8.1 What are spreadsheets versus databases?

In the last chapter, we learned to input data into a spreadsheet table so we could contribute to a larger set of meaningful data. The sets of data were consistent — each entry (or row) had a title, a date, a picture, a URL, etc. — and all the data was visible on a single table. The simple rows and columns of a single table of data is referred to as flat-file database. Sets of flat data are typically manipulated in a spreadsheet file due to its simplicity. In this chapter, we'll manipulate another set of flat data from a single table using Pivot tables. We'll also visualize (or chart) that data so it is easy to understand at a glance.

Another kind of data manipulation involves the lookup function where one row or column looks for data in one sheet and adds it to another sheet, thereby interacting dynamically to eliminate redundancy of data entry. Related columns or rows in a data sheet use keys (also referred to as indexes) to correlate the shared data. Complex sets of data with keys and relationships are typically referred to as relational databases. We'll experiment with that too, using a vertical lookup function.

8.1.1 Write in a Spreadsheet file.

Write and format what you learned about spreadsheets and databases.

1. Launch a spreadsheet application:
   • Google Sheets
   • Microsoft Excel
2. Open a Blank worksheet file (you might already have one open).
3. Name the file Oregon-Counties-Parties-Reps-Senators-first-lastname (use your own name) and move it to your CS 101 folder.
4. Rename the existing sheet as Cover.
   
5. Stretch the A1 cell's boundaries so it is roughly 3 inches wide and 2 inches tall by dragging the bar between row 1 and 2 as well as between column A and B.
   
6. Apply the text wrap and align left as well as vertical align top settings.
   • Google Sheets
     
   • Microsoft Excel
     
7. In the large cell, describe how spreadsheets become relational databases. Include in your description, all of the concepts learned from the paragraphs and diagram in step 8.1, above. After you complete the remaining steps of the assignment, revise the paragraph to include more detail relevant to how you created one (but write in the third-person style).
   
8. Change the font size to 14pt and the color to a bright blue.

8.2 Make a Pivot table of political parties.

Government-funded data collection is often freely available to citizens as part of the USA Freedom of Information Act. The State of Oregon posts much of their data on the OpenData website. For the following lessons, we'll use the current data from these sources:

• Oregon Voter Registration (.csv download, import)
• House of Representatives (.csv download, import)
• Senate (.csv download, import)
• State Senators by District (Blue Book select, copy/paste)

8.2.1 Import the data.

1. From the Oregon OpenData website, navigate to the Voter Registration by County page for 2024.
   Export the Filtered .CSV file to your local hard drive. Do not click the CSV for Excel button.
   
2. In the Oregon-Counties-Parties-Representatives-Senators file, add a new sheet + and name it Voter_Registration_Data. The underscores are absolutely required for Excel users (hyphens won't work).
   
3. Import the .CSV file:
   • Google Sheets
     File > Import the Voter_Registration_Data.csv file so that it Replaces current sheet in the blank file.
     
   • Microsoft Excel
     Many versions exist and no two are alike when it comes to importing a .CSV file. Try ONE of these methods:
     1. From the Data tab, choose Get Data > From File > From Text/CSV > Load to... > Existing Worksheet or New Worksheet.
     2. From the Data tab, choose Get Data (Power Query) > Text/CSV > Next > Connection Settings Browse and pick the correct .CSV file. > Preview > Load.
        This version will automatically add the data to a new sheet.
4. Save the file to your CS 101 folder for easy access.

8.2.2 Freeze the column headings.

1. Select the first row using the row selector. While the row is highlighted,
   • Google Sheets
     View > Freeze > 1 row to create a header for the data.
     
   • Microsoft Excel
     View > Freeze Panes > Freeze Top Row to create a header for the data.
     

8.2.3 Create the Pivot Table.

1. Select all of the columns by clicking the Column/Row selector in the top left corner of the worksheet.
   
2. While the three or more columns are selected:
   • Google Sheets
     From the Insert menu choose Pivot table. It will open on a new sheet.
     
   • Microsoft Excel
     From the Insert menu choose Pivot Table.
     
     If you get an error, then go back and select all the columns.
3. Rename the new Pivot sheet to Major Parties Pivot.
   
4. On the Pivot table's right pane, select and add the county, party, and count fields to the rows and columns:
   • Google Sheets
     Add County to the Row option and choose Ascending by County and Show totals.
     
     Add Party to the Column option and choose Ascending by Party and Show totals.
     
     Add Count(V.ID) to the Value option and choose SUM by % of Grand Total.
     
   • Microsoft Excel
     1. Using the field checkboxes, choose County, Party, and Count(V.ID).
     2. Drag the Party menu from the Row box into the Column box.
     3. Drag the Count(V.ID) menu from the Row box into the Values box.
        
     4. From the Analyze menu, choose Field Settings. You may have to click on the table to get it to activate the Pivot table sub-tabs/menus, which includes the Analyze tab. (If you accidentally hid the Field List pane, then right-click on the table heading and choose Show Field List.) Click and drag to select the data in these columns: C (Democrat), D (Independent), G (Nonaffiliated), J (Republican), Selecting the entire column will not work; select just the data in those columns..
     5. Click on the Values > Count of to activate the Summarize screen.
        
        Or click the Analyze > Field Settings menu.
        In the Sum tab, choose Sum. Then, click the the Show Values tab of that same screen to choose % of Grand Total. Click OK.
        
     6. Additional help: You can also use the search field to find field settings. If that doesn't work, then Load the Analysis Toolpack.
5. To improve the overall impression of the data, we'll eliminate parties with very few members to focus on major players.
   • Google Sheets
     Shift-click on the blank column letter for the Constitution party column to select it. Right-click to Hide Column. Do the same for Libertarian, Other, Pacific Green, Progressive, and Working Families columns, leaving only the major parties active: Democrats, Independents, Non-affiliated, and Republicans.
     
     
     Also, hide row 3 if it is blank.
   • Microsoft Excel
     Click on the Column Labels filter icon in Column B. De-select all the column labels, then select only the major parties: Democrats, Independents, Non-affiliated, and Republicans.
     
     
     Also, hide row 3 and/or column B if they are blank.
6. Notice the data is sorted by county and the grand total tells us there are more registered Democrats and non-affiliated people than registered Republicans. If you got some other result, revise the Pivot Table's Row, Column, and Value options. If you have blank rows or columns, right-click on each and choose Hide Column or Hide Row to remove them.
   
7. To prepare for the next steps, click and drag from the top left cell to the bottom right cell of the Pivot table data. but do not include the grand total row or column:
   
8. Save the file with Ctrls or ⌘s.

8.3 Visualize the data in a Pivot chart.

To better visualize the percentages of people registered in each party, we'll design a chart. Charts can remove the tediousness of comparing and evaluating each complex value 00.00% with another.

8.3.1 Draft the chart.

1. With the Major Parties Pivot Pivot worksheet active,
   • Google Sheets
     From the Insert menu choose Chart. From the Chart editor Panel's Chart type menu choose Stacked Bar Chart. Then, from the Stacking menu choose Standard. Or, from the Chart Type menu choose Stacked Bar Chart.
     
   • Microsoft Excel
     From the PivotTable Analyze menu, choose Pivot Chart. Or, from the PivotTable Tools tab > Analyze or Design tab choose PivotChart.
     
     Choose the Bar and Stacking Bar style.
     
     New versions of Excel have newer menus. Locate the Change Chart Type menu's Columns section, then choose the 2D Stacked Bar type.
     
     You may need to stretch the chart using the corner handles in order to see all of the rows and columns.
2. Move the chart to a new worksheet:
   • Google Sheets
     Click the tiny 3-dot vertical menu at the top right corner of the new chart: Choose Move to own sheet.
     
   • Microsoft Excel
     From the PivotTable Tools and Analyze menu choose Move Chart > New sheet.
     

8.3.2 Redesign the chart.

1. Double-click the worksheet name and change it to Major Parties Chart.
2. If the chart does not have a title, or vertical and horizontal axis, add them by using the Add Chart Element menu on the top left, or by using the + element.
   
3. Change the chart's title text to Major Party Affiliations in Oregon 2024 and change it and the axis color to bright Blue (the brightest option) and font to Tahoma (it may be inherited from the chart style).
   • Google Sheets
     Edit Chart and from the Customize Panel's Chart style menu choose Tahoma font and check the Compare Mode box. Then,
     1. From the Chart & axis titles menu update the color to bright Blue and font-weight to bold. The Tahoma font should get inherited from the Chart Style.
     2. From the Series menu check the Total data labels box.
     3. From the Horizontal and Vertical menus, change the text color to bright Blue.
     
     
   • Microsoft Excel
     From the PivotChart Tools > Design tab choose Add Chart Element > Chart Title menu, choose Above Chart. Update the name of the chart.
     
     Update the vertical Axis to say County and change its color to bright Blue (if allowed).
     Select the vertical labels and change their colors to bright Blue using the Format Chart pane > Text Options > Color Picker.
     Do the same for the horizontal labels and the title.
4. Change the chart's Legend orientation to vertical, on the right, and to Blue:
   • Google Sheets
     Click on the Legend. From the Customize Panel's Chart style menu for Legend, choose Right from the Position menu and update the text color to bright Blue.
     If the text labels were not provided next to the colored boxes, double-click on them to type the correct names.
   • Microsoft Excel
     If the Legend shows too many parties, use its down-arrow ↓ to deselect all but Democrat, Independent, Nonaffiliated, and Republican parties.
     
     Right-click on the Legend and choose Format Legend. From the Legend Option tab, choose Right from the Legend Position menu. From the Text Options tab, choose bright Blue from the text color picker.
     
5. Save the file with Ctrls or ⌘s.

8.3.3 Doesn't your chart look great!

The results of your chart design should look something like this.

Notice that the title and labels are bright blue, the chart bars are horizontally stacked, and the legend is in the top right corner (or to the right middle edge).

If you used the Google Sheets application, then you can also display the values at the end of each bar. Excel does not allow this, so it is optional.

From some versions of Excel, the chart will result in different colors, spacing, and sorting:

8.4 Merge data with vLookup to create a database.

Merging one set of data with another can help pinpoint specific related items. In this lesson, we'll import data of the Representatives for the House branch of the Oregon Legislative government then modify the house district number so it becomes the 'key' between it and the Voter_Registration_Data. The key will allow us to merge County data with the Representatives data, creating a relational database. Then, you'll do the same for the Oregon Senator data.

8.4.1 Import, merge, and improve Representatives Data.

1. From the Oregon government website, navigate to the Oregon House​ of Representatives website and download CSV Contact Data to your drive's CS 101 folder. The resulting file will be called house.csv.
   
2. Import the .CSV file:
   • Google Sheets
     From your existing oregon-county-parties-representatives spreadsheet file, File > Import the house.csv file. Choose Insert new sheet for the destination.
     Ninami Holman demonstrates how to import the house.csv file into Google Sheets. (2019) Captioned.
   • Microsoft Excel
     From your existing oregon-county-parties-representatives spreadsheet file, click the + Add worksheet icon to add a new worksheet.
     Choose ONE of these import methods:
     • From the Data tab, choose Get Data > From File > From Text/CSV and pick the correct .CSV file. > Load to... > Existing Worksheet or New Worksheet.
     • From the Data tab, choose Get Data (Power Query) > Text/CSV > Next > Connection Settings Browse and pick the correct .CSV file. > Preview > Load.
       This version will automatically add the data to a new sheet.
     Older versions of Excel have similar functions, but may include more screens to click through. Be sure to ask for help if you need it!
3. Double-click the name of the new worksheet and name it Representatives.
   
4. Save the file with Ctrls or ⌘s.

8.4.2 Make keys/indexes.

To make the key for each sheet, modify the House District columns in both sheets:

1. Look at the Voter_Registration_Data worksheet.
   • Google Sheets
     Click/hold and move the HD_NAME column left to position A in the table.
     
   • Microsoft Excel
     
     There are two ways to move a column:
     1. Select the HD_NAME column, then cut Commandx and then right-click on the A column to choose Insert Cut Cells.
     2. Or, select the HD_NAME column, then apply the Shift key while pressing down on the column header. The 4-pointed cursor should appear, which means you can move it to the left.
        
2. So that we can more easily match one set of data with another, we'll remove text that might get in the way. We'll change a string of text and number to just a number.
   • Google Sheets
     Edit > Find and Replace.... In the Find field, type house district. In the Replace field, type a single space. Click Replace All.
     
     Click Done.
   • Microsoft Excel
     Ctrlf > Replace. In the Find field, type house district. In the Replace field, type a single space. Click Replace All.
     

8.4.3 Move a column and freeze column headings.

1. Look at the Representatives worksheet. Move the District Number column to the A position to make it the key, so it will match up with the other sheet's key.
   • Google Sheets
     Click/hold and move the District Number column left to position A in the table.
     
   • Microsoft Excel
     Click/hold and move the District Number column left to position A in the table.
     
     OR, cut Commandx and select the District Number column then right-click on the A column to choose Insert Cut Cells.
2. Click row 1 to select it then freeze it to make column headers.
   • Google Sheets
     View > Freeze > 1 row to create a header for the data.
     
   • Microsoft Excel
     View > Freeze Panes > Freeze Top Row to create a header for the data.
     
3. Right-click on Column A to choose Sort A-Z, so that the District Number column is arranged 1 to 60.

8.4.4 Add the vLookup function.

1. Click into the cell at column H row 1 and type County.
   
2. Now, we'll perform a VLOOKUP function to merge the County data from the Voter_Registration_Data worksheet into the new column County column of the Representatives sheet. Click into the cell at column H row 2. Type an = sign and the function VLOOKUP. Provide 4 parameters to give the function enough information to calculate.
   
   • A2 is the column and row that will provide the matching key with the Voter worksheet.
   • Voter_Registration_Data!A2:B1291 is the range of data to lookup from cell A2 through cell B1291 of the Voter worksheet.
     • If the Voter_Registration_Data worksheet name uses only lower case letters, or has a different name, then replace that worksheet name in the function with the exact spelling of your worksheet name. You might need to revise the worksheet name or the formula range name. They must match.
     • Or, you can click into the formula, then into the worksheet and select those 1291 rows of data in the two columns.
     • Or copy this sheet name and range: Voter_Registration_Data!A2:B1291.
   • 2 is the column of data from the Voter worksheet that we'll merge into the Representatives worksheet.
   • FALSE is the default for exact matches.
   Now, you should see Curry county in column H for District Number 1in column A.
   
3. If you scorted the list by District Number in a previous step, then District 1 should be Curry in the Representatives worksheet.

8.4.5 Duplicate the formula.

1. To use the same formula for all remaining Representatives, Select the cellH2 on the Representatives worksheet. Drag the bottom right handle straight down to row 61.
   
   
   And like magic, the rest of the rows take on the VLOOKUP formula and fill in the correlating counties!
   

8.4.6 Improve readability.

1. To improve the readability of this worksheet, wrap and resize all of the columns to display all their data rather than cut it off. Select all of the columns and rows by clicking the Column/Row selector in the top left corner of the worksheet.
   
2. • Google Sheets
     Click the Format > Text wrapping > Wrap or use the toolbar's icon to wrap text inside of each cell rather than hide it on the right.
     
   • Microsoft Excel
     Click the Home > Wrap Text > Wrap or use the toolbar's icon to wrap text inside of each cell rather than hide it on the right.
     
     You might also have to click Home > Format > Autofit Row Height.
3. Drag the bars between each column to the left and right to expand and contract them, so that the District Number or HD Number is as skinny as possible, the Name columns are as skinny as possible, the Email address is visible on one line, the Capitol Address is on two lines, and the Web Addresss is on two lines. The goal is to allow the unique information be be easily read at a glance, like this:
   
4. Save the file with Ctrls or ⌘s.

8.4.7 Paste, merge, and improve Senate data.

To practice those complicated vLookup steps again, you'll paste in the Blue Book's Senate contact data and merge it with the imported Senate list, creating another relationship between two sheets.

1. Click/drag to select and copy the data from Blue Book's State Senators by District list.
   1. Add a new sheet in the same spreadsheet file and title it Senate_Counties. Spelling is critical. Ensure the sheet name does not have spaces.
   2. Place your cursor in cell A2 and paste the copied data.
   3. If your pasted data did not include column headings, then, in Row 1, add headings to each column: District, Counties, Contact, Occupation, Years, and Born.
   4. District will be the Key column (A).
   5. Freeze the top row.
   6. Move the Counties column to position B.
2. From the Oregon government website, navigate to the Senate website and download CSV Contact Data to your drive's CS 101 folder. The resulting file will be called senate.csv.
   
   1. Use the same data import process from step Step 8.4.1.2 (or use your memory) to add the Senate data to a new sheet.
   2. Name the sheet Senators.
   3. Freeze the top row.
   4. Move the District Number column to position A (to create a Key).
   5. Add a header Counties to H1.
   6. In cell H2, add a vLookup formula that does the following:
      • Uses the A2 cell as the Key between it and the Senate_Counties sheet.
      • References the Senate_Counties sheet from cell A2 through B31 (or B120 if there are subrows in that sheet).
      • Copies the County data from B2, which is in the second position/column (2) of that sheet.
      • Sets the exact matches option to False.
      
      
      If the data pasted into the Senate_Counties sheet has subrows, then use B120.
      
   7. To use the same formula for all remaining Senators, select the cell H2 and drag the bottom right handle straight down to row 31 or 120. Excel may do this for you automatically. Google Sheets may provide an option to do this for you.
3. Resize and text wrap the columns to improve readability.

The finished sheet should look like this:

Revisit the Cover sheet's paragraph about how databases are created. Add more detail based on your recent experiences manipulating sheets to make a database (but write in the third-person style and check grammar and spelling).

8.4.8 Extra Credit Options.

Complete one or both of these extra credit options:

1. Manipulate your own state's or country's list of representatives. (2 points)
   Navigate to your state/province, reservation, or country website and look for a list of regional government representatives. Export the list to a .CSV file if possible. A tab-separated text file should also work. Import the list into a new spreadsheet file. Resize and wrap the fields to improve readability and reduce the number of pages when printing. Export the list to PDF file. Upload the PDF file normally to the Assignment in Canvas.
2. Write about how you could use the Pivot table and Chart, and/or vLookup formula in your current or future job. (2 points)
   What set of data would you be working with? Why would you need to manipulate it? Check your grammar and spelling, save the file as a PDF, and Upload the PDF file normally to the Assignment in Canvas.

8.5 Print selected sheets.

In this step, you'll be printing your manipulated sheets as a single PDF file. You won't be printing the Voter_Registration_Data or Senate_Counties worksheets; you'll print just the Cover, Pivot table, Chart, and two VLOOKUP worksheets.

Each worksheet should print in Portrait orientation (vertically) and take up as much of the paper's width as possible. The Representatives and Senate worksheets should print with all columns fitting across one page which allows the rows to print on multiple pages. In addition, the headers and footers will print with file name (which includes your name), worksheet names, and date. The sheets should print on no more than 6 pages, like this:

Use these print settings to get the best results:

1. Prepare to print:
   • Google Sheets
     
     1. From the File menu choose Download as... PDF.
     2. From the Export menu choose Workbook, then from the Selection menu uncheck the Voter worksheet box. We do not want to print 1200+ rows.
        
     3. From the Paper Size menu, choose Letter and Portrait Page orientation option with choose Fit to width scale. Then, from the Margins menu, choose Narrow.
        And set alignment to Center and Top.
        
     4. From the Headers & Footers menu, check the Workbook Title, Sheet Name, and Current Date boxes.
   • Microsoft Excel
     To improve the printing experience, order the sheet name tabs like this: Cover, Major Parties Pivot, Major Parties Chart, Representatives, Senators. then Shift-click the manipulated sheet name tabs to select them (all but the Voter_Registration_Data sheet).
     
     Then, from the File menu choose Print.
     
     Most computers and versions of Excel have drastically different print dialog boxes. Do your best to adhere to these Page Setup and Print requirements:
     1. Print Active Worksheets.
        If you selected the five worksheets then you won't need to choose the page numbers. Do not print the 1200+ rows of the Voter Registration worksheet. Page numbers may vary depending on the order of your worksheets.
     2. Portrait Orientation.
     3. Letter 8.5x11 paper size.
     4. Narrow Margins.
     5. Fit all Columns on One Page (adjust this for each page as needed). You might need to access the Custom Margins menu to adjust the Scaling settings:
        
        
     6. Customize the Header and Footer with the file name, worksheet names, and date.
        
2. Save/print the file as PDF.
3. Double-check that you've added your first and last name to the filename, like this: Oregon-Counties-Parties-Reps-Senators-first-lastname.pdf.
4. Look at the resulting file to ensure all the correct sheets printed. Do not to include the main Voter_Registration_Data sheet.

8.6 Ask for help.

Stuck on a specific step? Share your file with the instructor.

In order for the instructor and TAs to see your progress without having to download or ask for account permission, provide a correctly-set sharing URL so they can look at it live. Follow the most appropriate instructions below.

Paste the sharing URL into the Canvas Inbox message or Assignment Comment box, along with your questions. Note which step number you're stuck on.

Share Microsoft Office files from the OSU OneDrive cloud drive and share Google Suite files from the OSU Google cloud drive:

• Windows or Microsoft Account
  
  1. Login to your OSU OneDrive account from the browser.
  2. Drag the file from your hard drive to the OSU OneDrive file list in the browser to transfer it there.
  3. Beside the file name in the list, click the Share icon:
     
  4. Choose the settings provided in the screenshot below:
     
  5. Copy the link so you can provide it to the instructor or in the Assignment Comment box.
     
• Google Account
  
  1. With your file open, click the Sharing button at the top right of the screen. Or, if the file is not open but listed in the Drive, right-click it to choose the Share menu.
  2. Click the Get Link box to update the OSU Settings and copy the link:
     
  3. Ignore the Share with People and Groups box for this course.
     

Paste the URL into the Canvas Inbox message or Assignment Comment box, along with your questions. Note which step number you're stuck on.

8.7 Verify your work.

Doesn't your new document look great!

Examples of the four required sheets were provided above...take another look at step 8.5.

From the Canvas Home tab, click the Ch 8 ~ Data Manipulation assignment. Scroll to the bottom to see the Rubric. Compare your work to the Rubric to ensure you've included all paragraphs and design elements as well as reviewed/edited your work. The rubric is based on the following scoring criteria, which are based on the instructions above: Check off each criterion to confirm you've completed them before submitting the file.

1. Sheet's cover paragraph is free of plagiarism.
2. Sheets were submitted as a single PDF file with dates and sheetnames.
3. Sheet cover page describes how spreadsheets become relational databases.
4. Sheet Pivot table displays grand totals by Oregon county.
5. Sheet Pivot table displays Democrats, Independents, Nonaffiliated, and Republican percentages in columns. All other parties are hidden.
6. Sheet Chart displays Oregon county party affiliations in a horizontally stacked bar chart.
7. Sheet Chart displays percentages for each party by color (values at the end of the row are optional).
8. Sheet Chart title and labels are bright Blue.
9. Sheet Chart legend displays in the top right corner or the middle right edge.
10. Sheet VLOOKUP displays unique and correlating counties at the end of each Representative and Senate rows.
11. Sheet VLOOKUP displays all the Representatives and Senate address cells with text wrapping.
12. Sheet VLOOKUP displays all the Representatives and Senate web addresses with column resizing.
13. Extra Credit: Located, imported, formatted, and printed a PDF list of representatives from your own state, province, reservation, or country.

8.8 Submit the file.

Each assignment must be submitted before the Due date and time as specified on the Canvas Home tab. The Available Until date and time constitutes a grace period, which can be used in an emergency, or if you are ill (it cannot be used for every assignment). Students who submit using the Available Until date may incur score reduction. Students on a DAS Flexibility Contract: there is no need to notify the instructor. All of your Available Until dates will be set to 72 hours past the Due Date, which can be used up to 3 times. Abuse of the Flexibility Contract will be reported to DAS.

1. Click on the Canvas Home button and scroll down to the Ch 8 ~ State Representatives & Senators assignment. Click the assignment link.
2. Upload the PDF file. Confirm that it uploaded.
3. Check the TurnItIn Report for plagiarized phrases and sentences in the Cover sheet (ignore highlighting in the sheets of data). Review how to use TurnItIn. Edit or add quote marks in your paragraph(s) to ensure the second draft of the file will pass the TurnItIn inspection. Resave the PDF file. Upload the newer version in the assignment's Submission Details screen.
4. Within 3 days of submission, be on the lookout for Rubric feedback and Comments from the TA and Instructor.
5. Ask questions about the score and feedback in the assignment's Commenting box.

8.9 Research freedom and justice in computing topics.

8.9.1 Understand the Topics.

Start a new note or word processing document and write in the third-person style about one of the highlighted topics below. Write in complete sentences. Hyperlink the titles of articles in your writing so your groupmates can quickly jump to them. Bold key concepts (words; not long phrases). Check spelling and grammar. After posting your finished writing, reply to another student's thread with more research..

Cover one of the following specific topics:

• Censorship and disinformation/propaganda around the world.
• Net neutrality around the world.
• Digital divide around the world.
• Mobile justice (or lack of justice) or digital activism around the world.

8.9.2 Gather and read sources of news.

Read one or more report to gather research for the synthesis topic you chose from the list above.

1. Access and skills training: The actions that will help us close the digital divide effectively (2024)
2. Investing in America (Infrastructure Bill) (2024) View the interactive maps to see what is happening in your state. Also view the Broadband plan (.pdf) And, search the Guidebook using keywords to locate a topic of interest.
3. Choose one or more of these reports about technology and democracy to fill in gaps in your research:
   • Freedom on the Net 2023: The Repressive Power of Artificial Intelligence.
   • Freedom on the Net 2022: Countering an Authoritarian Overhaul of the Internet
   • Freedom on the Net 2021: The Global Drive to Control Big Tech
   • Freedom House's 2020 Internet Freedom Scores by Country.
   • Freedom on the Net 2020: The Pandemic's Digital Shadow.
   • Freedom on the Net 2019: The Crisis of Social Media.
   • Freedom on the Net 2018: The Rise of Digital Authoritarianism.
4. View the Tech, Extreme Tech, Reuters, AP, and FastCompany feeds of the SmartNews app and use Google, Google Scholar, Bing, Library Databases, or consult Answerland.org.

8.9.3 Extra Credit: Share new laws, acts, or initiatives.

1. To earn extra credit, write a second paragraph in the third-person style about whether the affected countries (that you referred to above) have:
   • Enacted new laws, acts, or initiatives to help citizens' rights or access.
   • Enacted new laws, acts, or initiatives to hinder citizens' rights or access.
2. Use Google, Google Scholar, Bing, or Library Databases to locate country-related legal information. Chat with an Answerland.org librarian if you are unable to locate legal information.
3. Hyperlink law/initiative/act names to their original sources and apply bold to key concepts.

8.10 Verify, post, and reply.

1. From the Canvas Home tab, click on the Chapter 8 ~ Discuss freedom and justice discussion. You'll automatically land in your assigned group.
2. Click the 3-dot more_vert More menu to see the Rubric. Compare your work to the Rubric to ensure you've written about the correct topics. The rubric is based on the following scoring criteria, which are based on the instructions above. Check off each criterion to verify you've completed them before pasting your finished writing into the Discussion Reply.
   1. Discussed and cited recent social issues highlighted in the news.
   2. Extra Credit: discussed and cited new laws, acts, or initiatives which help or hinder citizens' rights.
3. Copy your writing from the document and paste it into a new Reply thread. Click Save.
4. Reply to another student's thread with:
   1. Additional research about one of the topics in paragraph 1 or 2. This encourages both of you to learn more detail.
   2. Do not repeat what you wrote in the initial thread. Cite the new source using a hyperlinked title in a sentence in the paragraph.
   Click Save.
5. Verify that your reply thread meets requirements:
   1. Reply post summarizes and cites additional research about one of the other student's topics.
6. Within 3 days of submission, be on the lookout for Rubric feedback and Comments from the TA and Instructor.
7. Ask questions about the score and feedback in the assignment's Commenting box.