One million tweet map

Lab #3 – Webmaps and Twitter

See Canvas for evaluation methods.

Learning Outcomes for Lab:

· Discover the processes that underlie the one million tweet map

· Explore how the Rest API and other API’s create webmaps

· Query and explore the one million tweet map using search strategies

· Spatially analyze results created through data queries.

Learning Outcomes for Quantitative Literacy:

· Understand quantitative models that describe real world phenomena and recognize limitations of those models;

· Perform simple mathematical computations associated with a quantitative model and make conclusions based on the results;

· Recognize, use, and appreciate mathematical thinking for solving problems that are part of everyday life;

· Understand the various sources of uncertainty and error in empirical data;

· Retrieve, organize, and analyze data associated with a quantitative model; and

· Communicate logical arguments and their conclusions.

In this lab we will explore an application called ‘one million tweet map,’

http://onemilliontweetmap.com/

This application is a living, breathing map – wow! The great thing about this lab is that it will never be the same twice.

We will discuss what an API is in class…

On occasion the one million tweet map hasn’t worked. If this happens consistently please use this interface instead. https://www.mapd.com/demos/tweetmap/ If this is the case – use this second link to answer the questions about spatial patterns and tweets. You will still need to use the first link (onemlliontweetmap) in order to answer some of the question – such as the one about the rest API.

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Webmapping that features user interactivity is the future of maps. There is a lot of code behind the map you don’t see that capture, code, and display tweets.

The map works in tweet clusters. Remember how we talked about representations of space in class – this map deals with issues of scale by symbolizing areas of high tweet interest using blue circles. The larger the number of tweets in an area or region – the larger the circle.

Background for first link

You can use the zoom tools in the upper right hand corner of the map to zoom in and out of places with the plus and minus signs. The globe will zoom you back to the entire world.

This map represents tweets in the last 24 hours. At the world scale tweets are represented in purple. You can zoom in on them to see more detail. You play around with the time filter – only seeing tweets that are more recent.

At the top of the map next to #onemilliontweet shows you how many tweets have been made since you loaded the page.

When new tweets appear they are represented by red dots – these are given location using latitude and longitude.

You can toggle in between the heat map and the cluster view to change the visual representation of tweets.

The filter works either by plain text or hashtag. Click on the ‘i’ next to search box for instructions to use the search.

Click on analytics to get data about the tweets at different scales (it will summarize tweets based on what geographic areas are on the screen)

If you wish to start over again from the world view, click on reset. Sometimes this hasn’t worked for me. Simply refreshing the page will allow you to start over.

After exploring/playing around please answer questions below.

You can find Temple campus by double clicking and zooming in…

Background for second link (IF THE FIRST LINK ONEMILLIONTWEETMAP WORKS – IGNORE THIS!)

The first thing you should do is click point map in the upper left hand corner. The choropleth option is also interesting but not as useful.

Click on the location marker (that looks like a location on google maps) to see what is being tweeted at Temple campus.

Use the marker and the circle to look up specific locations around the world

The bottom of the screen shows how many tweets are in geographic area you are examining. It also shows the frequency of tweets over the last 3 months.

You can also search hashtags and tweets, which you will do a fair amount of in the lab.

1. What are some of the factors that might influence the geographic distribution of the tweets you see?

a. At the world scale?

b. At the scale of the United States?

2. How is this map different than the maps you posted on Packback? Hint: maps can be static or dynamic…

3. What do you like about this map?

a. Do you have any critiques of it? What is missing? What would you add?

4. If you have a twitter account, make a tweet (Wait a few minutes) and see if you can locate it. Is the map picking up your tweet?

5. Explore Temple University by zooming in to the street scale… What are people tweeting about around Temple? This is what I found.

ONE MILLION TWEET MAP

SECOND LINK

6. What are the most popular hashtags in the world right now?

This is what I found (on 1/30/18)

Click on (view more analytics) on the left – it will give you the analytics of the area that appears on your screen. Consider the following questions.

In the United States?

In another country?

In the town you grew up in?

7. Look for something in a foreign language like the day of the week. What does the geographic distribution like? What does the distribution tell us about language and culture?

8. What is an API? (look it up)

9. How is ‘rest API’ being used on the map? Both versions of the map use the same API. Visit here – This is the ‘about,’ section I told you about earlier… PLEASE CLICK ON EACH SUBHEADING WITH A CHECK NEXT TO IT AT THE TOP LEFT SIDE OF THE PAGE FOR MORE INFO ABOUT THE REST API. http://v3.maptimize.com/

10. Pick three key words or hashtags to explore – describe where these tweets are concentrated and take snips of their geographic location. Why do you think they exhibit the geographic pattern you observe?

11. Pick 2 geographic areas. (For example Cleveland and West Hollywood) What are the most popular tweets in these areas? Zoom into the city and use the analytics function…