What: This hands-on workshop will introduce you to the basic concepts of one of the world's most popular programming languages, Python! This introduction to Python will include concepts such as data types, variables, operators, if statements, and loops (don’t worry if these terms are unfamiliar; they will be explained in the workshop). In addition to learning the basics of Python, we'll look at practical examples of how to work with numbers, tabular data (tables and spreadsheets), and data files for research and analysis.

Why: Interested in learning to program but don't know where to start? This workshop will help you establish a foundation to start exploring Python and get rid of any nervousness you might have about learning to code. Learning coding skills will help you automate repetitive tasks; clean, analyze, and visualize large data sets programmatically; and make you stand out in the job market.

Learning objectives

Understand the basics of the Python programming language Work with numeric data in csv and xlsx files Perform basic data cleaning and data shaping tasks Read from multiple data sources and create a composite report Create basic data visualizations (bar and pie charts)

Software: Python is free to use. We will be using Jupyter Notebooks (also free to use) for the session, which is a browser-based programming environment, so no software setup is required.

Who: This workshop is designed for absolute beginners with no previous experience with programming. Skills gained can help participants from any discipline: Humanities, Social Sciences, or Sciences. 

When: Wednesday, Sept 24, 2026, 10:00am-12:00pm Where: Online via Zoom link (provided upon registration) How: This is a 2-hour online workshop, consisting of a series of short explanations and demonstrations, interspersed with breaks for self-paced activities. One instructor will be demonstrating while the other will be available on chat providing assistance. There will be plenty of opportunities to ask any questions and practice as we go! There will be one short break in the middle of the workshop.

Code of Conduct: Map & Data Library (MDL) workshops are a welcoming and inclusive environment for learning. To learn more, check out our Code of Conduct.

Accessibility: The MDL is committed to making our workshops accessible to everyone. If you require an accommodation to fully participate in the workshop, please contact Neil Aitken (neil.aitken@utoronto.ca) to discuss options.

Complementary Learning Materials: Check out our Getting Started Guide for more information on how to setup. You can find it and all other necessary files here:

Intro to Python for Numeric and Tabular Data