Jun 4-5, 2019
9:00--17:00
Instructors: Iain Emsley, Stephen Worthington, Lucia Michielin, Paddy McCann
Helpers: Adam Ferron, Justin Ho, Luis Reyes, Kevin Le
Data Carpentry workshops are for any researcher who has data they want to analyze, and no prior computational experience is required. This hands-on workshop teaches basic concepts, skills and tools for working more effectively with data.
We will cover Data organization in spreadsheets and OpenRefine, Introduction to Python, Data analysis and visualization in Python and SQL for data management. Participants should bring their laptops and plan to participate actively. By the end of the workshop learners should be able to more effectively manage and analyze data and be able to apply the tools and approaches directly to their ongoing research.
Who: The course is aimed at students, researchers, and staff of the Edinburgh University.
You don't need to have any previous knowledge of the tools that will be presented at the workshop.
Where: Room 1.2, Lister Learning and Teaching Centre, 5 Roxburgh Pl, Edinburgh EH8 9SU. Get directions with OpenStreetMap or Google Maps.
Requirements: Participants must bring a laptop with a Mac, Linux, or Windows operating system (not a tablet, Chromebook, etc.) that they have administrative privileges on. They should have a few specific software packages installed (listed below). They are also required to abide by Data Carpentry's Code of Conduct.
Accessibility: We are committed to making this workshop accessible to everybody. The workshop organisers have checked that:
Materials will be provided in advance of the workshop and large-print handouts are available if needed by notifying the organizers in advance. If we can help making learning easier for you (e.g. sign-language interpreters, lactation facilities) please get in touch and we will attempt to provide them.
Contact: Please email i.emsley@sussex.ac.uk for more information.
Surveys
Please be sure to complete these surveys before and after the workshop.
| Morning | Data organization in spreadsheets and OpenRefine |
| Afternoon | Introduction to Python |
| Morning | Data analysis and visualization in Python |
| Afternoon | SQL for data management |
We will use this collaborative document for chatting, taking notes, and sharing URLs and bits of code.
To participate in a Data Carpentry workshop, you will need working copies of the described software. Please make sure to install everything (or at least to download the installers) before the start of your workshop. Participants should bring and use their own laptops to insure the proper setup of tools for an efficient workflow once you leave the workshop.
We maintain a list of common issues that occur during installation as a reference for instructors that may be useful on the Configuration Problems and Solutions wiki page.
To work with with spreadsheets, we can use Microsoft Excel, OpenOffice.org, or other programs. Commands may differ a bit between programs, but general ideas for thinking about spreadsheets are the same. For this lesson, if you don’t have a spreadsheet program already, you can use LibreOffice. It’s a free, open source spreadsheet program.
Only if you don't have MS Excel installed. Install LibreOffice by going to the download page. Your download should begin automatically. You will go to a page that asks about a donation, but you don’t need to make one.
Only if you don't have MS Excel installed. Install LibreOffice by going to the download page. Your download should begin automatically. You will go to a page that asks about a donation, but you don’t need to make one.
Install LibreOffice by going to the download page. The version for Linux should automatically be selected. Click Download Version 5.3.X. You will go to a page that asks about a donation, but you don’t need to make one. Your download should begin automatically.
For this lesson you will need OpenRefine (formerly Google Refine) and a web browser.
Note: this is a program that runs on your machine (not in the cloud). It is accessed via your browser, but no web connection is needed.
spctl --add /Applications/OpenRefine.app and try again.
java -version. If you don't have it, the run sudo apt-get install default-jre (Ubuntu) or sudo dnf install java-1.8.0-openjdk (Fedora)./refine into the terminal within the OpenRefine directoryPython is a popular language for scientific computing, and great for general-purpose programming as well. Installing all of its scientific packages individually can be a bit difficult, so we recommend Anaconda, an all-in-one installer.
Regardless of how you choose to install it, please make sure you install Python version 3.x (e.g., 3.4 is fine).
bash Anaconda3-and then press tab. The name of the file you just downloaded should appear.
yes and
press enter to approve the license. Press enter to approve the
default location for the files. Type yes and
press enter to prepend Anaconda to your PATH
(this makes the Anaconda distribution the default Python).
SQL is a specialized programming language used with databases. We use a very lightweight database system called SQLite in our lessons. On its own, it's so light, it doesn't even include a user interface! So, we use DB Browser for SQLite.
Download and install DB Browser for SQLite (Windows)
Download and install DB Browser for SQLite (Mac)
Download and install DB Browser for SQLite (Linux)
Once you are done installing the software listed above, please go to this page, which has instructions on how to test that everything was installed correctly.