Data Librarian
Tools that will help you find, access, and organize articles and books
Use LibKey Nomad to quickly get access to an article, either through UVA Library, via open access, or Interlibrary Loan.
- Libkey Nomad Browser ExtensionUpon finding an article on any website, Libkey Nomad identifies if the Library has access (and directs you to the full PDF of the article), or if not, directs you to Interlibrary Loan to allow you to get quick access to any article, anywhere.
Manage your citations with Zotero.
Characteristics of a good Data Science Research Question
You need to find background information to support your work within pre-existing sources. Peng's Art of Data Science Chapter 3 is all about “Stating and Refining a Research Question.” Section 3.3 “Characteristics of a Good Question” highlights these aspects of a question:
- Of interest to your audience
- Not already been answered
- Plausible
- Answerable
- Specific
You need to get background information in order to asses these characteristics of your research question. Where are you supposed to find this background info? Read on!
Sources of Evidence and Their Uses
This table about evidence and their uses (found in Andrew Pennock's The CQ Press Writing Guide for Public Policy, 2019, p. 27, Table 2.1) will help most data scientists understand where to find background information related to their project. Thinking about documents in this framework will be most helpful when you are working with a client on your capstone.
| Find Academic Docs | Find Gov Docs |
| Find Interest Group Docs | Find News |
| Academia | Government | Interest Groups | Popular Media | |
| Documents |
* Helpful for understanding the broad outlines of a problem but unlikely to address your problem directly. * Can provide helpful evidence about the effectives of proposed alternatives. * Seek out peer-reviewed... journals. |
* Often provide good interviews and histories of a problem. * May have produced reports on specific problems analogous to yours. * Agencies produce documents reflecting their viewpoints, so look for differences. * Can tip you to important data sources. |
* Can quickly help you understand industry or sector viewpoints. * Provide information in testimony, issue briefs, or regulatory comments, op-eds, and other documents. |
* Articles can give the broad outlines of an issue and understand what educated readers likely know about the problem. |
| People |
* Can be a good sources of systematic knowledge and broad perspective on a problem. * Seek academics working in [related fields]. |
* Gatekeepers of government information you need. * Can be great background on an issues if you have a relationship. If not, come prepared with questions to make good use of their time. |
* Consult for specific statistics, as they can have data and information not found elsewhere. * Can provide perspectives on a political conflict. * Helpful for understanding technical aspects[...] |
* Helpful for background information. * Good source of contacts to interview in other domains. * May tip you off to political landmines about which you don't know. |