Journal of Information Systems Education (JISE)

Volume 34

Volume 34, Issue 4, Pages 406-417

Fall 2023


Teaching Tip
A Social Media Analytics Capstone Research Project with Community Engagement


Chen Ye
Purdue University Northwest
Hammond, IN 46323, USA

Lin Zhao
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Daytona Beach, FL 32114, USA

Abstract: Businesses assess public sentiment toward relevant topics and gain valuable insights through social media analytics (SMA). Students of business information analytics can therefore reap multiple benefits from SMA as a learning tool. We designed and implemented an SMA capstone project that integrated undergraduate research and community engagement. Students first identified research questions on their topics of interest that aligned with the interests of the client, a community organization. They collected relevant tweets through Twitter’s API using R and then assessed public sentiment through text mining and analytics tools such as Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count. They also presented their findings to various stakeholders through multiple venues. Preliminary assessment suggests that the students achieved positive learning outcomes.

Keywords: Social media, Business analytics, Experiential learning & education, Student research, Capstone course, Community

Download This Article: JISE2023v34n4pp406-417.pdf


Recommended Citation: Ye, C., & Zhao, L. (2023). Teaching Tip: A Social Media Analytics Capstone Research Project with Community Engagement. Journal of Information Systems Education, 34(4), 406-417.