Urban Informatics: Using Big Data to Understand and Serve Communities

Session Submission Type: Author Meets Critic

Abstract/Description

Urban Informatics places a unique focus on community phenomena and concerns—including but not limited to crime and public safety—as it presents the tools of data management, analysis, and manipulation using R statistical software. It stands out from other methods textbooks in its pedagogical approach, which consists of: chapters rooted in real-world illustrations; Exploratory Data Assignments that prompt readers to practice their new skills on data sets and subjects of their choice; and Community Experience Assignments that challenge readers to evaluate the assumptions they have made about their data against real-world information. In sum, the book merges the technical and conceptual skills necessary to become thoroughly acquainted with the contents of a novel data set, create custom measures, generate original insights, and communicate them to others both textually and visually—all in service of information that can help us to better understand and serve communities.

Sub Unit

• Area XVI. Author Meets Critics

Author

• Daniel O'Brien, Northeastern University

Critics

• Christopher R. Browning, Ohio State University

• Corina Graif, Pennsylvania State University

• Caterina Roman, Temple University