Class Time: Tuesdays 5:30-8PM1 All times and dates in the syllabus and other course material correspond to Tallahassee’s Eastern Time Zone
Class Location: HCB 0219 (second floor)
During class meetings, students are expected to wear face masks. The instructor and TA will do the same.
Instructor: Matthew Pietryka (you can call me Matt)
Pronouns: he/him
Email: mpietryka@fsu.edu
Office: BEL 561
Office Hours: I have wide availability each Tuesday. You may schedule a virtual meeting using this link: calendly.com/pietryka/office-hours. If you prefer to meet in person, just send me an email with your preferred times.
TA: Juan David Irigoyen Borunda (you can call him David)
Pronouns: he/him
Email: jirigoyen@fsu.edu
Office Hours: David is available to meet virtually Monday and Thursday evenings. You may schedule a virtual meeting using this link: calendly.com/jdirigoyen/office-hours.
All data work in this course will be done using the free, open-source R programming language. The political science department has generously purchased our class a semester-long license to use RStudio Cloud, a web-based R interface. By uploading your data and scripts to their servers, you will be able to share your work with me. I will be able to run the same code as you and get the same results. We will also rely heavily on DataCamp, an online code academy, which is also free to students in this class.
In this class, the DataCamp assignments will take the place of required textbooks. In addition, the schedule lists several required readings and many suggested readings. All readings are available free online. All students must complete the required readings and students who want to get the most from the course should also complete the suggested readings. Likewise, students who struggle with the DataCamp assignments or in-class workshops should consult the suggested readings for help.
Campaigns run on data.2 Though I focus on electoral campaigns, virtually every step in policy-making requires data. Feel free to replace the word campaigns with legislators, lobbying firms, policy advocates, or part of the policy process you are interested in Therefore, successful campaigns need people who know how to use data judiciously. The purpose of this course is to help you fill that role for your current or future employer. Specifically, by the end of the semester, students should know how to:
R programmingTo accomplish goals 2-6, students will use the statistical software and programming language, R. To accomplish goals 3-7, students will also learn (or relearn) some basic research design and statistical skills.
Ultimately, students will not walk away from this class as master programmers or statisticians. But they will be able to credibly signal to prospective employers that you are proficient in the R programming language. More importantly, the course will make students better able to learn additional data management and analysis skills on their own.
Students who are successful in the course will be able to demonstrate the following following skills, taken verbatim from real job ads3 Source Ads: Data science, The Messina Group, Energy Campaigns Analyst, Sierra Club,Research Associate, WPA Intelligence, Data science, WPA Intelligence:
R rather than the other software and programming languages listed in these quotes like Tableau, Python, or SQL.R statistical packages and other tools”R and SQL”If these careers look interesting to you, consider subscribing to the POLMETH listserv and watch for jobs posted to Progressive Data Jobs.5 I’m still looking for a centralized source for conservative-oriented data jobs so please let me know if you are aware of any.
The course has no formal prerequisites. But success in this course requires a single, substantial informal prerequisite: motivation. To learn a programming language and develop enough analytically skills to apply the language, students must be prepared to invest significant time, effort, and patience.
Students’ cumulative percentage in this course will be calculated based on four assessments:
\[\begin{align} \text{Cumulative Percentage} &= \\ & \text{Programming Workshops} \times 0.25 \\ &+ \text{DataCamp Assignments} \times 0.25 \\ &+ \text{Midterm Project} \times 0.25 \\ &+ \text{Final Project} \times 0.25 \end{align}\]
Each of these assessments is described briefly below.6 More details about each will be provided in class and on Canvas as the semester progresses.
At the end of the semester, your cumulative percentage will be converted to a final letter grade according to the standard table:
| Final Grade | A | A- | B+ | B | B- | C+ | C | C- | D+ | D | D- | F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percentage | 93-100% | 90-92 | 87-89 | 83-86 | 80-82 | 77-79 | 73-76 | 70-72 | 67-69 | 63-66 | 60-62 | 00-59 |
The best way to learn a language is to use it. So most classes will include a project that requires you to use R. Students are welcome to work together on these workshops, but each student must turn in their own answers and list the students they worked with on the submission. The workshops will begin in class each Tuesday and will be due two days later (before 11:59PM). Students can still complete the workshops if they miss class, but they will lose the opportunity to receive help in class. Each workshop submission is graded on a three point scale: A \(\checkmark+\) indicates 100% success on the submission and receives 100% in the gradebook. A \(\checkmark\) indicates 80-99% success and receives 95% in the gradebook. A \(\checkmark-\) indicates less than 80% success and receives 50% in the gradebook. Unsubmitted workshops receive 0%.
Most weeks will require students to complete one or more DataCamp assignments. Each assignment will be graded on a pass/fail basis; if you complete it, you will receive full credit. Each student may use a few Take Hint and Show Answer options each chapter without penalty. Please do not overuse these features.
Students will complete two projects that apply the skills we have learned to a problem they choose. These projects include a final written report along with several preliminary activities including a 10-minute presentation to the rest of the class.
The week-by-week schedule can be found here.
A typical week follows this structure…
A typical class meeting includes these three elements…
All questions or comments that might be of interest to other students should be posted to one of three course discussion boards:
R programming here.For questions of a personal nature (e.g., medical issues) please contact me via email.
We will communicate with students in this class in three ways:
my.fsu.edu email addresses. Therefore, you must check your my.fsu.edu email on a daily basis.Students are responsible for ensuring that they receive these communications. When a reply is required, students are expected to do so within 24 hours, excepting weekends and holidays.
To ensure you do not miss important information, please follow the steps at this link
I am happy to modify due dates as long as you receive my permission prior to the original deadline. If circumstances make it impossible to receive advanced permission, please reach out to explain these circumstances.
When you email me to request an extension, please propose a new due date that works better for your needs. I will grant extensions wherever it is feasible for me to do so—as long as you complete most course assignments on time and are otherwise keeping up with the course material.
Late work is not accepted in this course, unless you receive my permission prior to the deadline.
In this class, consistent with state law and university policy, you may not make recordings of classroom activities without the permission of the instructor. This policy applies to both audio and video recordings.
I will try to record all lecture material and post the recordings to the course Canvas. Only the lecture portion of the class will be recorded. These recordings are only for the students in this class. Sharing, posting, or publishing classroom recordings may subject you to honor code violations and legal penalties associated with theft of intellectual property and violations of other state law. If I forget to post a recording, please email me.
Excused absences include documented illness, deaths in the family and other documented crises, call to active military duty or jury duty, religious holy days, and official University activities. These absences will be accommodated in a way that does not arbitrarily penalize students who have a valid excuse. Consideration will also be given to students whose dependent children experience serious illness.
Please note: Because students who test positive for COVID-19 are required to self-isolate for ten (10) days, positive COVID-19 test results, required isolation orders, or documentation of contact tracing should all be considered valid documentation for missing class.
The Florida State University Academic Honor Policy outlines the University’s expectations for the integrity of students’ academic work, the procedures for resolving alleged violations of those expectations, and the rights and responsibilities of students and faculty members throughout the process. Students are responsible for reading the Academic Honor Policy and for living up to their pledge to “…be honest and truthful and… [to] strive for personal and institutional integrity at Florida State University.” (For more details see the FSU Academic Honor Policy and procedures for addressing alleged violations.)
Your academic success is a top priority for Florida State University. University resources to help you succeed include tutoring centers, computer labs, counseling and health services, and services for designated groups, such as veterans and students with disabilities. The following information is not exhaustive, so please check with your advisor or the Dean of Students office to learn more.
Please use this step-by-step guide to resolving academic problems to begin the process of communicating with your instructor to resolve any confusion or difficulty you may be having in the course. Detailed information on FSU’s grievance procedure, including special instructions for students enrolled in an FSU branch campus, is maintained on the General Bulletin’s Academic Integrity & Grievances webpage. Out-of-state distance learning students should review the Office of Distance Learning Complaint Resolution page for additional procedures.
Florida State University (FSU) values diversity and inclusion; we are committed to a climate of mutual respect and full participation. Our goal is to create learning environments that are usable, equitable, inclusive, and welcoming. FSU is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for all persons with disabilities in a manner that is consistent with academic standards of the course while empowering the student to meet integral requirements of the course.
To receive academic accommodations, a student:
Please note that instructors are not allowed to provide classroom accommodations to a student until appropriate verification from the Office of Accessibility Services has been provided.
This syllabus and other class materials are available in alternative format upon request.
For more information about services available to FSU students with disabilities, contact the
Office of Accessibility Services (Tallahassee Campus) 874 Traditions Way 108 Student Services Building Florida State University Tallahassee, FL 32306-4167 (850) 644-9566 (voice) (850) 644-8504 (TDD) oas@fsu.edu https://dsst.fsu.edu/oas
Student Accessibility Services (Panama City Campus) Office of Student Affairs 4750 Collegiate Drive 2nd Floor Barron Building (Room 215) Florida State University Panama City Panama City, FL 32405 (850) 770-2172 (office) (866) 693-7872 (toll free) Email: sds@pc.fsu.edu https://pc.fsu.edu/students/student-affairs/sas
Various centers and programs are available to assist students with navigating stressors that might impact academic success. These include the following: Victim Advocate Program University Center A, Room 4100, (850) 644-7161, Available 24/7/365, Office Hours: Monday-Friday 8am-5pm https://dsst.fsu.edu/vap
Counseling & Psychological Services (Tallahassee Campus) Askew Student Life Center, 2nd Floor
942 Learning Way (850) 644-8255 / (850) 644-TALK https://counseling.fsu.edu/
FSU PC Counseling Center (Panama City Campus) Kathleen Duval, LCSW Barron Building, Room 303 (850) 770-2174 (office) (850) 832-3594 (cell) https://pc.fsu.edu/students/student-affairs/counseling-services
University Health Services Health and Wellness Center, (850) 644-6230 https://uhs.fsu.edu/
FSU has established Food Pantries where students in need can pick up non-perishable food items freely and anonymously. The Food Pantry is available during the pandemic, and it is free and open to all students to take what they need. Donations for collection of non-perishable food items are encouraged.
For more information about the Tallahassee Food Pantry, visit the Tallahassee Food for Thought Pantry website (https://dos.fsu.edu/resources/food-for-thought-pantry). The pantry is located at University Center A, Suite 4148. If you have questions or concerns, contact the Department of Student Support and Transitions at dsst@fsu.edu or (850) 644-2428.
For more information about the Panama City Food Pantry, visit the PC Food Pantry website (https://pc.fsu.edu/students/student-services/food-pantry). The pantry is located at Holley West Hall. If you have questions or concerns, contact Kathleen Duval LCSW at krduval@fsu.edu or (850) 770-2174.
On-campus tutoring and writing assistance are available for many courses at Florida State University. High-quality tutoring is available by appointment and on a walk-in basis. These services are offered by tutors trained to encourage the highest level of individual academic success while upholding personal academic integrity.
For more information, visit the Academic Center for Excellence (ACE) Tutoring Services’ comprehensive list of on-campus tutoring options - see the Academic Center for Excellence (ACE) Tutoring Services’ website or contact tutor@fsu.edu.
In our classroom, I will expect everyone to wear a proper, well-fitting mask. As our President has informed the university community, FSU expects everyone on campus to use face-coverings. In regions where virus rates are high, the CDC recommends that even vaccinated individuals wear masks in public indoor spaces, like classrooms, especially where social distancing is not possible. Florida infection and hospitalization rates are greater now than they were at the height of the 2020 surge due to the Delta variant, a more infectious and easily transmissible version of the COVID-19 virus. The best way to protect against serious illness is to be fully vaccinated, but not everyone among us can be. Because the Delta variant can infect even vaccinated individuals and can be spread by them to others, it poses a special threat to members of the community with underlying health conditions and children at home who are too young for vaccination.
For these reasons, FSU expects each member of the community to comply with the public health protocols our President set forth on August 9, 2020, including (1) wearing masks in public indoor spaces, (2) getting fully vaccinated, (3) being tested for the virus if you have symptoms, and (4) staying home and away from others if you are sick. Please remember that you should NOT attend class in person if you have tested positive for COVID-19 or are quarantining after exposure. Finally, please bear in mind that the COVID-19 situation is fast moving and that university guidance on the issue may change at any time.
Except for changes that substantially affect implementation of the evaluation (grading) statement, this syllabus is a guide for the course and is subject to change with advance notice.
(A summary list of changes made during the semester will be added here)