Introduction to digital trace data: Quality, ethics, and
analysis
Introduction to Digital Trace Data gives students a hands-on
introduction to digital behavioral data: how it’s collected, analyzed,
and interpreted. The course explores different types of data and
research methods, while also encouraging students to think critically
about how data and algorithms can shape, and sometimes reinforce, social
inequalities.
Weekly schedule
Please note that the links to the lectures and labs may be updated
until the Monday before the lecture/lab.
| 1 |
Sep 3 (We) |
Lecture:
Introduction to digital trace data |
Read BbB chapters
1.1-1.4, 2.1-2.5 |
| 1 |
Sep 3 (We) |
Lab:
Introduction to digital trace data (Solutions) |
|
| 1 |
Sep 3 (We) |
Group project starts |
See project guidelines |
| 2 |
Sep 10 (We) |
Lecture:
User-centric approaches to DTD |
WAS
chapter 1, Boeschoten
et al. (2022), Ram et al., (2019)
and Hendrickx
(2025) |
| 2 |
Sep 10 (We) |
Lab:
User-centric approaches to DTD (Solutions) |
|
| 3 |
Sep 17 (We) |
Lecture:
Platform-centric approaches to DTD |
Big data book chapter
2, Davidson et
al. (2023), Freelon
(2018) |
| 3 |
Sep 17 (We) |
Lab:
Platform-centric approaches to DTD (Solutions) |
|
| 3 |
Sep 19 (Fr) |
Group project feedback I |
See project guidelines |
| 4 |
Sep 24 (We) |
Lecture:
Errors in DTD collection |
Read BbB chapter
3, WASbook
chapter 4, Corten et al.,
(2024) and Big
data and social science chapter 3.1-3.2 |
| 4 |
Sep 24 (We) |
Lab:
Errors in DTD collection (Solutions) |
|
| 4 |
Sep 26 (Fr) |
Group project feedback II |
See project guidelines |
| 5 |
Oct 1 (We) |
Lecture:
The role of AI in DTD |
Big data book chapters 7.1 - 7.5,
7.7.2, 7.9, 11.1 - 11.6, Data Feminism book chapter 1, this video on
biases, this
UU opinion |
| 5 |
Oct 1 (We) |
Lab:
The role of AI in DTD (Solutions) |
|
| 5 |
Oct 3 (Fr) |
Deadline group project |
See project guidelines |
| 6 |
Oct 8 (We) |
Lecture:
Ethics |
Read BbB chapter
6, Keymolen
& Taylor (2023) and Nissenbaum
(2004) |
| 6 |
Oct 8 (We) |
Lab:
Ethics (ßSolutions) |
|
| 6 |
Oct 10 (Fr) |
Group project feedback III |
See project guidelines |
| 7 |
Oct 17 (Fr) |
Group project feedback IV |
See project guidelines |
| 8 |
Oct 23 (Thu) |
Deadline to upload slides for group presentation |
See project guidelines |
| 8 |
Oct 24 (Fr) |
Group presentation |
See project guidelines |
| 9 |
Oct 29 (We) |
Lecture:
Q&A |
Prepare for exam, bring questions |
| 9 |
Oct 31 (Fr) |
Final exam |
|
| x |
Nov 14 (Fr) |
Exam inspection |
|
| x |
Nov 28 (Fr) |
Resit exam |
|