Lecturer
Python Functions, Files, and Dictionaries
What You'll Learn
- Explore the dictionary data structure and user-defined functions in Python.
- Understand concepts like local and global variables, parameter-passing techniques, named functions, and lambda expressions.
- Apply Python's sorted function and control sorting order with custom functions.
- Create a final project involving social media data analysis and CSV file manipulation.
5 Modules
40 Hours
8 hrs per module (approx.)
Rating
About Python Functions, Files, and Dictionaries
This course introduces the dictionary data structure and user-defined functions. You’ll learn about local and global variables, optional and keyword parameter-passing, named functions and lambda expressions. You’ll also learn about Python’s sorted function and how to control the order in which it sorts by passing in another function as an input. For your final project, you’ll read in simulated social media data from a file, compute sentiment scores, and write out .csv files. It covers chapters 10-16 of the textbook “Fundamentals of Python Programming,” which is the accompanying text (optional and free) for this course.
The course is well-suited for you if you have already taken the "Python Basics" course and want to gain further fundamental knowledge of the Python language. Together, both courses are geared towards newcomers to Python programming, those who need a refresher on Python basics, or those who may have had some exposure to Python programming but want a more in-depth exposition and vocabulary for describing and reasoning about programs.
This is a follow-up to the "Python Basics" course (course 1 of the Python 3 Programming Specialization), and it is the second of five courses in the specialization.
Skills You'll Gain
- Data Manipulation
- Data Structures
- Data Validation
- Python For Data Analysis
- Python (Programming Language)
- Text Classification
What You'll Earn
- Certificate of Completion:
- Certificates of completion acknowledge knowledge acquired upon completion of a non-credit course or program.
Welcome Message
Welcome to Python Functions, Files, and Dictionaries, a course that deepens Python skills through structured programming, file handling, and data organization. Learners build reusable functions and analyze data using dictionaries and CSV files.
This abbreviated syllabus description was created with the help of AI tools and reviewed by staff. The full syllabus is available to those who enroll in the course.
Course Schedule
Module 1: Welcome, Files, and CSV Outputs
In week one the video lectures and the Runestone textbook will introduce you to the idea of incorporating files into your programs as an additional source of data. You will learn how to read from a file, write to a file, and how to work with the .csv data format.
Module 2: Dictionaries and Dictionary Accumulation
In week two the video lectures and the Runestone textbook will focus on a new data type, dictionaries. You will be introduced to the mechanics of dictionaries and then get practice using them in accumulation patterns, both to build a dictionary using the pattern as well as find the best, or worst, result using the pattern.
Module 3: Functions and Tuples
In week three you will be introduced to the construction of functions. Up to this point, you have used functions in the programs before, but have not had a chance to write your own functions, including how to define a function, how to incorporate parameters, how to return data from a function, the local or global scope of variables, and potential side effects that could occur from function execution. Finally, we look at tuples more in depth, and how automatic packing and unpacking of tuples can be used in functions and in for loops.
Module 4: More Iteration and Advanced Functions
In week four the video lectures and the Runestone textbook will outline a more advanced iteration mechanism, the while loop. You will be introduced to using it when getting feedback from users, as well as applying it to the turtle module to draw images. Additionally, you will also be exposed to more advanced function concepts such as the idea of parameters being optional, not required, and anonymous functions using lambda.
Module 5: Sorting
In week five the videos and Runestone textbook will detail how to sort python objects - both the basics and more advanced forms of sorting for dictionaries and how to break a tie (if that occurs). The final course assessment will be a project that asks you to read fake, auto-generated data from a social media site to analyze social media post sentiments. You will submit a csv file as well as images of graphs that demonstrate your findings.
Grading Policy
Learners must achieve 100% mastery on assessments (unlimited attempts). There are assessments in each module that account for 20% of your final grade.
Assistant Professor
Michael D. Cohen Collegiate Professor of Information
Course content developed by U-M faculty and managed by the university. Faculty titles and affiliations are updated periodically.
Beginner Level
No prior experience required
