Homework Assignments and Projects

Homework

Week 1: Introduction to Data Science

In three or four paragraphs:

  • describe why you think the data science field is important. Use information you have learned from the videos, readings and lecture.
  • describe one potential ethical problem related to data science, give an example
  • describe one example of how data science affects your day-to-day life. Does it help or complicate your life? Why or why not.

Week 2: The Data Science Process

You are now informed about the data science process. In three to four paragraphs explain

  • which steps are the most important in terms of ethical awareness and societal impact
  • explain why you chose these steps
  • include a current event in which one or multiple steps were ignored or compromised causing an ethical concern. Use newspaper articles, magazines, online news websites or any other legitimate and valid source to cite this example. Cite the news source that you found.

Week 3: Big Data

Big Data has many advantages however, it can also have negative impact. Choose an area where you think Big Data might cause more harm than good. Choose one area from the list below

  • health care,
  • personal loans
  • mortgages
  • immigration and citizenship
  • incarceration
  • employment
  • social networks
  1. Describe how you think Big Data can be used to both help and hurt the area you have chosen.
  2. Find one current events that backs up your discussion regarding the negative impact of Big Data in the area of your choice. Use newspaper articles, magazines, online news websites or any other legitimate and valid source to cite this example. Cite the news source that you found.

Week 4: Managing Data

  1. Read the article Marr, Bernard. June 15, 2017. “3 Massive Big Data problems everyone should know about.”
  2. Choose an industry from the below list
    1. Retail
    2. Health care
    3. Finance
    4. Education
  3. In a brief paragraph, describe the industry you chose. Cite your sources.
  4. In two or three paragraphs discuss how the three Big Data problems cited in the article “3 Massive Big Data problems everyone should know about” affect the industry you chose. Give examples. Use newspaper articles, magazines, online news websites

Week 5: Statistics for Data Science

Directions: For each question below, show all the work for full credit. You will not receive full credit for the question if steps are missing:

Question 1: Use the following data set for question 1

82, 66, 70, 59, 90, 78, 76, 95, 99, 84, 88, 76, 82, 81, 91, 64, 79, 76, 85, 90

  1. Find the Mean (10pts)
  2. Find the Median (10pts)
  3. Find the Mode (10pts)
  4. Find the Interquartile range (20pts)

Question 2:

  1. (20pts) Calculate the variance for the following data set: 10, 15, 5, 12, 20
  2. (25 pts) Find the linear regression for the following data set: x: 0,1,2,3,4 y: 2,3,5,4,6 Show all the steps required to show the linear regression.
  3. (5pts) Use the linear regression calculator  to check your answer from (b). Take a screen shot of the entire output from the calculator and include it in your homework for credit.

Week 6: Probability for Data Science

Part 1: (Exercise 1 and 2 below)

Exercise 1:

    1. 60% of boys play football
    2. 36% of boys play ice hockey
    3. 40% of boys that play football also play ice hockey
    4. What percent of those that play ice hockey also play football?

Exercise 2:

      1. 40% of the girls like music
      2. 24% of the girls like dance
      3. 30% of those that like music also like dance
      4. What percent of those that like dance also like music?

Part 2: In two paragraphs, explain why Bayes theorem is important in the Data Science field and how it is used. Cite your sources.

Week 7: Natural Language Processing

Natural Language Processing is used in our everyday lives. Some examples include; Google translate, chatbots on various websites, Siri or Alexa or Google Assist, auto-correct or auto-complete in software and search engines, relevant results on search pages, voice text messaging and many others. In four or five paragraphs;

  1. Choose one such example of NLP use
  2. Describe the example you chose: explain its features, its audience or users, and its benefits
  3. Find a current event in which the example of your choice had a negative impact. Explain what occurred and discuss the negative impact. Use newspaper articles, magazines, online news websites or any other legitimate and valid source to cite this example. Cite the news source that you found.
  4. Did the negative impact change the way you think about this NLP example? Why or why not

Week 8 and 9: Data Mining

  1. Using the knowledge you have gained from the lecture, readings and videos, choose an industry of your liking example: finance, healthcare, education, entertainment
  2. In one paragraph give a brief description of the industry
  3. Discuss how data mining is used in this industry
  4. Discuss how data mining for this industry can result in ethical concerns
  5. Discuss one current event in which the ethical concerns was realized. Use newspaper articles, magazines, online news websites or any other legitimate and valid source to cite this example. Cite the news source that you found.

Week 10 and 11: Machine Learning

After reviewing the lecture, readings and videos, use the following three Machine Learning tools.

  1. For each tool listed above
    1. identify the target audience
    2. discuss the use of this tool by the target audience
    3. identify the tool’s benefits and drawbacks
  2. From the two choices listed below, how would you describe each tool listed above? Why did you choose the answer?
    1. Predictive analytic
    2. Descriptive analytic
  3. From the four choices listed below, how would you describe each tool listed above? Why did you choose the answer?
    1. Supervised learning
    2. Unsupervised learning
    3. Reinforcement learning
    4. Neural networks/deep learning

Week 12: Machine Learning Process

Read the article Ricci, Shaun. September 28, 2017. “4 Transformative Benefits of AI In Hiring” Ideal 

  1. There are many advantages to implementing hiring models, however, there are also many disadvantages.
  2. Find one current event in which a hiring algorithm was used and produced biased or negative results. Use newspaper articles, magazines, online news websites or any other legitimate and valid source to cite this example. Cite the news source that you found.

Week 13: Data Visualization

There are many advantages to presenting big data visually using data visualization methods. However, there are also some disadvantages. Read the following two short articles:

Week 14: Data Science and Ethics

Watch the short KMOV St. Louis news video on YouTube regarding the installation of smart street lights in the St. Louis downtown area. (Zotos, Alexis. January 8, 2020. “’Smart’ street lights being installed around downtown in hopes to increase safety.”)

  1. What are the benefits associated with using these street lights?
  2. Explain how these street lights are an example of data science in sue. Be specific.

What are the ethical implications of using these types of street lights? Back up your argument with information found in newspaper articles, magazines, online news websites or any other legitimate and valid source. Cite the news source that you found

Projects

Project 1 [tba]

Project 2 [tba]

Project 3 [tba]

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