Python for Data Analysis: Python Fundamentals workshop

1. Overview

Python is a powerful general-purpose programming language. This workshop focuses on the basic concepts and features of Python that will serve as building blocks for data analysis tasks. The workshop is taught using Jupyter Notebook in the Interactive Data Analytics Service (IDAS).

2. Prerequisites

No experience with Python or Jupyter Notebook is required.

3. Eligibility

This workshop is available to current University of Iowa members only. 

4. How to register

Click here then log in with your HawkID and password. Click “Register now” at the bottom of the page to register. After registering successfully, an automated email with a Zoom link will be sent to your University of Iowa email. Registration will close at 11 am on Monday, February 28, 2022.

5. Additional information         

If you have any questions, please see the workshop FAQs or contact research-computing@uiowa.edu.

6. Workshop agenda

This workshop is taught in 3 sessions over 3 days. Each session builds on the previous ones. Participants are encouraged to attend all sessions in order to learn the complete contents of the workshop.

Again, note that we start by learning the basic concepts and features of Python that will be relevant for data analysis tasks later. If you are already familiar with the concepts below, please see the workshop FAQs for a list of additional, free learning resources.

Tentative topics to be covered:

Day 1:

• Using Jupyter Notebook - the basics
• Numbers and arithmetic
• Built-in functions
• Variable assignment
• Strings
• Booleans
• Comparison statements

Day 2:

• Conditional statements
• Defining functions
• More about strings
• String methods
• Lists

Day 3:

• Lists
• for loop
• The range() function
• List comprehensions
• while loop
• Modules