Enroll Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/css-capstone
Embarking on the Coursera Computational Social Science specialization is an intellectual journey, and the ‘Computational Social Science Capstone Project’ serves as the triumphant culmination of this learning experience. This final integrative lab is not just a project; it’s a comprehensive practical application of all the skills you’ve meticulously acquired throughout the specialization.
From the outset, the capstone immediately immerses you in real-world data collection. You’ll be honing your web scraping abilities, drawing directly from the techniques learned in earlier courses. The project specifically guides you through scraping data from a social media platform, a crucial skill in today’s data-driven world. The syllabus details how you’ll scrape YouTube videos, not just general content, but tailored search results combining news channels with your own name, adding a personalized and analytical layer to the data gathering process.
Following data acquisition, the capstone seamlessly transitions into advanced analytical techniques. Milestone 2 focuses on Social Network Analysis (SNA) using Gephi. This is where you’ll learn to visualize and understand the complex relationships and structures within your scraped data, uncovering hidden patterns and influential nodes.
Milestone 3 delves into the power of Natural Language Processing (NLP). You’ll select key videos identified through your SNA and analyze the sentiment and emotions embedded within their comment sections. Leveraging IBM Watson’s NLP tools, this milestone offers profound insights into public opinion and discourse surrounding the content.
Finally, Milestone 4 brings everything together with Agent-Based Computer Simulations. Here, you’ll utilize the data and insights gathered in the preceding milestones to build your own artificial society. Through a two-step flow model, you’ll discover how ideas and information diffuse through populations, offering a dynamic understanding of societal processes from the ground up.
This capstone project is an exceptional opportunity to consolidate your learning, build a robust portfolio piece, and gain hands-on experience with a multi-method workflow essential for any aspiring computational social scientist. It’s challenging, rewarding, and an absolute must for anyone serious about this interdisciplinary field.
Enroll Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/css-capstone