A Data Carpentry Workshop
North-West University
31 May - 1 June, 2017
8:15 am - 16:15 pm
Instructors:
Angelique van Rensburg, Jacqui Muller, Juan Steyn, Martin Dreyer, Bianca Peterson, Samar Elsheikh
Helpers:
TO BE, CONFIRMED
31 May - 1 June, 2017
8:15 am - 16:15 pm
Instructors: Angelique van Rensburg, Jacqui Muller, Juan Steyn, Martin Dreyer, Bianca Peterson, Samar Elsheikh
Helpers: TO BE, CONFIRMED
General Information
Data Carpentry workshops are for any graduate student or 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 Cleaning data in OpenRefine, OpenRefine and Instroduction to R, Data analysis and visualization in R and Data analysis and visualization in R. 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 graduate students and other researchers.
Where: Optentia Indaba Room, Building 7, Vaal Triangle Campus, Hendrick Van Eck Boulevard, Vanderbijlpark, 1900, South Africa. Get directions with Google Maps.
Requirements: Participants must bring a laptop with a Mac, Linux, or Windows operating sytem (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.
Contact: Please mail juan.steyn@nwu.ac.za for more information and if you have any trouble registering for the workshop.
Workshop registration
Please register for the workshop at: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfSFWEpsdxoejcG3GUoW8RWSRRqHhfzfmMH5nJFXHMhaMmjkQ/viewform by 26 May 2017
Preliminary Schedule
Surveys
Please be sure to complete these surveys before and after the workshop.
Day 1
31 May 2017
| Morning | Data organization in spreadsheets and Cleaning data in OpenRefine |
| Afternoon | OpenRefine and Instroduction to R |
Day 2
1 June 2017
| Morning | Data analysis and visualization in R |
| Afternoon | Data analysis and visualization in R |
Meals: Lunch will be catered for Tea/Coffee will be provided according to schedule
Etherpad: http://pad.software-carpentry.org/nwu-vaal-2017-05-31.
We will use this Etherpad for chatting, taking notes, and sharing URLs and bits of code.
Detail Programme
Day 1 - 31 May 2017
| 08:15 | Install and setup time |
| 08:45 | Welcome and introductions |
| 09:00 | Using spreadsheet programs for scientific data |
| 10:30 | Break |
| 10:50 | Part 1: Introduction to OpenRefine for Cleaning Data |
| 12:00 | Lunch |
| 13:00 | Part 2: OpenRefine |
| 14:30 | Break |
| 14:45 | Part 1: Introduction to R |
| 16:15 | Wrap-up |
Day 2 - 1 June 2017
| 08:30 | Part 2: Starting with Data in R |
| 10:00 | Coffee and Tea Break |
| 10:20 | Part 3: Manipulating Data in R |
| 12:00 | Lunch |
| 13:00 | Part 4: Visualising Data in R |
| 14:30 | Coffee and Tea Break |
| 14:50 | Part 3: R and Databases |
| 16:15 | Wrap-up |
Syllabus
Using spreadsheet programs for scientific data
- Formatting data & problems
- Dates as data
- Quality control
- Exporting data
- Data format caveats
- Cleaning data with OpenRefine
Spreadsheet Program
For this workshop you will need a spreadsheet program. Many people already have Microsoft Excel installed, and if you do, you're set!
If you need a spreadsheet program, there are a few other options, like OpenOffice and LibreOffice. Install instructions for LibreOffice, which is free and open source, are here.
- Download the Installer
Install LibreOffice by going to the installation page. The version for Windows should automatically be selected. Click on the button below "Main Installer" Download Version x.y.z. You will go to a page that asks about a donation, but you don't need to make one. Your download should begin automatically. - Install LibreOffice
Once the installer is downloaded, double click on it and it should install. - To use LibreOffice, double click on the icon and it will open.
OpenRefine
OpenRefine (previously Google Refine) is a tool for data cleaning that runs through a web browser, and any browser - Safari, Firefox, Chrome, Explorer - should work fine. You will need to download OpenRefine and install it, and when you open it, it will run through the browser, but you don't need an internet connection, and the data will all be stored on your computer.
Windows
- Go to the OpenRefine download page
- Click on Windows kit to download the install file
- To use it, unzip, and double-click on openrefine.exe (if you're having issues with openrefine.exe try refine.bat instead)
- OpenRefine will then open in your web browser.
- If it doesn't open automatically, open a web broswer after you've started the program and go to the URL
http://localhost:3333and you should see OpenRefine.
Mac
- Go to the OpenRefine download page
- Click on Mac kit to download the install file
- To use it, unzip, drag the openrefine icon to the Applications folder, and then double click on the icon.
- OpenRefine will then open in your web browser.
- If it doesn't open automatically, open a web broswer after you've started the program and go to the URL
http://localhost:3333and you should see OpenRefine.
Linux
- Go to the OpenRefine download page
- Click on Linux kit to download the install file
- To use it, unzip, then type ./refine in a terminal to start
- OpenRefine will then open in your web browser.
- If it doesn't open automatically, open a web broswer after you've started the program and go to the URL
http://localhost:3333and you should see OpenRefine.
OpenRefine may require you to install Java, please follow the instructions it provides to do so.
R for data analysis and visualization
- Introduction to R
- Starting with data
- Aggregating and analyzing data with dplyr
- Data visualization with ggplot2
- R and Databases
Setup
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.
Please follow these Setup Instructions.
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.