PyCAR

March 8-9, 2024 - NICAR, Baltimore

 

bit.ly/pycar24

Why should you code?

Cover more ground, faster

Helps document reporting

Makes analysis replicable

Automation!

We won't learn everything

The Command Line

Git or Github

pip or virtualenvs

Frameworks

News apps

Journalism > "Development"

This will not be nuanced, idiomatic Python.

Some programmers may be saddened by this code.

If it works, and it works on deadline, that's what matters for us today.

The goal

To start thinking about
how to break problems down
into the smallest tasks
that can be programmed.

If you know Excel

You can learn to program.

  • "AZ Arizona" is a string.
  • "A2" is a variable.
  • "=left()" is a function.
  • A2 and 2 are function arguments.

Why Python?

Easy to learn.

Explicit.

Mature and well-documented.

Strong PythonJournos community of support.


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