Web scraping has great potential as a research tool that can be applied across various fields of research including social science and humanities, and allows us to reach beyond the ‘quantitative and qualitative divide’. The programming and code-reading/analysing skills used in web scraping can enhance our understanding of digital power beyond the traditional limits of computing techniques. 

This two-hour training module (plus 1-hour online Q&A session) introduces researchers to how to use Python software for web scraping. You will learn what web scraping means, the principles behind it, and ethical considerations, and importantly how to use Python to achieve web scraping. The module provides a good opportunity to learn how to enhance your coding and code-reading skills, from which you can reflect on how digital power especially web scraping and coding is shaping contemporary research. The training is programming beginner friendly.

For the 1hr online Q&A session the first 30mins are used for extend web scraping with other tools including R, followed by Q&A tutorials. Please ensure you have basic knowledge in using R if you would like to join the first 30mins, but the Q&A are available to all the students.

Book via https://www.training.cam.ac.uk/event/5815537
(this training has an optional)