JPSM Short Course: Web Data Collection

This course provides a conceptual and practical introduction to key areas of web data collection. Participants will learn about its potential for social scientific research and become familiar with essential web technologies, such as URL components, HTML syntax, how to download and parse HTML documents, or the use of web browsers to locate specific information in these files. Using the R programming language, we will explore the XPath query language to collect data from static websites, APIs for targeted and structured information retrieval, and browser automation software for interactive data collection from dynamic websites. Participants will also get insights as regards web scraping etiquette and ethical considerations of web data collection.

Course dates : May 6 through May 17

Registration closes April 29, 2024