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Module

CSC8643 : Data Management and Exploratory Data Analysis

  • Offered for Year: 2024/25
  • Module Leader(s): Dr Joe Matthews
  • Owning School: Computing
  • Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters

Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.

Semester 1 Credit Value: 10
ECTS Credits: 5.0
European Credit Transfer System

Aims

This module explores the principles of data management and exploratory data analysis. Furthermore, we introduce the underlying technologies and computational tools to support automation and reproducibility in data analysis.

Specifically, the module aims to equip the students with the following knowledge and skills:
• To understanding of the principles of the scientific method and how it is applied in computational analyses
• To understand methods of data characterisation and data processing
• To understand the principles of knowledge representation and constructing data models
• To understand the technologies that support analysis pipelines
• To understand end-to-end system design for Data Science

Outline Of Syllabus

1.       Scientific method in computational analyses
2.       The software lifecycle
3.       The data lifecycle
4.       Variable characterisation and experimental design
5.       Exploratory data analysis
6.       Open Science and Reproducibility
7.       Data Architectures
8.       System design, microservices and workflows
9.       Developing data products

Teaching Methods

Teaching Activities
Category Activity Number Length Student Hours Comment
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion10:300:30Oral Presentation
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesLecture81:008:00Lecture
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion131:3031:30Coursework
Guided Independent StudyAssessment preparation and completion31:003:00Preparation for oral presentation
Scheduled Learning And Teaching ActivitiesPractical102:0020:00Practical sessions
Guided Independent StudyIndependent study101:0010:00Lecture follow-up
Guided Independent StudyIndependent study271:0027:00Background reading & participation in discussions
Total100:00
Jointly Taught With
Code Title
CSC8631Data Management and Exploratory Data Analysis
Teaching Rationale And Relationship

Lectures explain the underpinning principles for the module and technologies that support data management and exploratory data analysis. Lectures are complemented by supervised practical sessions to guide the application of these principles using suitable computational tools. The practical work builds up experience working with a computational toolset that is used to complete a substantive project working with data from a real-world context.

Assessment Methods

The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners

Other Assessment
Description Semester When Set Percentage Comment
Oral Examination1M20Oral presentation- presentation of the methods and results from the coursework - length 15 minutes
Report1M80Extended technical project Word count: Up to 2,000 words
Assessment Rationale And Relationship

The report tests the students’ ability to apply data management techniques in a reproducible manner, using effective tools and methods to solve a real-world challenge. The presentation assesses the students’ ability to communicate their approach and findings. The semi-structured interview facilitates a reflective discussion about how individual students have met the learning objectives of the module and how the principles of data management and exploratory data analysis are embedded in the functionality of their software artefact.

Reading Lists

Timetable