Py:python-ViCE-2015
IPython notebooks for Data Analysis and Visualisation: a ViCE 2015 workshop
This page is intended to have downloadable resources to support the 2015 Variety in Chemistry Education and Physics Higher Education Conference workshop, as well as guidance on how to install scientific python onto your own computer.
Abstract
IPython notebooks for data analysis and visualisation
João Pedro Malhado, Clyde Fare, Andrew McKinley, Michael Bearpark
Imperial College London
This workshop is based on a course on data analysis and visualisation taught at the Chemistry Department of Imperial College London as part of the first year undergraduate curriculum. The purpose of the course is to introduce the basic data analysis techniques required to interpret experimental (or otherwise) data collected in the laboratory, along with introducing the IPython notebook as an electronic, multi-media, interactive computing notebook that students are encouraged to use throughout their degree.
Whilst the focus of the course is not computer programming, it could serve as a pre-introduction to the subject. It introduces variables, data structures in the form of arrays, functions, and more generally a computing platform.
The course was designed as a series of self-learning interactive exercises using IPython notebooks. The first three notebooks introduce concepts interactively while the two exercise notebooks develop problem solving based on these concepts. The course material can be found at: [1]
The conference workshop will be a session encompassing an adumbrated version of the key parts of this student class. This will be a hands-on session for participants to explore the possibilities of this new notebook technology and how to use it in a teaching environment.
(Participants should bring or have access to a computer with the Scientific Python installed – installations instructions will be circulated prior to the conference.)
Pre-workshop guidance
Preparations for the workshop
We circulate this guide to help you in your preparation for our workshop. You will need to bring or have alternative access to a computer with the scientific python distribution installed; here we outline guidance for installation of Anaconda, the preferred distribution for using the iPython notebook.
NOTE: The download is reasonably large (ca. 290 Mb), so it is best to have this downloaded in advance of the workshop.
Please do get in touch if you have any questions - Email us
Download Anaconda Python Distribution
Visit the Anaconda website in order to download the Anaconda Scientific Python distribution; it is available for Windows, Mac OSX and Linux. It will likely auto-detect your operating system and offer the appropriate downloader. This tutorial focuses on MacOS, but installation for Windows is as trivial.
NOTE on versions: for participation in this workshop please ensure you have installed version 3.x or higher.
Once downloaded, open the installer and follow the instructions.
Launching the application
The application will install in a variety of locations; you are looking for the application entitled "Launcher":
Windows: Start Menu --> Anaconda --> Launcher
MacOS: ~/anaconda/Launcher
Linux: ~/anaconda/Launcher
This will bring up the menu to launch the various aspects of the Anaconda distribution. We are interested in the ipython-notebook, so click "Launch"
Launching iPython notebooks
Running the "Launch" script highlighted in Figure 2 will go through the motions of launching iPython, and will open your web browser to your computer's file structure. You may want to bookmark the file tree location (or click here) for future reference.
Navigate through your file structure to wherever you wish to store your iPython workshop material, and open the appropriate file (extension *.ipynb). Note that the content of the notebook may take a second or two to appear.
You can also create a "New" ipython notebook from the menu in the upper right of your window.
Your first iPython notebook
Congratulations - you are now ready to do some Python coding. We have uploaded a preliminary notebook (you will need to unzip the file in your home directory) which will allow you to verify your installation and go over the preliminary material for the course.
We look forward to seeing you at ViCE!
- João, Clyde, Andrew, Mike.
Workshop files
The archive below contains the workshop material we will be using. Please download and unzip it in your directory. You're now ready to start the workshop! Launch IPython to get started.