Class Schedule

Note: It's likely that the topics will change, but very UNlikely that the dates of homeworks or mini-exams will. Homeworks are assigned on Friday, and they are due the following Friday at 9:00pm (unless otherwise noted).

Lecture Format

As an on-ground class, it is expected that you attend in-person. Do what you need to do to be fed/hydrated/prepared to be mentally present in lecture and to participate and engage with your peers and the course content.

If you must miss a lecture, please see the Attendance Policy on the course policies page.

Lecture recordings will not be available; if you must completely miss lecture, access lecture materials on the course website and attend office hours to ensure you are caught up.

Week	Topics	Materials	HW
1 Sep 6	Topic: Welcome to DS2000! Intros and Welcome PyCharm	Videos PyCharm Intro Gradescope Intro Handouts PyCharm Installation Materials - Sec 1, 3 Lec 1 slides: intro lec1.py Materials - Sec 2, 4 Lec 1 slides: intro lec1_hello.py
2 Sep 10/13	Topic: Communication and Arithmetic Variables and assignment Input and print Arithmetic operators A little data viz	Materials - Sec 1, 3 Handout: Variables and Arithmetic Operators Lecture Notes (9/10) lec2_dogs.py Handout: How to Approach a DS Assignment Handout: Data Viz & matplotlib Lecture Notes (9/13) lec3_more_dogs.py Materials - Sec 2, 4 Lec 2 slides: variables, values, input() lec2_bday.py Lec 3 slides: functions, fancy math, plotting lec3_bday.py lec3_example_plot.py Friday: matplotlib markers Friday: matplotlib colors	Homework 1 due Sep 20th @9pm
3 Sep 17/20	Topic: Working with Data Intro to files Reading text and numbers Reading files with loops Visualizing file data	Materials - Sections 1,3 Tues Data: boston_salaries.txt Handout: File Processing Lecture Notes (9/17) lec4_salary.py Fri Data: asst_salaries.txt lec5_asst.py Lecture Notes (9/20) Materials - Sections 2,4 Lec 4 slides: Files, max(), min(), round() Tues data: croissant_ratings_felix.txt Tues data: croissant_ratings_laney.txt lec4_croissant_input.py lec4_croissant_datafile.py Lec 5 slides: max(), min(), round(), for line in file Fri data: ma_salarytop3.txt Fri data: ma_salarytop10.txt lec5_ma_salary.py lec5_ma_salary_loop.py	Homework 2 due Sep 27th @9pm orange_line.txt green_line.txt red_line.txt blue_line.txt somewhat_satisfied_2016.txt somewhat_satisfied_big.txt somewhat_dissatisfied_big.txt
4 Sep 24/27	Topic: Storing Values and Making Decisions Boolean expressions Conditionals Random numbers Storing values in lists	Materials - Sections 1,3 Handout: Conditionals and Booleans Lecture Notes (9/24) lec6_dice.py Fri Data: dicemoney.csv Lecture Notes (9/27) lec7_lists.py Materials - Sections 2,4 Lec 6 slides: conditionals, for i in range() lec6_casino.py Lec 7: more for loops, lists lec7_casino.py lec7_salary_lists.py Fri data: ma_salarytop10.csv
5 Oct 1/4	Topics: (Tues) Lists Cont'd Generating lists Iterating over lists Visualizing list data FRI: MINI EXAM 1	Mini Exam Practice Mini Exam One - Practice Problems, Solns Materials - Sec 1, 3 Tues Data: neu_enrollments.csv lec8_looping.py Lecture Notes (10/1) Handout: Lists Materials - Sec 2, 4 Lec 8: lists part 2 lec8_pwhl.py Tues data: boston_fleet.csv	Homework 3 due Oct 11th @9pm
6 Oct 8/11	Topic: Functions Organizing code Flow of control Writing functions Calling functions	Materials - Sec 1, 3 Tues: starter code Handout: Writing functions Tues: finished code Lecture Notes (10/8) Fri data: dunks.csv Fri code: lec10_def.py Lecture Notes (10/11) Our Map! Materials - Sec 2, 4 Handout: plotting with lists Lec 9: functions part 1 Tues data (again!): boston_fleet.csv Tues starter code: lec9_pwhl.py Tues finished code: lec9_pwhl_finished.py Lec 10: (loops review), functions part 2 Fri code: lec10_fun.py	Homework 4 due Oct 19th @9pm <== extra day!
7 Oct 15/18	Topic: Functions and Data Structures Return statements Variable scope 2D lists and CSV files	Materials - Secs 1,3 Handout: Functions and Scope Tue notes: Lecture Notes (10/15) Tue code: func_practice.py Tue code: more_dunks.py Fri notes: Lecture Notes (10/18) Fri code: lec12_2d.py Handout: 2D Lists Materials - Secs 2,4 Lec 11: Functions (part 3), lists of lists Tues data: bluebikes_forsyth_100.csv, bluebikes_forsyth.csv (full data) Tues starter code: lec11_bluebikes_starter.py Tues code: lec11_bluebikes.py Lec 12: lists of lists Fri code: lec12_bluebikes.py Fri graph: lec12_bluebikes.png	Homework 5 due Oct 25th @9pm
8 Oct 22/25	Topic: Data Structures Python dictionaries Keys and values Choosing the right data structure Mini-Exam #2 Review	Materials - Secs 1,3 Tues starter code: lec13_starter.py Tues finished code: lec13_2d_finished.py Tues notes: Lecture Notes (10/22) Handout: Dictionaries Fri data: neu_geography.csv Fri code: lec14_states.py Fri slides: Dictionaries Fri notes: Lecture Notes (10/25) Materials - Secs 2,4 Lec 13: lists of lists part 2 Tues handout Tues code: lec13_nested.py Lec 14: dicts part 1 Fri code: lec14_dicts.py Fri review handout (no answers): 14_review_handout.pdf Fri review handout (answers): handout with answers
9 Oct 29/Nov 1	Topics: Data Structures Dictionaries cont'd Lists of dictionaries Dictionaries and files TUE: MINI EXAM TWO	Mini-Exam 2 Practice Mini Exam Two - Practice Problems, Solns Materials - Sec 1,3 Fri data: 1920-voter_registration.csv Fri starter code: lec15_starter.py Fri finished code: lec15_vote.py Fri notes: Lecture Notes (11/1) Materials - Sec 2,4 Lec 15: dicts, part 2 Fri starter code: lec15_names_starter.py Fri code: lec15_names.py Fri code: lec15_dicts.py Fri data: ds2000_staff.csv	Homework 6 due Nov 8th @9pm
10 Nov 5/8	Topics: DS Algorithms Natural Language Processing String data type Strings instead of numbers More data viz	Materials - Sec 1,3 Tues handout: String Index Cards Tues survey: http://bit.ly/ds2000_gpt Tues code: lec16_strings.py Tues notes: Lecture Notes (11/5) Fri data: chatgpt.csv Fri starter code: lec17_starter.py Handout: Strings Fri finished code: lec17_sentiment.py Fri notes: Lecture Notes (11/5) Materials - Sec 2,4 Lec 16: strings string operators table string functions table Tues links: Section 2, Section 4 Fri: go to lecture with Prof. Laney! Fri data: chatgpt.csv Fri starter code: lec17_starter.py Fri finished code: lec17_sentiment.py Fri notes: Lecture Notes (11/5)
11 Nov 12/15	Topics: Classes + Objects Code design Reusability Attributes and methods	Materials - Sec 1,3 Tues Notes: Lecture Notes (11/12) Tues Slides: Classes & Objects Tues Code: card.py, lec18_driver.py Fri Notes: Lecture Notes (11/15) Sec 1 Code: card.py, deck.py, lec19_sec1_game.py Sec 3 Code: card.py, deck.py, lec19_sec3_game.py Materials - Sec 2,4 Lec 18: classes & objects, part 1 Tues code: lec18_exp.py, lec18_cardgames.py, card.py Fri starter: lec18_cardgames.py, card.py Lec 19: classes & objects, part 2 Fri code: lec19_cardgames.py, card.py	Second-Chance HW due Nov 15th @ 9pm (resubmit one of HW1-5 for a new score)
12 Nov 19/22	Topics: DS Algorithms Classes and objects cont'd Recommendation systems Similarities between objects	Materials - Sec 1,3 https://bit.ly/sec1_recs https://bit.ly/sec3_rec TA Survey Tues Notes: Lecture Notes (11/19) Tues Code (sec1): tvshow.py, lec20_driver.py Tues Code (sec3): tvshow.py, lec20_driver.py Fri Starter Code (sec1): lec21_starter_sec1.py Fri Data (sec1): sec1_recommendations.csv Fri Starter Code (sec3): lec21_starter_sec3.py Fri Data (sec3): sec3_recommendations.csv Fri Notes: Lecture Notes (11/22) Fri Finished Code (sec1): tvshow_v2.py, lec21_recs_sec1.py Fri Finished Code (sec3): tvshow_v2.py, lec21_recs_sec3.py Materials - Sec 2,4 Tues starter code: lec20_cardgames.py, card.py DS 2000 Topics Survey TA Survey Lec 20: objects & classes, part 3 Tues finished code: lec20_cardgames_finished.py, card.py, deck.py Fri starter code: lec21_moviesml.py Lec 21: Machine Learning (KNN) Fri finished code: lec21_moviesml_finished.py
13 Nov 26	Topic: DS Algorithms Correlation vs. causation Linear regression	Materials - Sec 1,3 DS2000 Wrapped: https://bit.ly/49ann1T Tue data (sec1): sec1_recommendations.csv Tue starter code (sec1): lec22_starter_sec1.py Tue data (sec3): sec3_recommendations.csv Tue starter code (sec3): lec22_starter_sec3.py Tue Notes: Lecture Notes (11/26) Tue finished (sec1): lec22_finished_sec1.py Tue finished (sec3): lec22_finished_sec3.py Materials - Sec 2,4 Lec 22: Machine Learning, part 2 Tues code: lec22_animals.py Tues train data: animal_train.csv Tues code: animal_test.csv
14 Dec 3	Last Lecture! Topic TBD Wrap-Up!	Material - Sec 1, 3 Slides: DS2000 Wrapped