Instruments, and Orthodoxy

  • Post your answer to the weekly question to the Canvas forum at least one hour before class begins.
  • Sandvig, C. & Hargittai, E. (2015). How to Think about Digital Research. In: E. Hargittai & C. Sandvig (eds.) Digital Research Confidential: The Secrets of Studying Behavior Online (read ch. 1). Cambridge: MIT Press. (on Canvas -- I put the whole book up; it's alphabetized by book editor so look under H for Hargittai)
  • Popper, Karl. (1963) Conjectures and Refutations, London: Routledge and Keagan Paul. (read only pp. 33-39, Science as Falsification) (on Canvas)
  • Feyerabend, Paul. (1975). Against Method: Outline of an Anarchistic Theory of Knowledge. Humanities Press. (on Canvas)
  • Pajares, Frank. (n.d.) The Structure of Scientific Revolutions by Thomas S. Kuhn: A Synopsis. The Philosopher's Magazine. (on Canvas)
  • Bird, Alexander. (2004). Thomas Kuhn. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Stanford, California: Metaphysics Research Laboratory. (Web reading: read the section "Kuhn and Social Science") http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/thomas-kuhn/#6.3
  • de Solla Price, Derek J. (1986). Little Science, Big Science... and Beyond. New York: Columbia University Press. (read the chapter: "Of Sealing Wax and String") (on Canvas)
  • Forscher, Bernard K. (1963). Chaos in the Brickyard. Science 142(3590): 339. (on Canvas)
  • a roundup of #overlyhonestmethods on Twitter (collected by the instructor).

Part II: Case Studies of Unorthodox Research Methods

17 Jan (Wed): Interestingness, Publication Bias, The Decline Effect, and the Crisis of Confidence in Significance Testing
(includes: The Bem E.S.P. Study)

  • Post your answer to the weekly question to the Canvas forum before class begins.
  • Davis, Murray S. (1971). That's Interesting! Towards a Phenomenology of Sociology and a Sociology of Phenomenology. Philosophy of Social Science 1: 309-344. (on Canvas)
  • Hacking, Ian. (1990). The Taming of Chance. New York: Cambridge University Press. (Read Ch. 1, The Argument [pp. 1-7]). (on Canvas) (This PDF is intentionally truncated.)
  • Hacking, Ian. (1990). The Taming of Chance. New York: Cambridge University Press. (Read Outline of Other Chapters). (on Canvas)
  • Sterne, Jonathan A. C. & Smith, George Davey. (2001). Sifting the Evidence: What's Wrong with Significance Tests? British Medical Journal 322: 226-231. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1119478/pdf/226.pdf (assumes some familiarity with statistical methods -- just stick the to text and do the best you can.)
  • Ioannidis, John P. A. (2005). Why Most Published Research Findings Are False. PLoS Medicine 2(8): 696-701. http://www.plosmedicine.org/article/fetchObjectAttachment.action?uri=inf... (assumes familiarity with statistical methods -- if you don't have that, just stick the to text and do the best you can.)
  • Open Science Collaboration, The. (2015). Estimating the Reproducibility of Psychological Science. Science 349(6251): 943, aac4716-1 to aac4716-8.
  • Gonzales, J. E. & Cunningham C. A. (2015, August). The Promise of Pre-Registration in Psychological Research. Psychological Science Agenda. http://www.apa.org/science/about/psa/2015/08/pre-registration.aspx
  • Please browse / glance through https://www.socialscienceregistry.org/
  • Optional:
    • If you don't know what Bayesian means, and you would like to: Jackman, Simon. (2009). Bayesian Analysis for the Social Sciences. Wiley-Blackwell: New York. (Excerpts.) (on Canvas) (does not require statistical training, I think)
    • Bem, D. J. (2011). Feeling the Future: Experimental Evidence for Anomalous Retroactive Influences on Cognition and Affect. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 100 (3): 407-425. (on Canvas)
    • Wagenmakers, E.-J., Wetzels, R., Borsboom, D., and van der Maas, H. L. J. (2011). Why Psychologists Must Change the Way They Analyze Their Data: The Case of Psi: Comment on Bem (2011). Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 100 (3): 426–432. (on Canvas)
    • McCloskey, Donald N. (1986). Why Economic Historians Should Stop Relying on Statistical Tests of Significance, and Lead Economists and Historians Into the Promised Land. Newsletter of the Cliometrics Society 2(2). http://www.deirdremccloskey.org/docs/pdf/Article_180.pdf (probably worth reading for attitude alone)

24 Jan (Wed): Unusual Archives, Database Subtraction, Visual Argument
(includes: the case of Michael Lesy's dissertation)

  • Post your answer to the weekly question to the Canvas forum before class begins.
  • Read Wisconsin Death Trip. (all of it).
  • Paglen, Trevor. (2007). Unmarked Planes and Hidden Geographies. Vectors: Journal of Culture and Technology in a Dynamic Vernacular 2(2). Read: Editor's Introduction, browse the interactive project itself (including planes, bases, movements, flight procedures), Author's Statement, Designer's Statement, Peer Response.
  • Ankerson, Megan S. (forthcoming). Read/Write the Digital Archive: Strategies for Historical Web Research. In: E. Hargittai & C. Sandvig (eds.) Digital Research Confidential: The Secrets of Studying Behavior Online (ch. 2, pp. TBD). Cambridge: MIT Press. (on Canvas -- alphabetized under Hargittai for the book editor)
  • Zongker, Doug. (2006). Chicken Chicken Chicken: Chicken Chicken. Annals of Improbable Research 12(5): 16-21. (on Canvas) (Yes, it's a joke.)
  • Optional / also discussed in class:
    • Paglen, Trevor. (2008). I Could Tell You But Then You Would Have to be Destroyed By Me. New York: Melville House.
    • You can browse The Charles Van Schaick Archive of the Wisconsin Historical Society (the source material for Lesy, above): http://www.flickr.com/photos/whsimages/sets/72157602476458793/
    • An Interview with Michael Lesy -- http://www.identitytheory.com/michael-lesy/
    • Berger, John & Mohr, Jean. (1997). A Fortunate Man: The Story of a Country Doctor. New York: Vintage.
    • Berger, John & Mohr, Jean. (2010). A Seventh Man: A Book of Images and Words about the Experience of Migrant Workers in Europe (new ed.) New York: Verso.

31 Jan (Wed): NO CLASS (Instructor Absence)

  • This meeting time will be made up with other activities as discussed in class. Feel free to start next week's readings early.

7 Feb (Wed): Social Justice, Activism, and Method
(includes: the case of Eric Michaels)

14 Feb (Wed) (Valentine's Day): Auditing, Reverse Engineering, and Correspondence Studies

21 Feb (Wed): Visualization as Method

28 Feb (Wed): NO CLASS

  • Spring Break

7 Mar (Wed): Unobtrusive Methods, Crowdsourcing
(includes: the Humphreys Tearoom Trade controversy. a.k.a. "public bathroom week")

  • Post your answer to the weekly question to the Canvas forum before class begins.
  • Read Webb et al. book Ch. 2-5 and Ch. 8-9 (Approximations to Knowledge, Physical Traces: Erosion and Accretion, Archives I: The Running Record, Archives II: The Episodic and Private Record, and Simple Observation, A Statistician on Method, and Cardinal Newman's Epitaph.).
  • Roth, Julius A. (1966). Hired Hand Research. American Sociologist 1(4): 190-196. Read only only the preface.
  • Optional / also discussed in class:
    • Shaw, A. (forthcoming). Hired Hands and Dubious Guesses: Adventures in Crowdsourced Data Collection. In: E. Hargittai & C. Sandvig (eds.) Digital Research Confidential: The Secrets of Studying Behavior Online (ch. 7, pp. TBD). Cambridge: MIT Press. (on Canvas)
    • The complete Roth article from this week.
    • Ch. 6 ("Contrived Observation") in Webb et al. may also be interesting.
    • Confessions of a mental health research interviewer: This American Life #37: The Job That Takes Over Your Life: Act One, The Test
    • Humphreys, Laud. (1970). Tearoom trade: a study of homosexual encounters in public places. New York: Duckworth. (Documents from the controversy are On Canvas -- see: Humphreys Ch. 2, Hoffman, Glazer, and Humphreys -- Retrospect.)
    • Middlemist, R. D., Knowles, E. S. & Matter, C.F. (1976). Personal Space Invasions in the Lavatory: Suggestive Evidence for Arousal. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 33 (5), 541-546.

14 Mar (Wed): Methodology and the Nonhuman Turn
(includes: performative experiments, multispecies ethnography, algorithmic ethnomethods. a.k.a. "the weirdest week")

  • Post your answer to the weekly question to the Canvas forum before class begins.
  • Vertesi, J. (2015). Seeing like a Rover. Chicago: University of Chicago Press. (Ch. 6: Visualization, Embodiment, and Social Order). (On canvas.)
  • Bogost, I. (2012). Alien Phenomenology: or, What It's Like to Be a Thing. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press. (Ch. 3: Metaphorism, and Ch. 4: Carpentry -- N.B.: "OOO" stands for Object-Oriented Ontology -- On canvas.)
  • Latour, B. (1996) Aramis, Or: The Love of Technology. (C. Porter, trans.) Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Excerpts. (Excerpts -- OK to skim this! -- On canvas.)
  • Kirksey, S. E. (2010). The Emergence of Multispecies Ethnography. Cultural Anthropology 25(4): 545-576. (On canvas.)
  • Kirksey, S. E., Hannah, D., Lotterman, C., Moore, L. G. (2016). The Xenopus Pregnancy Test: A Performative Experiment. Environmental Humanities 8(1): 37-56. https://read.dukeupress.edu/environmental-humanities/article/8/1/37/61689/The-Xenopus-Pregnancy-TestA-Performative
  • Data Walking (Website). http://www.datawalking.org/ (Read: Home page, Roles, Case Studies [all 3]).
  • Ziewitz, M. (2017). A not quite random walk: Experimenting with the ethnomethods of the algorithm. Big Data & Society 4(2): 1-13. (On canvas.)
  • Leahu, L. & Sengers, P. (2015). Freaky: Collaborative Enactments of Emotion. CSCW'15 Companion https://feministcscw2015.files.wordpress.com/2015/01/csde104-leahu.pdf
  • Pencil, Murdock. (1976). Salt Passage Research: The State of the Art. Journal of Communication 26 (4): 31-36. (On canvas.)
  • Optional / Also discussed in class:
    • Galloway, A. R. (2014). The Cybernetic Hypothesis. differences 25(1): 107-131. (On canvas.)
    • Dobson, K. (2004). Blendie. Proceedings of the 5th ACM conference on Designing interactive systems (DIS'04) Exhibits: 309. (On canvas.)
    • Dobson, K. (2005). Wearable body organs: critical cognition becomes (again) somatic. Proceedings of the 5th ACM conference on Creativity & cognition (C&C'05): 259-262. (On canvas.)

21 Mar (Wed): Emerging Controversies in Big Data and Computational Social Science
(includes: The Google Flu Trends controversy, "Social Credit" citizen scoring, "Culturnomics")

  • Post your answer to the weekly question to the Canvas forum before class begins.
  • Anderson, C. (2008, June 23). The End of Theory: The Data Deluge Makes the Scientific Method Obsolete. Wired. (On canvas.)
  • Michel, J.-B., Shen, Y. K., Aiden, A. P., Veres, A., Gray, M. K., The Google Books Team, Pickett, J. P., Hoiberg, D., Clancy, D., Norvig, P., Orwant, J., Pinker, S., Nowak, M. K., & Aiden, E. L. (2010). Quantitative Analysis of Culture Using Millions of Digitized Books. Science. (On canvas.)
  • Mercator Institute for China Studies, The. (2017, September 15). Shazeda Ahmed on China’s Social Credit System. MERICS Experts Series Podcast #41.(https://www.merics.org/en/podcast/shazeda-ahmed-chinas-social-credit-system (~16 min.)
  • Ginsberg, J., Mohebbi, M. H., Patel, R. S., Brammer, L., Smolinski, M. S., & Brilliant, L. (2009). Detecting influenza epidemics using search engine query data. Nature 457(7232): 1012–1014. (On canvas.)
  • Lazer, D., Kennedy, R., King, G., & Vespignani, A. (2014). The Parable of Google Flu: Traps in Big Data Analysis. Science 343: 1203-1205. https://gking.harvard.edu/files/gking/files/0314policyforumff.pdf
  • Plantin, J.-C., Lagoze, C., Edwards, P. N., & Sandvig, C. (2017). Big data is not about size: when data transform scholarship. In: Clément Mabi, Jean-Christophe Plantin, & Laurence Monnoyer-Smith (eds.), Open, Share, Reuse: Critical views on digital data / Ouvrir, Partager, Réutiliser: Regards critiques sur les données numériques. Paris: Éditions de la Maison des sciences de l’homme. (online open access as a Web page) https://books.openedition.org/editionsmsh/9103
  • Hardt, M. (2014). How Big Data is Unfair. Medium. (Excerpts as marked -- On canvas.)
  • Wallach, H. (2014). Big Data, Machine Learning, and the Social Sciences. Presentation to the workshop "Fairness, Accountability, and Transparency in Machine Larning" (FAT-ML) at the Annual Conference on Neural Information Processing Systems (NIPS). (Excerpts as marked -- On canvas.)
  • van Nostrand, M., Riemenschneider, J. & Nicodemo, L. (2017). Uromycitisis Poisoning Results in Lower Urinary Tract Infection and Acute Renal Failure: Case Report. Urology & Nephrology Open Access. (Skim / glance at only. Note: This article is a joke. It is not true. It was published by a predatory journal in a sting operation.) (On canvas.)
  • Optional / also discussed in class:

28 Mar (Wed): New Methods, New Ethics
(includes: the Common Rule, the Facebook Emotional Contagion Study)

4 Apr (Wed): The Space / Place / Maps / Geo Revolution

11 Apr (Wed): Online / Virtual / VR / Cyber / Internet Ethnography

  • Post your answer to the weekly question to the Canvas forum before class begins.
  • Boellstorff, T., Nardi, B., Pearce, C., Taylor, T. L., & Marcus, G. E. (2012). Ethnography and Virtual Worlds: A Handbook of Method. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. (read ONLY Section 2.1 "A Brief History of Ethnographic Methods" PDF pp. 13-22. and Section 3.0 ["Ten Myths About Ethnography"] through the end of Section 3.6 "Ethnography is Writing About Your Personal Experience" pp. 29-45 -- On canvas.)
  • Hine, C. (2017). "Ethnographies of Online Communities and Social Media: Modes, Varieties, Affordances." In: N. G. Fielding, R. M. Lee, & G. Blank (eds.), The SAGE Handbook of Online Research Methods, (pp. 401-415) Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. (On canvas.).
  • Boellstorff, T. (2008). Coming of Age in Second Life: An Anthropologist Explores the Virtually Human. Princeton University Press. (Read ONLY Ch. 1: "The Subject and Scope of this Inquiry" and Ch. 9: "The Virtual" -- On canvas.)
  • Law, T. & Mott, J. "VR for Greater Ethnographic Immersion." (Blog post.) https://bammglobal.com/vr-for-greater-ethnographic-immersion/
  • Backe, E. L. (2016). "A Review of Virtual Reality Ethnographic Film, or: How We've Always been Creating Virtual Reality." The Geek Anthropologist. (Blog post.) https://thegeekanthropologist.com/2016/11/17/a-review-of-virtual-reality-ethnographic-film-or-how-weve-always-been-creating-virtual-reality/
  • Miner, H. (1956). Body Ritual Among the Nacirema. American Anthropologist (Note: this is not real.) (On canvas.)
  • Optional / also discussed in class:
    • Suchman, L. A. (2006). Human-Machine Reconfigurations: Plans and Situated Actions. (2nd. ed.) Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. (On canvas.).
    • Horst, H. A., & Miller, D. (eds.) (2018). Digital Anthropology, 0th Edition. London: Bloomsbury. (See esp. Ch. 1.) (On canvas).
    • Huhtamo, E., & Parikka, J. (eds.) (2012). Media Archaeology. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. (read ONLY ch. 1: "An Archaeology of Media Archaeology" -- On canvas.).
  • "Ethnographic" 360 VR examples discussed: (YouTube 360 or 360+3D unless noted.)

18 Apr (Wed): How to Teach Research Methods / BONUS: Unusual Dissertation Formats

  • No weekly question today -- work on your final paper!
  • This is a make-up session to replace 31 Jan, as discussed in class. LOCATION CHANGE: We will meet at the location given in e-mail.
  • Eison, J. (2002). Teaching Strategies for the Twenty-First Century. In: R. M. Diamond (ed.), Field Guide to Academic Leadership. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. (read this excerpt)
  • Optional but recommended:
  • Unorthodox dissertation format examples discussed in class:
    • Dixon, D. E. (2014). Endless Question: Youth Becomings and the Anti-Crisis of Kids in Global Japan. Doctoral Dissertation submitted for the Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology, Duke University. (Interactive online dissertation written in Scalar): http://scalar.usc.edu/students/endlessquestion/index.
    • Stewart, P. R. R. (2015). Indigenous Architecture through Indigenous Knowledge : Dim sagalts’apkw nisim̓. Doctoral Dissertation submitted for the Ph.D. in Architecture, University of British Columbia. (The author of this dissertation was quoted in the press as saying, "There's nothing in the rules about formats or punctuation.") (On canvas).
    • Sousanis, W. N. (2014). Unflattening: A visual-verbal inquiry into learning in many dimensions. Doctoral Dissertation submitted for the Ed.D. in Education, Columbia University. (This dissertation was submitted as a graphic novel.) (On canvas).
    • Visconti, A. (2015). "How Can You Love a Work If You Don't Know It?": Critical Code and Design Toward Participatory Digital Editions. Doctoral Dissertation submitted for the Ph.D. in English, University of Maryland, College Park. (This dissertation was submitted as a Web site.) http://dissertation.amandavisconti.com/
    • Boese, C. (1998). The Ballad of the Internet Nutball: Chaining Rhetorical Visions from the Margins of the Margins to the Mainstream in the Xenaverse. Doctoral dissertation submitted for the Ph.D. in Rhetoric and Communication, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. (This dissertation was originally submitted as a CD-ROM.) http://www.nutball.com/dissertation/.
    • Carson, A. D. (2017). Owning My Masters: The Rhetorics of Rhymes and Revolutions. Doctoral Dissertation submitted for the Ph.D. in rhetorics, communication, and information design. (This dissertation is a rap album.) https://genius.com/Ad-carson-dissertation-part-1-the-introduction-lyrics.

20 Apr (Fri): Final paper due

Final paper due at 10:30 a.m.
This is the scheduled final exam period for this course according to the registrar's office. Submitting the paper will count as the final examination for this seminar; there is no other final examination. Submit your paper via e-mail to the instructor.

Class Policies

Our Discussions

This seminar practices the "Guidelines for Dialogue" developed by students and faculty from the University of Michigan Program on Intergroup Relations. That means that we will do our best to:

  1. Maintain confidentiality. We want to create an atmosphere for open, honest exchange.
  2. Commit to learning from each other. We will listen to other and not talk at each other. We acknowledge differences among us in backgrounds, skills, interests, identities and values. We realize that it is these very differences that will increase our awareness and understanding through this process.
  3. Not demean, devalue, or "put down" people for their experiences, lack of experiences, or difference in interpretation of those experiences.
  4. Trust that people are always doing the best they can. We will give each other the benefit of the doubt. We will assume we are all trying our hardest and that our intentions are good even when the impact is not.
  5. Challenge the idea and not the person. If we wish to challenge something that has been said, we will challenge the idea or the practice referred to, not the individual sharing this idea or practice.
  6. Speak our discomfort. If something is bothering us, we will share this with the group. Often our emotional reactions to this process offer the most valuable learning opportunities.
  7. Step Up, Step Back. We will be mindful of taking up much more space than others. On the same note, empower ourselves to speak up when others are dominating the conversation.
  8. Not to freeze people in time. We are all works in progress. We will be willing to change and make space for others to do so. Therefore we will not assume that one comment or one opinion made at one time captures the whole of a person's character.

--The Program on Intergroup Relations, University of Michigan, 2012

Academic Integrity

Unless otherwise specified in an assignment all submitted work must be your own, original work. Any excerpts, statements, or phrases from the work of others must be clearly identified as a quotation, and a proper citation provided. Any violation of the School of Information's policy on Academic and Professional Integrity (stated in the Master’s and Doctoral Student Handbooks) will result in serious penalties, which might range from failing an assignment, to failing a course, to being expelled from the program. Violations of academic and professional integrity will be reported. Consequences impacting assignment or course grades are determined by the faculty instructor; additional sanctions may be imposed by the Assistant Dean for Academic and Student Affairs.

Accommodations for Students with Disabilities

If you think you need an accommodation for a disability, please let me know at your earliest convenience. Some aspects of this course, the assignments, the in-class activities, and the way we teach may be modified to facilitate your participation and progress. As soon as you make me aware of your needs, we can work with the Office of Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD) to help us determine appropriate accommodations. SSD (734-763-3000; http://ssd.umich.edu/) typically recommends accommodations through a Verified Individualized Services and Accommodations (VISA) form. I will treat any information that you provide in as confidential a manner as possible.

Student Mental Health and Wellbeing

The University of Michigan is committed to advancing the mental health and wellbeing of its students. If you or someone you know is feeling overwhelmed, depressed, and/or in need of support, services are available. For help, contact Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) at (734) 764-8312 and https://caps.umich.edu/ during and after hours, on weekends and holidays, or through its counselors physically located in schools on both North and Central Campus. You may also consult University Health Service (UHS) at (734) 764-8320 and , or for alcohol or drug concerns, see http://www.uhs.umich.edu/aodresources. For a listing of other mental health resources available on and off campus, visit: http://umich.edu/~mhealth/

 

(tl;dr)