About

Data for Political Research (DPR) students are interested in why and how people and policies act in the way they do. Coming to understand human political behavior and policy impact hinges on 1) research design to turn theory into questions and 2) analysis and visualization of data generated by those research designs to reach confident conclusions.

Compatible with any major, the DPR minor offers desirable skills in any organizational, academic, or government setting: comprehension of social science research methods, writing with data for public audiences, and conducting original quantitative research.

Denison Data Blog

Onetwentyseven.blog is integrated into several Data for Political Research courses, which highlights how data skills developed in the minor are exportable to a wide range of social questions.

127 is a data mirror on Denison. With Associate Professor Paul Djupe as editor-in-chief, 127 investigates empirical social and institutional patterns at Denison that will be of interest to the community, that will help challenge or affirm conventional wisdom, and will provide reflection on practices and attitudes. Almost nothing is off the table, provided there are data to chase the question. Remember: in good faith we can seek truth through data.

For an overview of the project, check out Matt McHugh’s journalistic account. If you are interested in writing for 127, check out this post and contact Paul Djupe.

A sampling of posts from Onetwentyseven.blog

Follow 127 to learn about new posts or like us on Facebook, tweet at us, or follow us on Instagram.

Ride or die with the liberal arts. By Mayank Dev Kumar
Stressed out! By Siobhán Mitchell and Jacob Dennen
The gender politics of security cameras. By Sarah MacKenzie
Their COVID-19 policy worked: Do students trust the Administration? By Siobhán Mitchell
The Notorious Suites of East. By Eric Buehler
You’re Wrong About Binge Drinking—And Here’s Why. By Taylor Shook
Are students really willing to stand up against sexual assault? By Elena Meth
If you play video games, are you a terrible democratic citizen? Darian Harrington
The Truth About the Sunnies. By Abby Zofchak
Good Grades, Social Life, Enough Sleep: Choose Two. By Oliver Gladfelter
What are Friends For? Effects of Social Network Support. By Oliver Gladfelter

Mission Statement

The scope of the world’s social and political problems is simply too great to rely on personal observation as a route to understanding. We need systematic observation of unbiased data to accurately diagnose, understand, and treat them. The DPR minor aims to foster a problem-centric, quantitative approach to understanding the interactions of people, society, and their governing institutions.

Students in the minor will receive training in how to design research for social impact, how to analyze data for more certain conclusions, and how to visualize data and results for clarity and persuasion in service of understanding politics in its many contexts.

Together, design, analysis, and visualization enable researchers to contribute their own answers to pressing social and political questions with opportunities for oral and written translation of that expertise to public audiences. In this way, DPR students are encouraged to consider how they can use quantitative social science tools of design, analysis, and visualization to serve and inform the public consistent with the Denison mission.

Fall teams pack the Big Red trophy case

Doane renovation and expansion: Introducing the Center for Data Reasoning & Visualization

A bigger, better Big Red Weekend

About

Denison Data Blog