IntroPython

Introductory and Advanced Python

This lesson combines content from both the Introductory and Advanced Python tutorials. The material presented here is based on the Software Carpentry Tutorial, but with different topics emphasized in an attempt to better prepare the student for HERA-related work given the time constraints.

Notes for Students

You should work through the Software Carpentry Tutorial, as well as the Example Notebook, on your own to familiarize yourself with the basic concepts of coding with Python.

Notes for Instructors

The Software Carpentry Tutorial and Example Notebook form the foundation of the courses. These are not meant to be worked through verbatim in the lessons, but are meant to be used as guides for the instructors and references for the students. It is recommended to demonstrate the course content using an interactive session, preferably either the iPython interpreter or a Jupyter notebook. The goal of these tutorials is to prepare students with a minimum of knowledge necessary to start coding with Python, teach good coding practice through example, and develop a basic level of familiarity with debugging tools.

Course Content

Introductory Python

Topics Covered:

1. Running interactive sessions
2. Variables
3. Data Types
4. Collections
5. Conditionals
6. Loops

"Advanced" Python

Topics covered:

1. Functions
2. Classes
3. Scope
4. Libraries
5. Scripts
6. Miscellaneous Tricks