Pre-course Learning Resources

Python

• Python Basics
  • Topics: get started with Python; conduct simple calculations, define variables; conduct calculations with variables; convert between Python types (e.g. strings, integer, floats)
• Python Lists
  • Topics: learn what lists are and why they are useful; create lists; subset (or select) from lists, manage lists (e.g. add/remove items in a list)
• Plotting Data in Python: Matplotlib
  • Topics: create line and scatter plots; build histograms; customize plots

Shell

• Manipulating Files and Directories
  • Topics: understand what Shell is and how it is different from graphical user interfaces; use Shell to navigate the file directory (e.g. folders) on a computer; use Shell to create, manage, and delete directories as well as files within directories

Git and Github.com

• Watch video on version control with Git and Github.com (through 13:45 mins only).

• Basic Workflow

  • Topics: review version control and how git can be used to implement it; check the state of a repository; check for changes in a repository; compare differences between two files; save and commit changes to files; write log messages; view the history of changes to a repository