The Data Labs team of data scientists, computational social scientists and DevOps engineers uses computational methods to complement and expand on Pew Research Center’s existing research agenda. We collect text, network and behavioral datasets, use computational techniques and empirical strategies for analysis, and generate original research. In addition, we explore the limitations of data science tools and methods and work toward establishing standards for their use.
Our major publications have explored and analyzed issues such as congressional communication, Americans’ use of social media, algorithmic bias and religious rhetoric, as well as data sources including YouTube videos and Facebook images. We also manage the Center’s computing infrastructure, have released a package of analytical tools on Github, and write about the process of computational social science research for Decoded, the Center’s behind-the-data Medium blog.
Signature Publications
A minority of Twitter users produce a majority of tweets from U.S. adults, and the most active tweeters are less likely to view the tone or civility of discussions as a major problem on the site.
Pew Research Center has been asking survey questions over the past year about Americans’ views and reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic. In August, we gave the public a chance to tell us in their own words how the pandemic has affected them in their personal lives.
Voting members of the 116th Congress collectively produced more than 2.2 million tweets and Facebook posts in 2019 and 2020.
Our latest Methods 101 video explains the basics of machine learning and how it allows our researchers to analyze data on a large scale.
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