Foundations (Pt. 2)
Overview
This week we will dig into data (lists and dictionaries) in greater detail so that you understand how we design structures to store and organise data to simplify our analysis. We will also be looking to the Unix Shell/Terminal as a ‘power user feature’ that is often overlooked by novice data scientists.
- To see how ‘simple’ concepts can be (re)combined to tackle complex problems.
- An introduction to making use of Git+GitHub.
This week we also start to move beyond Code Camp, so although you should recognise many of the parts that we discuss, you’ll see that we begin to put them together in a new way. The next two weeks are a critical transition between content that you might have seen before in Code Camp (see Practical) or other introductory materials, and the ‘data science’ approach.
Readings
Come to class prepared to discuss the following readings:
| Citation | Article |
|---|---|
| D’Ignazio and Klein (2020) Ch.6 | URL |
| Mattern (2017) | URL |
Study Guide
The following questions will help guide your reading and prepare you for class discussions:
- Drawing on D’Ignazio and Klein (2020),
- Using Mattern (2017), critically analyze the “city as computer” metaphor:
- What are its strengths and weaknesses?
- How does this metaphor shape our understanding of urban environments and the solutions we prioritize for urban challenges?
- What aspects of cities does it overlook or oversimplify?
- How does Mattern propose we move beyond this metaphor towards a richer understanding of urban intelligence?
Pre-Recorded Lectures
Come to class having watched:
| Session | Video | Presentation |
|---|---|---|
| Dictionaries | Video | Slides |
| LOLs | Video | Notes |
| DOLs to Data | Video | Slides |
| Getting Stuck into Git | Video | Slides |
Practical
This week’s practical will take you through the use of dictionaries and introduce the concept of ‘nested’ data structures. We’ll also be looking at how functions (and variables) can be collected into resuable packages that we can either make ourselves or draw on a worldwide bank of experts – I know who I’d rather depend on when the opportunity arises! However, if you have not yet completed Code Camp (or were not aware of it!), then you will benefit enormously from tackling the following sessions:
The practical focusses on:
- Comparing the use of Python lists and dictionaries to store tabular data.
- Extending lists and dictionaries into nested data structures.
To access the practical: