In Erica’s Task 9 post, she reflected on our Golden Record quiz data and highlighted how Palladio created communities based on song choices. She explained that people and musical selections were connected by edges reflecting shared choices, noting popular songs like The Well-Tempered Clavier and less-selected ones like Sacrificial Dance (Rite of Spring). Her post included screenshots that illustrated these connections effectively. She also reflected critically, noting that we don’t know why people chose particular songs unless asked, that the visualization could reinforce bias, and that there were no null choices — all tracks received at least one selection.
Why I Chose This Work
I chose this post because it offered a perspective on exploring and presenting data in Palladio that I hadn’t fully considered. Erica’s explanations and screenshots made the patterns and connections more visible, showing that there are multiple valid ways to interpret and present the same data.
Reflection
Reading Erica’s post helped me notice different ways to explore and present data. She mentioned that there were no “null” choices, while I had interpreted “null” differently — as songs I personally did not select in my own choices and community. For example, I didn’t select The Well-Tempered Clavier, so I would consider that my “null” choice. This difference highlights how perception can shape reflection. Erica’s approach encouraged me to consider both selected and unselected data, and how each can tell a story. I also appreciated her use of detailed screenshots, which showed how she narrowed down song choices to reveal how many people selected each track — something I hadn’t realized was possible. These screenshots gave me greater insight into Palladio’s capabilities and inspired me to combine visual evidence with textual analysis, making patterns clearer in my own reflections.
Linking to Erica’s work has inspired me to explore alternative approaches to representing data and to value both textual and visual literacy. It reinforced that thoughtful reflection — considering how the tool shapes interpretation — strengthens the learning experience. This insight is a skill I can carry forward into future course activities and my broader digital literacy practice.