Students will exhibit mastery of specialized knowledge and/or skills in a specific chosen area of the field of library and information science by describing, analyzing, adapting, and applying key theories, problems, and practices in their chosen area of specialization (Specialized Knowledge Skill Synthesis).
This work sample, well assignment, demonstrates my competency in the mastery of specialized knowledge and/or skill by combining group work, data analysis, and then reflecting on the process. I think this is one of the first group assignments where everyone was involved in each step of the process. We all voted on the data set to use, wrote the code together, and shared in the writing of the summary reflection. We upfront made a list of each person's abilities and then assigned tasks based on this. My part of the project was to write Python code for the graphs of the dataset. I created 5 graphs detailing information on the highest contributor edits to the dataset. I enjoyed making the donut chart the most, I think. Each group member contributed a paragraph or two for the sections. I submitted the assignment via Blackboard for the group. The instructor requested that only one of us submitted the project. Since this wasn’t a research paper we alpha-sorted the names on the reflection essay.
The instructions were to locate our assigned group and then complete a list of tasks to demonstrate our analysis skills using either Python or R. The first task was to find an existing dataset that was populated with data that could be used for statistical analyses. The instructor recommended Kaggle as a good source for data sets. My group chose Python for writing the script and a data set that was a compilation of all Marvel comics card with their stats. Once the script was written, we then wrote up a document that reflected on the experience.
In the coming years, I will use the skills gained in this course to analyze data and build dashboards. I strongly believe that professionals in the field of information science should possess the ability to convey a narrative using data, which ultimately leads to informed decision-making. Although I initially struggled to meet the instructor's expectations, I steadily progressed throughout the semester and aligned more closely with the course objectives. This course has facilitated my growth and development.
