This course is part of the Python Basics for Online Research Specialization

Seth Frey

Offered By

Python Basics for Online Research SpecializationUniversity of California, Davis

About this Course

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A lot of code is building up from the most basic primitive elements of the language to increasingly faithful and meaningful things. In this course you will see how to author more complex ideas and capabilities in Python. In technical terms, you will learn dictionaries and how to work with them and nest them, functions, refactoring, and debugging, all of which are also thinking tools for the art of problem solving. We'll use this knowledge to explore our browsing history, interrogate a tweet, and draw pictures.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Course 4 of 4 in the

Python Basics for Online Research Specialization

Intermediate Level

Approx. 11 hours to complete

English

What you will learn

Explore your own web browsing habits and manage code complexity and reading manuals.
Discuss how Python understands complex and real world things, and practice looking under the hood of a single tweet.
Apply the building blocks of Python and turn it into a little language for drawing pictures.
Practice "debugging" code and learn to think the way code thinks.

Flexible deadlines

Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.

Shareable Certificate

Earn a Certificate upon completion

100% online

Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.

Course 4 of 4 in the

Python Basics for Online Research Specialization

Intermediate Level

Approx. 11 hours to complete

English

Instructor

Seth Frey

Professor and Computational Social Scientist

2,364 Learners

4 Courses

Offered by

University of California, Davis

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course

Week1

Week 1

3 hours to complete

Examining Your Own Web Browsing Habits in Python

3 hours to complete

3 videos (Total 21 min), 5 readings, 2 quizzes

Week2

Week 2

3 hours to complete

Representing Complex Ideas in Python

3 hours to complete

10 videos (Total 47 min)

Week3

Week 3

4 hours to complete

Making Pictures with Robots

4 hours to complete

8 videos (Total 57 min), 1 reading, 2 quizzes

Week4

Week 4

2 hours to complete

A Strategy for Hunting Bugs

2 hours to complete

5 videos (Total 57 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz

About the Python Basics for Online Research Specialization

If you do not yet code and want to learn, this Specialization has a goal to soften the learning curve for Python. It has four main objectives:

To inspire you to code To help you think in code To teach you technical concepts to code To give you useful examples of things to do in code There is a steep learning curve on learning to code, and that is why this Specialization emphasizes motivation. You have to want to learn to code and stick with it through multiple learning activities and your own experimentation, research, and practice. This single Specialization will not teach you to code. It will, however, get you started with a mindset for coding, understanding of Python technical concepts, and an appreciation of what can be done with Python to access and interact with data on the Internet. These skills are increasingly essential for researchers. The wealth of data that is now available to researchers who can use Python and other tools to access it is transforming academic disciplines, including the social sciences. But there's a gap between the questions about human nature that we know internet data can cast light on, and the raw, messy reality of code and data. Each course in this Specialization has code demonstrations that you run that show how to use Python to bridge the gap and to discover things about ourselves, our friends, each other, and society, as we interact with the Internet in code. We look forward to being a part of your continuing education!

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:
The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.
The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
What is the refund policy?
If you subscribed, you get a 7-day free trial during which you can cancel at no penalty. After that, we don’t give refunds, but you can cancel your subscription at any time. See our full refund policy.
Is financial aid available?
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.

Python Basics: Problem Solving with Code

About this Course

What you will learn