Updated:
Posted: Sun Oct 09, 2011 7:29 pm
Andrew Jay Bowe
10.05.2011
Visualizing Data
The Tortoise and the Hare: Brainstorm an Ontological/Virtual Mapping Project
Question: I hope to look at how the concept of speed and movement can be visualized by library data. Knowledge is constantly moving, yet without geographic space, how can one understand movement?
Intention: The intention of this data-experiment has been to inquire on the subject of patterns within the time span of check out and check in dates. This experiment not only seeks to look for a quantitative pattern or potential differences between genre types and check out length and the speed of movement, but also hopes to suggest more of an ontological difference the movement of literature that cannot be suggested by library databases. Though the role of most data might be first and foremost to discover a pattern of interest, this project operates with deconstructing the use of data, assessing the limits of data, and then providing a way to map the movement of literature.
Rather than looking specifically at key sets of books, I will look at the differences between two books within a single genre, Juvenile Children's Literature, and attempt to unravel the utility of my search as an ontological history of the single book(s). The goal, as noted is not to foreshadow the patterns of results, which at times are predictable, but rather look at the simplified data and attempt to discover ways to ontologically situate a book throughout time.
This research not only hopes to recognize patterns in the flow of the literature, but also hopes to look at some of the scientific and data bias' that may result in a data that has been simplified in library databases, a database that is disconnected with historical conditions and demographic issues.
Within the course of this research I took two works of Children's Science Literature, to study the speed of the 'Tortoise and the Hare'.
For this study I used the code:
Queries:
Select * from transactions2006
where title like ‘Rabbits’
Select * from transactions2006
where title like ‘Turtles’
In order to find a work of literature in the children's database. And I used the code:
Select * from transactions2006
where title like ‘Turtles’
and barcode like ‘0010038881313’
And then
Select * from transactions2006
where title like ‘Rabbits’
and barcode like ‘001003581861’
[Books found:
TURTLES
J597.92 BASKIN 1996
Turtles, Juvenile Literature
RABBITS
callNumber
J636.9322 HINDS 1999
Rabbits, Juvenile Literature]
in order to trace the history of that book for the calendar year of 2006.
Analysis:
I discovered that by comparing the results. In this case, that the randomly traced item 'Turtles' and 'Rabbits', the book on 'Turtles' moved out of the library more through the calendar year. Assuming that the library patrons were different, I also drew the conclusion that this book was more popular, and thus had more virtual-geographic movement throughout the calendar year. This data shows, not only that the book Turtle moved at a more rapid speed throughout the calendar year, but also that the book covered a longer terrain.
The following MySQL sequences have produced these results:
Hare and Tortoise:
TURTLES:
1) 2006-02-06 16:18:00 2006-02-17 16:14:00 ncnf jcbk 0010038881313 Turtles J597.92 BASKIN- 1996 597.92 Turtles Endangered species Turtles Juvenile literature Endangered species Juvenile literature
2) 2006-04-15 14:35:00 2006-04-27 19:37:00 ncnf jcbk 0010038881313 Turtles J597.92 BASKIN- 1996 597.92 Turtles Endangered species Turtles Juvenile literature Endangered species Juvenile literature
3) 2006-05-16 17:48:00 2006-05-26 16:54:00 ncnf jcbk 0010038881313 Turtles J597.92 BASKIN- 1996 597.92 Turtles Endangered species Turtles Juvenile literature Endangered species Juvenile literature
4) 2006-06-23 11:16:00 2006-07-12 17:16:00 ncnf jcbk 0010038881313 Turtles J597.92 BASKIN- 1996 597.92 Turtles Endangered species Turtles Juvenile literature Endangered species Juvenile literature
5) 2006-07-17 15:49:00 2006-08-03 12:28:00 ncnf jcbk 0010038881313 Turtles J597.92 BASKIN- 1996 597.92 Turtles Endangered species Turtles Juvenile literature Endangered species Juvenile literature
Here we can see that the title 'Turtles'
Map this data to show the movement of the single book and compare these results to
Rabbits:
select * from transactions2006
where title like 'Rabbits'
and barcode like '0010035381861'
1) 2005-11-23 12:57:00 2006-01-27 00:00:00 ncnf jcbk 0010035381861 Rabbits J636.9322 HINDS 1999 636.9322 Rabbits Rabbits Juvenile literature
2) 2005-11-23 12:57:00 2006-02-08 17:57:00 ncnf jcbk 0010035381861 Rabbits J636.9322 HINDS 1999 636.9322 Rabbits Rabbits Juvenile literature
3) 2006-04-07 14:55:00 2006-04-14 14:06:00 ncnf jcbk 0010035381861 Rabbits J636.9322 HINDS 1999 636.9322 Rabbits Rabbits Juvenile literature
Conclusions:
While the limited data sets may provide a resource in developing an understand of the flow of information, this data operates within a terrain that moves information into a hyper-rationality form of existence. One might map this data and show that key works of literature are moving at differing rates, yet the data does not analyze the bias of real space, i.e. the spacial location of the library, the role of researchers in the area, and etcetera. The conditions of pulling significant information of the flow of information, from the catalog is limited to an extreme degree, one might have to develop a comparative data base sample in order to elaborate and utilize this data to further draw conclusions about the significance.
Kosara:
Kosara and Research:
The absence of theoretical terrain, or subversive theoretical terrain, is apparent within Kosara’s own writing. Kosara writes, “While I consider theory to be important, I do not believe in its value only for its own sake. Like most of my peers, I have developed useful tools and techniques that are applied to real-world data and problems.” This signals to me an often over dramatized distinction, which those in the field of practical sciences apply between theory and practice. While much of the theoretical history, art theory and literary theory, has been quite esoteric and has operated in sharp separation from practical construction or development, the process of developing theory is strongly influential in building a profound understanding of method and existence. When one is to re-think the assumptions of historical notions of visuality, one can begin to construct forward thinking approaches to visualization.
While I do agree with Kosara that empirical studies are important in developing an understanding of the nature of visualization, I would also argue that visualization is key in developing an understanding of what data is. One might argue that data is made closer, in some respects, to a truth as it is represented and mediated.
10.05.2011
Visualizing Data
The Tortoise and the Hare: Brainstorm an Ontological/Virtual Mapping Project
Question: I hope to look at how the concept of speed and movement can be visualized by library data. Knowledge is constantly moving, yet without geographic space, how can one understand movement?
Intention: The intention of this data-experiment has been to inquire on the subject of patterns within the time span of check out and check in dates. This experiment not only seeks to look for a quantitative pattern or potential differences between genre types and check out length and the speed of movement, but also hopes to suggest more of an ontological difference the movement of literature that cannot be suggested by library databases. Though the role of most data might be first and foremost to discover a pattern of interest, this project operates with deconstructing the use of data, assessing the limits of data, and then providing a way to map the movement of literature.
Rather than looking specifically at key sets of books, I will look at the differences between two books within a single genre, Juvenile Children's Literature, and attempt to unravel the utility of my search as an ontological history of the single book(s). The goal, as noted is not to foreshadow the patterns of results, which at times are predictable, but rather look at the simplified data and attempt to discover ways to ontologically situate a book throughout time.
This research not only hopes to recognize patterns in the flow of the literature, but also hopes to look at some of the scientific and data bias' that may result in a data that has been simplified in library databases, a database that is disconnected with historical conditions and demographic issues.
Within the course of this research I took two works of Children's Science Literature, to study the speed of the 'Tortoise and the Hare'.
For this study I used the code:
Queries:
Select * from transactions2006
where title like ‘Rabbits’
Select * from transactions2006
where title like ‘Turtles’
In order to find a work of literature in the children's database. And I used the code:
Select * from transactions2006
where title like ‘Turtles’
and barcode like ‘0010038881313’
And then
Select * from transactions2006
where title like ‘Rabbits’
and barcode like ‘001003581861’
[Books found:
TURTLES
J597.92 BASKIN 1996
Turtles, Juvenile Literature
RABBITS
callNumber
J636.9322 HINDS 1999
Rabbits, Juvenile Literature]
in order to trace the history of that book for the calendar year of 2006.
Analysis:
I discovered that by comparing the results. In this case, that the randomly traced item 'Turtles' and 'Rabbits', the book on 'Turtles' moved out of the library more through the calendar year. Assuming that the library patrons were different, I also drew the conclusion that this book was more popular, and thus had more virtual-geographic movement throughout the calendar year. This data shows, not only that the book Turtle moved at a more rapid speed throughout the calendar year, but also that the book covered a longer terrain.
The following MySQL sequences have produced these results:
Hare and Tortoise:
TURTLES:
1) 2006-02-06 16:18:00 2006-02-17 16:14:00 ncnf jcbk 0010038881313 Turtles J597.92 BASKIN- 1996 597.92 Turtles Endangered species Turtles Juvenile literature Endangered species Juvenile literature
2) 2006-04-15 14:35:00 2006-04-27 19:37:00 ncnf jcbk 0010038881313 Turtles J597.92 BASKIN- 1996 597.92 Turtles Endangered species Turtles Juvenile literature Endangered species Juvenile literature
3) 2006-05-16 17:48:00 2006-05-26 16:54:00 ncnf jcbk 0010038881313 Turtles J597.92 BASKIN- 1996 597.92 Turtles Endangered species Turtles Juvenile literature Endangered species Juvenile literature
4) 2006-06-23 11:16:00 2006-07-12 17:16:00 ncnf jcbk 0010038881313 Turtles J597.92 BASKIN- 1996 597.92 Turtles Endangered species Turtles Juvenile literature Endangered species Juvenile literature
5) 2006-07-17 15:49:00 2006-08-03 12:28:00 ncnf jcbk 0010038881313 Turtles J597.92 BASKIN- 1996 597.92 Turtles Endangered species Turtles Juvenile literature Endangered species Juvenile literature
Here we can see that the title 'Turtles'
Map this data to show the movement of the single book and compare these results to
Rabbits:
select * from transactions2006
where title like 'Rabbits'
and barcode like '0010035381861'
1) 2005-11-23 12:57:00 2006-01-27 00:00:00 ncnf jcbk 0010035381861 Rabbits J636.9322 HINDS 1999 636.9322 Rabbits Rabbits Juvenile literature
2) 2005-11-23 12:57:00 2006-02-08 17:57:00 ncnf jcbk 0010035381861 Rabbits J636.9322 HINDS 1999 636.9322 Rabbits Rabbits Juvenile literature
3) 2006-04-07 14:55:00 2006-04-14 14:06:00 ncnf jcbk 0010035381861 Rabbits J636.9322 HINDS 1999 636.9322 Rabbits Rabbits Juvenile literature
Conclusions:
While the limited data sets may provide a resource in developing an understand of the flow of information, this data operates within a terrain that moves information into a hyper-rationality form of existence. One might map this data and show that key works of literature are moving at differing rates, yet the data does not analyze the bias of real space, i.e. the spacial location of the library, the role of researchers in the area, and etcetera. The conditions of pulling significant information of the flow of information, from the catalog is limited to an extreme degree, one might have to develop a comparative data base sample in order to elaborate and utilize this data to further draw conclusions about the significance.
Kosara:
Kosara and Research:
The absence of theoretical terrain, or subversive theoretical terrain, is apparent within Kosara’s own writing. Kosara writes, “While I consider theory to be important, I do not believe in its value only for its own sake. Like most of my peers, I have developed useful tools and techniques that are applied to real-world data and problems.” This signals to me an often over dramatized distinction, which those in the field of practical sciences apply between theory and practice. While much of the theoretical history, art theory and literary theory, has been quite esoteric and has operated in sharp separation from practical construction or development, the process of developing theory is strongly influential in building a profound understanding of method and existence. When one is to re-think the assumptions of historical notions of visuality, one can begin to construct forward thinking approaches to visualization.
While I do agree with Kosara that empirical studies are important in developing an understanding of the nature of visualization, I would also argue that visualization is key in developing an understanding of what data is. One might argue that data is made closer, in some respects, to a truth as it is represented and mediated.