INFO 3312/5312: Data Communication

Modified

June 15, 2026

This page contains an outline of the topics, content, and assignments for the semester. Note that this schedule will be updated as the semester progresses and the timeline of topics and assignments might be updated throughout the semester.

WEEK DATE TOPIC PREPARE MATERIALS DUE
1 Mon, Jun 1 Introduction to effective data communication
Qualities of great visualizations
πŸ‘©β€πŸ’» Login to Cornell’s GitHub server
πŸ‘©β€πŸ’» Access Posit Workbench using your Cornell NetID and password
πŸ“„ The Truthful Art - ch 2 (The Five Qualities of Great Visualizations)
πŸ“„ Welcome to INFO 3312
πŸ“„ Qualities of great visualizations
⌨️ Homework 01


Tue, Jun 2 The grammar of graphics πŸ“— ggplot2 - ch 13 (Mastery) πŸ“„ The grammar of graphics
πŸ“ Building a complicated, layered graphic using the grammar of graphics


Wed, Jun 3 Deep dive: layers πŸ“™ socviz - ch 1 (Looking at data)
πŸ“• fdv - ch 2 (Visualizing data: Mapping data onto aesthetics)
πŸ“— ggplot2 - ch 13 (Build a plot layer by layer)
πŸ“„ Deep dive: layers part 1 + part 2
⌨️ Practicing a bunch of geoms
⌨️ Homework 02
HW 01 at 11:59pm

Thu, Jun 4 Statistical transformations, scales, and guides
Coordinate systems and faceting
πŸ“— ggplot2 - ch 14 (Scales and guides) + ch 15 (Coordinate systems) + ch 16 - Faceting
πŸ“• fdv - ch 10 (Visualizing proportions)
πŸ“„ Deep dive: stats + scales + guides
πŸ“„ Deep dive: coordinates + facets
⌨️ Adjusting scales for World Bank indicators
⌨️ Waffle charts for visualizing proportions
⌨️ Homework 03


Fri, Jun 5 Data wrangling πŸ“˜ r4ds - ch 3 (Data transformation) + ch 5 (Data tidying) + ch 19 (Joins) πŸ“„ Data wrangling: part 1 + part 2
⌨️ Take a sad plot, and make it better
βœ… Homework 01
HW 02 at 11:59pm
2 Mon, Jun 8 Themes
Annotating charts
πŸ“— ggplot2 - ch 8 (Annotations) + ch 17 (Themes)
πŸ“• fdv - ch 22 (Titles, captions, and tables) + ch 23 (Balance the data and the context)
πŸ“„ Deep dive: themes
πŸ“„ Annotating charts
⌨️ A custom {ggplot2} theme for Cornell
⌨️ Telling a story of COβ‚‚ emissions over time
⌨️ Homework 04
βœ… Homework 02
HW 03 at 11:59pm

Tue, Jun 9 Telling the story with data
Accessible visualization
πŸ“• fdv - ch 29 (Telling a story and making a point)
πŸ“œ Do No Harm Guide: Centering Accessibility in Data Visualization - read ch 2 and 4
πŸ“„ Telling the story with data
πŸ“„ Implementing accessibility
πŸ“ Write alternative text for data visualizations
βœ… Homework 03


Wed, Jun 10 Effective use of color
Visualizing survey responses
πŸ“• fdv - ch 4 (Color scales) + ch 19 (Common pitfalls of color use) πŸ“„ Optimizing color spaces
πŸ“„ Visualizing survey data
⌨️ Optimizing color palettes for births
HW 04 at 11:59pm

Thu, Jun 11 Visualizing space πŸ“• fdv - ch 15 (Visualizing geospatial data)
πŸ“„ The Truthful Art - ch 10 (Mapping data)
πŸ“„ Spatial viz: part 1 + part 2
⌨️ Drawing maps with {ggmap}
βœ… Drawing maps with {ggmap}
⌨️ Visualizing household income in New York
βœ… Visualizing household income in New York
⌨️ Homework 05
Project 01 at 11:59pm

Fri, Jun 12 Animated charts
Interactivity in charts
πŸ“„ β€œGetting Started” from the {gganimate} documentation πŸ“„ Animated charts
πŸ“„ Interactive charts
⌨️ Visualizing increased polarization of baby names
⌨️ Increase in cost-burdened households in the United States
βœ… Homework 04
Project 01 oral exam
Project 02 proposal at 11:59pm
3 Mon, Jun 15 Dashboards Review Quarto Dashboards documentation

πŸ“„ Dashboards
⌨️ Create a housing market dashboard
HW 05 at 11:59pm

Tue, Jun 16 Interactive reporting with Shiny πŸ“™ Mastering Shiny - ch 1 + ch 2 + ch 3 πŸ“„ Shiny: part 1 + part 2

Wed, Jun 17 Interactive reporting with Shiny
πŸ“„ Shiny: part 3
⌨️ Homework 06
Project 02 at 11:59pm

Thu, Jun 18 Wrap-up: Where to go from here
πŸ“„ Course wrap-up Project 02 oral exam
HW 06 at 11:59pm