Portfolio Project 1
In this project, you will explore a central subject of your choice. You will find three datasets of your choice (suggested sources listed below). And create the following three deliverables:
1. a data description, (25 points)
2. an infographic, and (15 points)
3. a reflective analysis. (4 points)
A description of each deliverable is given below.
Deliverable 1: Data Description
For this deliverable, you will write a data description document in narrative style, following the “Data Description Format” document. Your data description should be submitted as a single .pdf titled “[LASTNAME]_[FIRSTNAME]_DATA_DESCRIPTION.pdf”.
Your output will be graded according to the following rubric:
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Rubric Element
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1 (Needs Improvement)
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2 (Developing)
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3 (Nearly There)
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4 (Satisfactory)
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5 (Above Expectations)
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Formatting
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Document is poorly formatted, difficult to follow, and unprofessional in appearance.
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Document includes screenshots of Excel and lacks proper formatting or readability.
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Document is somewhat clear but inconsistent in formatting or contains minor errors. Not submitted as a .pdf.
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Document follows the provided format, is submitted as a .pdf, and is clean with no serious typos or errors.
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Document is cohesive aesthetically, all charts use consistent aesthetics and formatting, all figures align with the text format, and it goes above and beyond the structure and look of the provided format document by enhancing it.
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Central Subject and Dataset Descriptions
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Missing rows, columns, data cleaning and preparation, or limitations.
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All required elements are present, but analysis is insightful or basic.
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All required elements are present, and analysis is interesting and insightful.
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Visualizations
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Does not include at minimum: 1 scatterplots, 3 histograms, 3 bar charts, and 3 pivot tables. Also, visualizations do not include required elements such as titles, axis titles, or legends (when appropriate).
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All visualizations are extant, but required elements aren't all there.
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All visualizations are extant, required elements are there.
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All visualizations are extant, required elements are there. Visualizations look professional and provide meaningful insight into the data.
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Variable Analysis
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Analyses are missing or do not follow required formats (e.g., seven-number summaries).
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Analyses include some required elements but lack depth or coherence.
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Analyses are complete with basic insights but need stronger connections to subject.
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Analyses are thorough, insightful, and align well with the overall subject.
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Analyses are exceptionally thorough, insightful, and professionally executed.
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Variable Comparisons
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Comparisons are missing or provide little insight into relationships.
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Comparisons are basic and lack meaningful interpretation or relevance.
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Comparisons are adequate but could use stronger analysis or relevance to the subject.
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Comparisons are meaningful, insightful, and well-presented.
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Comparisons are exceptional, providing significant insights and clear relevance.
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Deliverable 2: Infographic
Objective:
Create an engaging and informative infographic based on your data. Your infographic should inform. the reader about the subject you chose and persuade them to take a specific plan of action or inform. them of a novel, interesting fact based on your findings.
Requirements:
1. General Design and Formatting:
● The infographic should be formatted to fit a single PDF page when printed.
● Your name must appear prominently across the top in 24-point font.
● Use a clean, creative design. The appearance should align with the subject you are discussing for maximum visual impact.
● Your infographic will be displayed around Bridge Hall, Hoffman Hall, Fertitta Hall, and Popovich Hall, so ensure it is clear, professional, and visually appealing.
2. Data Visualization:
● Descriptive Statistics:
○ Include at least three descriptive statistics in your infographic.
○ Present these statistics visually in a compelling way that makes them easy to understand.
● Visualizations:
○ Create at least one major visualization about your subject. This could be a histogram, line chart, or some other visualization, which informs readers about your subject in a compelling manner.
● Variable Comparison:
○ Include one comparison of two variables from your dataset.
■ This can be:
■ Numerical vs. Numerical (e.g., scatter plot with trend lines)
■ Categorical vs. Numerical (e.g., boxplots or bar graphs showing averages for categories)
■ Categorical vs. Categorical (e.g., grouped bar chart).
○ Clearly indicate any patterns or relationships that arise from the comparison.
3. Persuasive / Perspective Element:
● Your infographic must include 3-4 sentences which suggest a persuasive plan of action or perspective on an issue based on your findings.
● The plan of action should be clearly stated and supported by the data presented.
Infographic Evaluation Criteria Rubric:
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Criteria
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1 (Needs Improvement)
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3 (Proficient)
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5 (Excellent)
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Content
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Fewer than 2 descriptive statistics included, major visualization is basic or uninteresting, variable comparison is unclear or not valuable.
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At least 2 descriptive statistics included, a visualization is included, and a basic variable comparison is included.
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All 3 descriptive statistics included, The major visualization is striking and shows the reader an insightful and new perspective on your chosen subject. The variable comparison is similarly striking, and shows a clear difference between two groups, or an important trend between two variables in the dataset.
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Design and Creativity
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Basic design, minimal alignment with the theme, or visuals are cluttered or hard to read.
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Attractive design, somewhat aligned with the theme, some creative elements, and mostly legible.
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Visually striking, highly aligned with the theme, creative use of design elements, and fully legible.
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Persuasive Impact
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Plan of action is unclear or only loosely supported by the data.
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Clear plan of action, mostly supported by the data.
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Compelling and clearly stated plan of action fully supported by the data.
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Submission Details:
● Submit your infographic as a PDF file by the deadline.
● Ensure that your infographic adheres to the formatting guidelines and includes all required elements.
Tips for Success:
● Be concise: Use minimal text and let your visuals do the talking.
● Use multiple segments: You are allowed to display your information in multiple segments / visualizations across your infographic — not everything needs to be slammed into a single visualization!
● Stay focused: Stick to a single, clear message or theme.
● Check readability: Ensure that all text and visuals are legible from a distance.
● Get creative: Use unique design elements to make your infographic stand out, but avoid clutter.
Good luck creating a compelling and informative infographic that showcases your analytical and creative skills!
Deliverable 3: Reflection
Submit the following as a .pdf file titled “[LASTNAME]_[FIRSTNAME]_REFLECTION.pdf”. This is intended to serve as a note to yourself in the future to remind you of what you were thinking about during this module, and can get prepped easily if you need to use this for an interview.
Consider What You are Strongest at in This Module. (2 points) We want you to have a personalized, developed skill set after this course. In a paragraph, name the learning goal you felt you were strongest at and why. How might this skill be useful for an employer?
Prepare Yourself for Future Interviews. (2 points) You may decide to use this portfolio project to apply for jobs or internships. If you do, we want you to remember key things to say to your interviewer. Write a brief note to yourself (2-3 sentences) for use in the future of what to talk about if asked about this project during an interview.
The following is a format to follow for the data description of your portfolio project. Fill out all sections, replacing the elements in brackets with your analysis.
This document is merely meant to serve as a guide for how to do each part of the portfolio project. The document you create needs to be much more professional in quality. For instance, you should not just insert text into the brackets you see below. Your document should include professional-looking visualizations, proper paragraphs describing data sets, your 7-number summaries, and so forth.
Delete these instructions before turning in your assignment.