Data Analysis at a Glance¶
Skills for Success in this Seminar¶
The 501 course is geared toward 401-python graduates with a bend toward analysis. However, it should be accessible to anyone with knowledge of basic Python. Experience with and understanding of arithmetic and algebra are absolute pluses, but you won’t need to be a mathematician to grasp the material. Having the quick mind of a programmer counts for all.
Explicitly, here’s what you need to be able to do:
- Be comfortable with Microsoft Excel (or Google Sheets)
- Your laptop (which you will absolutely need) can use any OS you wish, however you absolutely must have access to the terminal with Unix-style commands
- Have Python available from the command line
Objectives for this Seminar¶
- Get machines set up to use Python for Data Analysis.
- Experience a preview of the Code 501: Introduction to Data Analysis with Python course.
- Learn to think about data like a scientific programmer.
- Produce a solid data analysis project with Python.
What to Expect Today¶
In Code 501 the ultimate aim is to build a data project. Toward that end this three-hour, one-night seminar will have us writing up one ourselves. This preview will be far less about teaching concepts, computer skills, or programming basics. Instead we focus on introducing and immediately using tools in Python.
We’ll run through the process of taking a data project from conception, to data cleaning and reduction, all the way through to creating a visualization. Along the way we’ll step through some basic arithmetic operations, justifying our choices with the goal of our study and the limitations of our tools.
IF YOU GET LOST ALONG THE WAY, you can download a working copy of the final product here.
Happy to see you here, and welcome to Data Analysis at a Glance.