Big Data and Social Sciences
2 likes1,075 views
This document discusses the opportunities and challenges presented by big data for social sciences research. New forms of data from social media, tracking, and internet-connected devices allow researchers to study social processes as they unfold in real-time at large scales. However, analyzing this data requires new computational skills and infrastructure. Researchers must also consider new methods and address issues like reproducibility, ethics, and access to ensure quality results. Overall, big data has the potential to transform social sciences by enabling the study of phenomena in new ways, but significant challenges around data, skills, and research practices must be overcome.
Big Data and Social Sciences
- 1. Big Data and Social Sciences OECD, 25th November 2015, Paris
- 3. Big, Open, and Personal
- 6. More people Moremachines Big Data Big Compute Conventional Computation βBig Socialβ Social Networks e-infrastructure Science 2.0 Big Data Production & Analytics deeply about society Thefuture
- 7. New Forms of Data βΆβ―Internet data, derived from social media and other online interactions (including data gathered by connected people and devices, eg mobile devices, wearable technology, Internet of Things) βΆβ―Tracking data, monitoring the movement of people and objects (including GPS/geolocation data, traffic and other transport sensor data, CCTV images etc) βΆβ―Satellite and aerial imagery (eg Google Earth, Landsat, infrared, radar mapping etc) http://www.oecd.org/sti/sci-tech/new-data-for- understanding-the-human-condition.htm
- 8. New Research Questions βΆβ―Social media data offers the possibility of studying social processes as they unfold at the level of populations, as an alternative to traditional surveys or interviews. βΆβ―The data from social media is described as "qualitative data on a quantitative scale" and requires innovative analysis techniques. Social media data and real time analytics
- 9. https://twitter.com/CR_UK/status/446223117841494016/ Some people's smartphones had autocorrected the word "BEAT" to instead read "BEAR". "Thank you for choosing an adorable polar bear," the reply from the WWF said. "We will call you today to set up your adoption." http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-26723457
- 10. Social Media Triangle social media data and analytics social media for engagement with research social media as a subject of research Sam McGregor
- 11. A rehearsal for the future βΆβ― The Internet of Things describes a world in which everyday objects are connected to a network so that data can be shared βΆβ― But it is really as much about people as the inanimate object βΆβ― It is impossible to anticipate all the social changes that could be created by connecting billions of devices https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/internet-of-things-blackett-review
- 12. F i r s t
- 14. Social Machines Real life is and must be full of all kinds of social constraint β the very processes from which society arises. Computers can help if we use them to create abstract social machines on the Web: processes in which the people do the creative work and the machine does the administration... The stage is set for an evolutionary growth of new social engines. The ability to create new forms of social process would be given to the world at large, and development would be rapid. Berners-Lee, Weaving the Web, 1999 (pp. 172β175)
- 15. Observer of one social machine Observers using third party observatory Observer of multiple social machines Human participants in Social Machine Human participants in multiple Social Machines Observer of Social Machine infrastructure 1 4 2 3 5 6 SM SM SM Social Machine Observing Social Machines 7 @dder De Roure, D., Hooper, C., Page, K., Tarte, S., and Willcox, P. 2015. Observing Social Machines Part 2: How to Observe? ACM Web Science
- 16. Methods of Observation Tarte, S. Willcox, P., Glaser, H. and De Roure, D. 2015. Archetypal Narratives in Social Machines: Approaching Sociality through Prosopography. ACM Web Tiropanis, T., Hall, W., Shadbolt, N., De Roure, D., Contractor, N. and Hendler, J. 2013. The Web Science Observatory, IEEE Intelligent Systems 28(2) pp 100β104. Understanding the design and emergent behaviours of co-created sociotechnical constructions at scale Macroscope Observatory Prosopography
- 17. Skills New Forms of Data Centre for Doctoral Training Much of the value of βnew forms of dataβ lie in the potential for them to be analysed in near real-time, which presents opportunities for revealing phenomena as they unfold, enabling timely response with immediate influence. Such analysis brings distinct new computational requirements, requires new skills, and makes new demands on the ease of use and capability of e-Infrastructure. http://www.esrc.ac.uk/funding-and-guidance/postgraduates/dtc/ dtc-policy/commissioning-of-centres-for-doctoral-training.aspx
- 18. Closing points βΆβ―New forms of data, not a silo βΆβ―Studying things in new ways (better, cheaper, faster) and studying new things (new social processes, real time) βΆβ―Need access to data, methods, infrastructure βΆβ―An international endeavour βΆβ―Quality, reproducibilityβconfidence in results, standing on shoulders of others βΆβ―Preparation for Internet of Things βΆβ―We are building social machines β what are the ethical principles?