Assignment

Part 1 - Tag Clouds

a. Visit TagCrowd and:

i. Create a tag cloud for a document or web page of your choice. Explain what text or page you chose, why, and then provide a one-paragraph, masters-level discussion about what the tag cloud reveals about your selection. Include your tag cloud as a screenshot below followed by your interpretations explaining the items noted above.

Output Screenshot:

Interpretation:

ii. Adjust the ‘Options' available on the TagCrowd page to finely tune your tag cloud. The objective is to provide a more concise and clear tag cloud that more accurately depicts the source content. Post your revised tag cloud screenshot below followed by a discussion on what options you selected and why. (Hint: You should go through multiple iterations changing things like the maximum number of words, minimum frequency, group similar, and don't show these words to arrive at your revised cloud. This is especially true if you select a web page as there are banners, headers, footers, and other content that does not relate to the primary content of the page.)

Output Screenshot:

Interpretation:

iii. What visual advantages does a tag cloud provide? What about disadvantages? Provide at least one example of each in your one-paragraph, masters-level response.

Part 2 - Yippy Search

a. Visit Yippy Search and:

i. Run a search on a topic of your choice. Include a screenshot of the results page and explain in detail how the results are presented. (Hint: Do not simply look at the main results page but also the sidebar results.)

Output Screenshot:

Discussion:

ii. How is text mining used by Yippy Search? Provide a one-paragraph, masters-level response. (Hint: You do not need external research for this response. Interpret the output and then provide your rationale, based on the readings this week, to draw your conclusions).

Discussion:

iii. Describe at least one scenario where you could imagine that Yippy Search could be helpful. Provide a discussion below justifying why you believe your scenario would benefit from Yippy Search. Provide a one-paragraph, masters-level response.

Discussion:

Part 3 - Open Calais

a. Visit Open Calais and:

i. Copy and paste or provide a PDF of any large body of text with references to people, places, organizations, and things into the appropriate options on the Open Calais page. Include an output screenshot of the results page* and then provide a brief discussion about why you selected this particular text. (*Hint: You need only to take a screenshot of the immediate output window, i.e. you do not need to provide a screenshot showing all scrolled content in the case of massive text).

Output Screenshot:

Discussion:

ii. From a textual data mining perspective, what does the Open Calais tool accomplish? Highlight at least three things that the tool reveals about the text you analyzed. Provide a one-paragraph, masters-level response.

Discussion:

iii. Describe at least one scenario where you, personally within either an academic or professional setting, would use this tool. Provide a one-paragraph, masters-level response that details the specific application of the Open Calais tool and why it may be advantageous to use.

Discussion: