Mapping project

25 points total (how project will be scaled after review taken into account)

See the course schedule (in Introductory Materials and Full Course Schedule Module) for due dates.

For this project, you will be working with data from the Census Bureau and then telling the story that explains what you see with the data.  All of your answers must be your original work.  We want to give you a chance to work with data that is interesting to you, so you have some options. 

You will be posting your project in Circuit.  Instructions for using Circuit can be found in Blackboard.  After the submission deadline passes, you will be asked to go back into Circuit to perform 3 peer reviews and a self-review using a grading rubric.  In each of your peer reviews, you are required to write in the �Overall Feedback of Submission� section the following:

1. something you enjoyed about the submission
2. a strength in the student�s submission
3. a general comment about what the student could improve
4. reasons for deductions of any points.

Be thoughtful about your reviews. The goals of peer review assignments are to practice becoming a critical evaluator of information and how others explain statistics, practice giving quality constructive feedback, and learning from the feedback you receive. These are important skills that will serve you well in life.

You will be graded on your original project submission and the quality of your reviews.

Do not put your name on the project �Circuit will keep track of who you are.

Your project can be in question and answer format.

You can choose from any MAP (not a time plot, infographic, etc.) from the Census Bureau visualization site:  https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/geography/data/interactive-maps.html  

1. State the title of the map you will be using and give the website link for how to see it.  If your reviewer will need to change any of the default variables, talk your reviewer through this procedure.  For the title, include the variable names. The title should be specific for your map which you may create yourself, if it�s not listed on the page itself.

• Since you could choose any map from this site, why did this one seem interesting to you?  (Don�t say �It looked easy� or �I don�t know�it was the first one I clicked on.�  Give a content-based explanation.)

• What variable or variables is/are being measured?  Are they categorical or quantitative when measured for an individual person/business?  What about when summarized for each county or state? You may have to look up how certain variables are defined and measured. What you learn about your variables would be great to include in your project so your reviewers understand. To figure out if a variable is categorical or quantitative, you might have to figure out where the data came from first. Did it come from a survey or through some other means? If it came from a survey, what was the question on the survey? I encourage you to be a detective and dig into the finer details. It�s a good practice to get into whenever you�re looking at data and statistics.

• Is your variable being measured over time in this map or just at one time?

• Write a one-paragraph explanation of what the trends in the map are showing you. For example, are there trends on each of the coasts, or in more urban areas? Also, if any statistical terms (for example, �median,� �correlation,� etc.) are used by the Census Bureau, please explain these terms, too. 

• What related information would you like to know related to the data in this map, and is this something that the Census Bureau can get information about?  Why or why not?   (�Nothing� is not an acceptable answer.  Your response must be relevant to the content.)

Use correct spelling, grammar, and professional presentation of the project.