OUTLINE AND EXERCISES FOR A NOVEL INTRODUCTORY COURSE IN DATA SCIENCE AND VISUALIZATION

Data Science is an increasingly popular term for the deliberate, methodological study of the principles and techniques involved in the storage, management, mining, and visualization of large amounts of data, as used to solve problems in diverse domains. This paper provides a working definition of Data Science and examines the relationship between this emerging field and other, more familiar disciplines already established in the undergraduate curriculum. We then provide an operational framework (“The Six Steps”) for an introductory course in Data Science and Visualization. We provide a comprehensive description of concrete, relevant example assignments that fit cleanly into this framework. We conclude with examples of how this course can achieve secondary objectives of delivering an opportunity for emphasis on Writing and Information Literacy.