Week 1) Getting started

Learning goals

By the end of this week, you should understand:

  • how Python and notebooks support the collection and analysis of web data;
  • how to use the main environments in which course code can run;
  • the basic programming ideas needed to work with web data; and
  • the difference between a website and an API.

Preparation before class

Opening lecture and Python Bootcamp

The opening lecture introduces:

  • the structure of the course;
  • how Python will be used for web data collection;
  • notebooks, scripts, and cloud-based environments; and
  • the difference between websites and APIs.

During the Python Bootcamp, you will practice:

  • running Python code;
  • working with variables and basic data structures;
  • using conditions, loops, and functions;
  • inspecting and saving data; and
  • making a first connection to web scraping and APIs.

Tutorial

  • Python Bootcamp for web data

Work through the notebook in JupyterLab. The tutorial is the course’s self-contained introduction to the Python needed in later tutorials.

After the lecture