Data Project (Spring 2015) – Digital Technology & Culture

In this project, we will create a simple database to organize a book, film, or music collection using microtags and metadata.

Decide the purpose of your database in terms of what kind of information you want to gather about each item in your collection. You should have a minimum of 6 fields, and I recommend no more than 10. Within each field, you will need to spend time developing question types and options. (See next step.)
Create your database using Google Forms. In the “Question Title” type the name of the field. Use “Help Text” to guide you and your user in formatting their input. In “Question Type” choose the format that best fits your category. Click “Add item” to move on to the next field. Repeat for each field.
Screenshot of How to Create Fields in Google Forms

Input at least 25 items into your database (Click “View live form”). Pay attention to any difficulties you have in recording your data.
Generate a “Summary of Responses” by clicking on Responses in the tool bar, and selecting “Summary of responses” in the drop-down menu. Create multiple screenshots of your results, as demonstrated in the Data Project Template. Here is a sample of how partial results might appear.

An introduction that discusses the purpose of your database and your rationale for the fields. (@250 words)
A screenshot of your form. (@6 fields/questions)
A screen shot of your “summary of responses.” (Do not include screen shots of the spreadsheets–instead follow the instructions in step 5 above to access the visual data.) (@25 items)
A summary discussion that analyzes the effectiveness of your database (what limitations or problems did you experience upon entering data?). What knowledge have you gained about your media collection and media habits? Connect your summary to at least one of the course readings or activities. (@500 words)

DUE by 11:59pm on March 13 on Blackboard Learn