What you'll learn

Introduction to Python

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What you'll learn

Introduction to Python

Perfect for beginners, this course will teach you the fundamentals of Python programming through taught materials and practical example

This course will help learners to:

Develop skills with core elements of the Python programming language, and gain an appreciation of how these can feed into social scientific work (e.g., researching with digital data).
See how to make methodologically appropriate decisions when designing and developing research where programming skills are deployed, including harvesting and organizing data.
Understand how to approach a social science research question using Python, and have the capacity to devise a solution to such problems where programming skills can be deployed to reveal social scientific insight.

To reinforce these learning objectives we include a number of structured activities to follow on from the learning objectives.

Language: English

Time to complete: 24 hours

Level: Beginner

Instructor
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How to access:
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Course modules

There are 4 modules in this course:

1. Getting started with Python and understanding the basics

Here we cover how to install Python and how to use it from an IDE or in the shell we demonstrate the concepts equality and comparison as well as assigning variables.

2. Data types and data containers

We expand on module 1 by covering different data types and string formatting we then cover three of the basic containers Python offers which are lists, dictionaries and tuples.

3. Control statements and dealing with files

In this module, we look at some key syntax which is if else conditions, and or conditions, for and while loops and lastly show how we can deal with files.

4. Writing scripts, functions, classes and working in the web

In the last module we look at how to work in the web and look at objects and classes, we show how we can put together code in functions and scripts and look at how you should think like a programmer.

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Testimonials

What our learners say

Testimonials

Daniel Edmondson - PhD Applied Linguistics candidate at the University of Nottingham

“I’m two lessons into the second module of Introduction to Python and I’m already wishing I learned this months ago. Honestly, if you work with data, beg your institutions for access to this course.”

Dr. John McLevey - Associate Professor at the University of Waterloo, Canada

“I must say the course exceeded my expectations… I thought it was extremely well done in all regards, including the design and presentation of the interactive materials. First class!”

Luca Pareschi - Adjunct Professor at Università di Bologna

“I took Introduction to Python beacuse I work with texts. I had a minimum previous experience with programming, but no experience with Python at all. I really found the course manageable for a beginner, while at the same time very useful, and I'm sure I'll use in my research the skills I have acquired.”

Nola Jenkins - Tufts University

“I took Intro to Python because I am interested in a career in social sciences. The instructor was really good at explaining concepts and I found this course more helpful than some others I had tried in the past.”

Kathrin Schulze - Research Assistant at Ruhr-Universität Bochum

“I mainly took the course in order to get an initial overview on Python as a starting point for further skills and application of it for my research. I really liked the course structure due to its interactive design and different forms of tasks. In particular, the programming exercises where great practice and helped me a lot to internalize the acquired skills. Finally, the instructor spoke in an adequate speed so that one was able to try out some things in Python during his "lecture"-part. .”

Chloe Hsu - Student at the University of Bath

“I took Introduction to Python as I wanted to improve my data analysis skill aside from using SPSS. Overall, the content and structure were easy to follow as a complete beginner. I particularly like the quizzes and guided activities at the end of each lesson. I'm hoping to take further training and apply this skill in future health-related research. ”

Who it's for

Who it’s for

This course would work for someone with no prior computing knowledge but would also be suitable for individuals with experience in other languages. An understanding of file paths and file management is important.

FAQs

Frequently asked questions

How is the course organized?

The course is organized into a set of interactive learning modules, and you should work through the modules sequentially. The modules contain a number of topic pages, each including a video to walk you through the concept and interactive text to reinforce what was covered in the video, quick questions and knowledge checks.

What other types of activities does the course include?

There are three additional types of activity throughout the course to facilitate deeper learning:

Match: These activities require you to have a go at a task offline, then select the correct solution.

Guided: These are multi-part match activities so you do a part of the task then submit your solution, which unlocks feedback on your attempt and the next part of the task.

Structured: This is a more extended offline task, which you should attempt before seeing the Tutor’s solution.

The vast majority of topics in the course are fundamentally practical. You are strongly encouraged to recreate and run the code as you work through them, and complete knowledge checks and activities.

What software do I need for this course?

You should install Anaconda 4.4+ and PyCharm

Do I need to buy any of this software?

No they are either open source or have community (free) versions

What do I need to participate on this course?

A computer or laptop with the suggested software and a modern browser e.g. Internet Explorer 10+ or the latest versions of Chrome and Firefox.

Can I do this course on my mobile device?

While you can access the course on your mobile device, go through the content and answer questions, you will need a desktop or laptop computer to practice and complete the activities that require you to write and/or test code.

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