alexhanna · August 29, 2015 14:13
diff --git a/REU Ad - 2015-01-22 b/REU Ad - 2015-01-22
 National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)
 “Constructing and Validating an Automated Coding System for Protest Events in Electronic News Sources.”
 Principal Investigators: Pamela Oliver, Professor, [email protected], Chaeyoon Lim, Associate Professor,
 [email protected], Alex Hanna (grad student).

 This opportunity is for undergraduates interested in social science or media studies to provide research assistance
 on a part-time basis during the spring 2015 semester. Depending on schedules and the flow of work, there may be opportunities to
 continue during the summer. REU participants will be paid a stipend of $100 a week with an expectation of 10
 hours a week of research assistance, meeting attendance, and background reading. Depending on student needs
 and interest, we will consider students who wish to work 5-15 hours a week on the project, with proportional
 adjustment in the stipend.

 The goal of this project is to use machine learning approaches to develop an automated system for identifying and
 coding protest events in news sources. Part of this project involves having human coders search for and code news
 articles about protest to use as training sets for the machine learning process. Undergraduate research assistants
 will work on computers to 1) search for and retrieve news stories from library or Internet sources, 2) read news
 stories and mark the portions of them that refer to protests, and 3) read news stories and code features of
 protests, such as their size or location. This work can be done in campus computer labs or on the student’s own
 computer with Internet connection. Students will learn techniques for coding and content analysis of news media
 as well as gaining familiarity with applications of new data science and big data for social science problems.
 Students will also be introduced to important research issues such as sampling, assessing measurement validity
 and reliability, and the processes of large collaborative research projects.

 Expectations: REU participants will be expected to: (1) Complete assigned background reading about the
 sociological and methodological issues in identifying protests in news sources and issues in machine learning. (2)
 Attend weekly team meetings that will focus both on practical aspects of the project and general principles of
 scientific inquiry and possible professional paths in social science. (3) Keep a work log and to stay current with their
 time commitments to the project

 Qualifications: This project requires the ability to read news articles in English fairly rapidly and with good
 understanding of idiomatic English writing. You will have to be able to read the texts and decide how to classify
 them into sociological categories. Accuracy and attention to detail are essential. You should have a track record of
 reliability and quality work in classes or jobs. We prefer sociology or other social science or media studies majors
 and prefer students who have taken a basic research methods class. Students who are from disadvantaged or
 historically underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply.

 To apply: Send an email to Pamela Oliver ([email protected]) with the following information: (1) A statement of
 (a) why this position interests you, (b) what your academic/career goals are, (c) how this position fits into your
 academic and career goals, (d) your relevant skills and background. The suggested length for this statement is a
 couple of paragraphs, one page at most. (2) An unofficial transcript printed out from my.wisc.edu that shows your
 names and the courses you have taken and grades received. (3) The names & contact information (email address
 and telephone number) of references. Ideally you will have at least one reference who can attest to you reliability
 as a worker and one who can attest to your academic ability.

 Note: We are also recruiting participants to participate for course credit in Sociology 320, Research Practicum. You
 can either get course credit or be paid, but not both. If you are interested in both possibilities, you can submit one
 application for both, stating your preference between the paid REU and course credit. Course credit participants will
 earn 3 credits for a 10 hours/week commitment and 2 credits for a 7 hours/week commitment.
	National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)
	“Constructing and Validating an Automated Coding System for Protest Events in Electronic News Sources.”
	Principal Investigators: Pamela Oliver, Professor, [email protected], Chaeyoon Lim, Associate Professor,
	[email protected], Alex Hanna (grad student).

	This opportunity is for undergraduates interested in social science or media studies to provide research assistance
	on a part-time basis during the spring 2015 semester. Depending on schedules and the flow of work, there may be opportunities to
	continue during the summer. REU participants will be paid a stipend of $100 a week with an expectation of 10
	hours a week of research assistance, meeting attendance, and background reading. Depending on student needs
	and interest, we will consider students who wish to work 5-15 hours a week on the project, with proportional
	adjustment in the stipend.

	The goal of this project is to use machine learning approaches to develop an automated system for identifying and
	coding protest events in news sources. Part of this project involves having human coders search for and code news
	articles about protest to use as training sets for the machine learning process. Undergraduate research assistants
	will work on computers to 1) search for and retrieve news stories from library or Internet sources, 2) read news
	stories and mark the portions of them that refer to protests, and 3) read news stories and code features of
	protests, such as their size or location. This work can be done in campus computer labs or on the student’s own
	computer with Internet connection. Students will learn techniques for coding and content analysis of news media
	as well as gaining familiarity with applications of new data science and big data for social science problems.
	Students will also be introduced to important research issues such as sampling, assessing measurement validity
	and reliability, and the processes of large collaborative research projects.

	Expectations: REU participants will be expected to: (1) Complete assigned background reading about the
	sociological and methodological issues in identifying protests in news sources and issues in machine learning. (2)
	Attend weekly team meetings that will focus both on practical aspects of the project and general principles of
	scientific inquiry and possible professional paths in social science. (3) Keep a work log and to stay current with their
	time commitments to the project

	Qualifications: This project requires the ability to read news articles in English fairly rapidly and with good
	understanding of idiomatic English writing. You will have to be able to read the texts and decide how to classify
	them into sociological categories. Accuracy and attention to detail are essential. You should have a track record of
	reliability and quality work in classes or jobs. We prefer sociology or other social science or media studies majors
	and prefer students who have taken a basic research methods class. Students who are from disadvantaged or
	historically underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply.

	To apply: Send an email to Pamela Oliver ([email protected]) with the following information: (1) A statement of
	(a) why this position interests you, (b) what your academic/career goals are, (c) how this position fits into your
	academic and career goals, (d) your relevant skills and background. The suggested length for this statement is a
	couple of paragraphs, one page at most. (2) An unofficial transcript printed out from my.wisc.edu that shows your
	names and the courses you have taken and grades received. (3) The names & contact information (email address
	and telephone number) of references. Ideally you will have at least one reference who can attest to you reliability
	as a worker and one who can attest to your academic ability.

	Note: We are also recruiting participants to participate for course credit in Sociology 320, Research Practicum. You
	can either get course credit or be paid, but not both. If you are interested in both possibilities, you can submit one
	application for both, stating your preference between the paid REU and course credit. Course credit participants will
	earn 3 credits for a 10 hours/week commitment and 2 credits for a 7 hours/week commitment.