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HarvardX: Data Science: Productivity Tools

4.3 stars
34 ratings

Keep your projects organized and produce reproducible reports using GitHub, git, Unix/Linux, and RStudio.

Data Science: Productivity Tools
8 weeks
1–2 hours per week
Self-paced
Progress at your own speed
Free
Optional upgrade available

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Starts Nov 20
Ends Dec 18
Starts Nov 20
Starts Apr 16, 2025

About this course

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A typical data analysis project may involve several parts, each including several data files and different scripts with code. Keeping all this organized can be challenging.

Part of our Professional Certificate Program in Data Science, this course explains how to use Unix/Linux as a tool for managing files and directories on your computer and how to keep the file system organized. You will be introduced to the version control systems git, a powerful tool for keeping track of changes in your scripts and reports. We also introduce you to GitHub and demonstrate how you can use this service to keep your work in a repository that facilitates collaborations.

Finally, you will learn to write reports in R markdown which permits you to incorporate text and code into a document. We'll put it all together using the powerful integrated desktop environment RStudio.

At a glance

  • Language: English
  • Video Transcript: English
  • Associated programs:
  • Associated skills:Markdown, Git (Version Control System), Productivity Software, Unix, R (Programming Language), Rmarkdown, Data Science, Data Analysis, Github, Version Control, Report Writing, File Systems, Linux

What you'll learn

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  • How to use Unix/Linux to manage your file system
  • How to perform version control with git
  • How to start a repository on GitHub
  • How to leverage the many useful features provided by RStudio

Frequently Asked Questions

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Harvard University and HarvardX are committed to maintaining a safe and healthy educational and work environment in which no member of the community is excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination or harassment in our program. All members of the HarvardX community are expected to abide by Harvard policies on nondiscrimination, including sexual harassment, and the edX Terms of Service. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact harvardx@harvard.edu and/or report your experience through the edX contact form.

This course is part of Data Science Professional Certificate Program

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Expert instruction
9 skill-building courses
Self-paced
Progress at your own speed
1 year 5 months
2 - 3 hours per week

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