Applied Plotting, Charting & Data Representation in Python

Applied Plotting, Charting & Data Representation in Python

This course is part of Applied Data Science with Python Specialization

Instructor: Christopher Brooks

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4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Intermediate level

Some related experience required

2 weeks to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

4 modules

Gain insight into a topic and learn the fundamentals.

Intermediate level

Some related experience required

2 weeks to complete

at 10 hours a week

Flexible schedule

Learn at your own pace

What you'll learn

Describe what makes a good or bad visualization
Understand best practices for creating basic charts
Identify the functions that are best for particular problems
Create a visualization using matplotlb

Skills you'll gain

Tools you'll learn

Python Programming

Details to know

Shareable certificate

Add to your LinkedIn profile

Taught in English

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This course is part of the Applied Data Science with Python Specialization

When you enroll in this course, you'll also be enrolled in this Specialization.

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Gain a foundational understanding of a subject or tool
Develop job-relevant skills with hands-on projects
Earn a shareable career certificate

There are 4 modules in this course

This course will introduce the learner to information visualization basics, with a focus on reporting and charting using the matplotlib library. The course will start with a design and information literacy perspective, touching on what makes a good and bad visualization, and what statistical measures translate into in terms of visualizations. The second week will focus on the technology used to make visualizations in python, matplotlib, and introduce users to best practices when creating basic charts and how to realize design decisions in the framework. The third week will be a tutorial of functionality available in matplotlib, and demonstrate a variety of basic statistical charts helping learners to identify when a particular method is good for a particular problem. The course will end with a discussion of other forms of structuring and visualizing data.

In this module, you will get an introduction to principles of information visualization. We will be introduced to tools for thinking about design and graphical heuristics for thinking about creating effective visualizations. All of the course information on grading, prerequisites, and expectations are on the course syllabus, which is included in this module.

What's included

8 videos6 readings1 peer review1 app item1 discussion prompt

8 videosTotal 38 minutes

Introduction4 minutes
Updates1 minute
About the Professor: Christopher Brooks1 minute
Tools for Thinking about Design (Alberto Cairo)9 minutes
Graphical heuristics: Data-ink ratio (Edward Tufte)5 minutes
Graphical heuristics: Chart junk (Edward Tufte)5 minutes
Graphical heuristics: Lie Factor and Spark Lines (Edward Tufte)4 minutes
The Truthful Art (Alberto Cairo)9 minutes

6 readingsTotal 80 minutes

Syllabus10 minutes
Help us learn more about you!10 minutes
Notice for Coursera Learners: Assignment Submission10 minutes
Dark Horse Analytics (Optional)10 minutes
Useful Junk?: The Effects of Visual Embellishment on Comprehension and Memorability of Charts30 minutes
Graphics Lies, Misleading Visuals10 minutes

1 peer reviewTotal 60 minutes

Graphics Lies, Misleading Visuals 60 minutes

1 app itemTotal 30 minutes

Hands-on Visualization Wheel30 minutes

1 discussion promptTotal 10 minutes

Must a visual be enlightening?10 minutes

In this module, you will delve into basic charting. For this week’s assignment, you will work with real world CSV weather data. You will manipulate the data to display the minimum and maximum temperature for a range of dates and demonstrate that you know how to create a line graph using matplotlib. Additionally, you will demonstrate the procedure of composite charts, by overlaying a scatter plot of record breaking data for a given year.

What's included

7 videos2 readings1 peer review2 ungraded labs

7 videosTotal 60 minutes

Introduction2 minutes
Matplotlib Architecture7 minutes
Basic Plotting with Matplotlib10 minutes
Scatterplots13 minutes
Line Plots13 minutes
Bar Charts7 minutes
Dejunkifying a Plot9 minutes

2 readingsTotal 60 minutes

Matplotlib30 minutes
Ten Simple Rules for Better Figures30 minutes

1 peer reviewTotal 180 minutes

Plotting Weather Patterns180 minutes

2 ungraded labsTotal 120 minutes

Module 2 Jupyter Notebooks60 minutes
Plotting Weather Patterns60 minutes

In this module you will explore charting fundamentals. For this week’s assignment you will work to implement a new visualization technique based on academic research. This assignment is flexible and you can address it using a variety of difficulties - from an easy static image to an interactive chart where users can set ranges of values to be used.

What's included

6 videos3 readings2 peer reviews3 ungraded labs

6 videosTotal 65 minutes

Subplots15 minutes
Histograms13 minutes
Box Plots10 minutes
Heatmaps8 minutes
Animation7 minutes
Widget Demonstration11 minutes

3 readingsTotal 50 minutes

Selecting the Number of Bins in a Histogram: A Decision Theoretic Approach (Optional)10 minutes
Assignment Reading30 minutes
Understanding Error Bars10 minutes

2 peer reviewsTotal 240 minutes

Practice Assignment: Understanding Distributions Through Sampling120 minutes
Building a Custom Visualization 120 minutes

3 ungraded labsTotal 180 minutes

Module 3 Jupyter Notebooks60 minutes
Practice Assignment: Understanding Distributions Through Sampling60 minutes
Building a Custom Visualization60 minutes

In this module, then everything starts to come together. Your final assignment is entitled “Becoming a Data Scientist.” This assignment requires that you identify at least two publicly accessible datasets from the same region that are consistent across a meaningful dimension. You will state a research question that can be answered using these data sets and then create a visual using matplotlib that addresses your stated research question. You will then be asked to justify how your visual addresses your research question.

What's included

4 videos3 readings1 peer review2 ungraded labs

4 videosTotal 31 minutes

Plotting with Pandas8 minutes
Seaborn9 minutes
Mapping and Geographic Investigation13 minutes
Becoming an Independent Data Scientist2 minutes

3 readingsTotal 23 minutes

Spurious Correlations10 minutes
Post-course Survey10 minutes
5 reasons to keep going3 minutes

1 peer reviewTotal 120 minutes

Becoming an Independent Data Scientist120 minutes

2 ungraded labsTotal 120 minutes

Module 4 Jupyter Notebooks60 minutes
Project Description60 minutes

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Instructor

Christopher Brooks

15 Courses967,284 learners

Offered by

University of Michigan

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