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Computational Thinking and Social Science
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Computational Thinking and Social Science
Combining Programming, Methodologies and Fundamental Concepts

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December 2022 | 384 pages | SAGE Publications Ltd
Whilst providing a fundamental understanding of computational social science, this book delves into the tools and techniques used to build familiarity with programming and gain context into how, why and when they are introduced. The overall focus is on helping you understand and design computational social science research, alongside delving into hands-on coding and technical instruction.

Key features include: 
  • Further reading 
  • Exercises accompanied by sample code 
  • Programming examples in Scratch, Python and R
  • Key concepts  
  • Chapter summaries 
With experience in course design and teaching, Matti Nelimarkka has a deep understanding of learning techniques within computational social sciences, with the main aim of blending researching, thinking and designing together to gain a grounded foundation for coding, programming, methodologies and key concepts. 
 
New kind of social science requires new skills
 
Computational Thinking, Algorithms and Writing Code
 
Data Science
 
Network Analysis
 
Data Structures
 
Simulations and Complex Systems
 
Interactive Systems
 
Best Practice for Software Development
 
Computation and Data: Collection, Storage and Manipulation
 
Computational Social Science
 
Research Ethics in Computational Social Science
 
Mistakes and Quality of Results in Computational Social Sciences
 
Integrating Computational Methods in Research

Matti Nelimarkka’s Coding Social Science is ambitious and wide-ranging. It is among the first to provide a detailed exposition of what it means for a social scientist to think computationally. The wealth of applied examples it unpacks is at once a rich resource and testament to the diversity of this field. Nelimarkka also helps to organise our thinking when it comes to what this field actually is through his attention to the conceptual underpinnings of computational inquiry. Most impressively, the book provides solutions to programmatic problems across three languages—a gift for any instructor trying to demystify coding for the budding computational social scientist. 

Christopher Barrie
Lecturer in Computational Sociology at the University of Edinburgh

A comprehensive and practical reference for social scientists who want to go computational, with many whats and hows, without forgetting the nots – a book to read, to think, and to use!

Matteo Magnani
Senior lecturer at the Department of Information Technology, Uppsala University, Sweden

For instructors

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