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	Web Scraping and Data Mining with R

Summer School in Social Sciences Methods

11-15 August 2025 (in-person)


	Tired of traditional data sources? The internet is a goldmine of information waiting to be explored! Our in-presence workshop, Web Scraping and Data Mining with R is your key to unlocking these digital insights this Summer School in Lugano!

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👨‍🏫 Lecturer: Dr Lukas Walasek, Associate Professor at the Department of Psychology, University of Warwick, UK

Imagine:
⛏️ Digging into vast amounts of publicly available online data to uncover hidden patterns and trends.
💡 Gaining unique perspectives on behaviour, attitudes, and beliefs in today's dynamic social, political, and economic landscape.
📊 Mastering the art of "big data" approaches that are revolutionising our understanding of everything from political ideology to consumer habits.
This isn't your average stats course! We'll equip you with the core concepts and hands-on methodologies for web scraping and data mining using the powerful R language.

Here's what you'll get your hands dirty with:
🌐 Discovering the diverse sources and types of online data accessible to social scientists.
🛠️ Developing crucial skills in scraping, harvesting, and extracting valuable information.
🦸‍♀️ Learning to manage your own big data science projects like a pro.
🛡️ Navigating the ethical and legal considerations of web scraping.
🧹 Mastering the art of data wrangling and formatting.
🕷️ Building your very own robust web crawlers.
<0xF0><0x9F><0x95><0xB3>️ Exploring data through compelling visualisations.
🔑 Unlocking the secrets of APIs and the .Json file format.
🔒 Understanding different types of API authentication (like a digital secret agent!).
🚀 Embarking on your first data mining project with expert supervision.

Our workshop is designed with you in mind:
- Morning sessions packed with essential theory and live R demonstrations.
- Afternoons dedicated to exciting practical exercises and collaborative activities.
- Plenty of opportunity to work on your own data mining projects with instructor support.
- Access to a treasure trove of online materials: slides, datasets, handouts, and annotated R scripts!

Who should join?
You'll need basic computer and statistical analysis skills, and a good working knowledge of R is essential for the practical sessions. Don't worry if HTML, CSS, and JavaScript sound like alien languages – we'll introduce you to the basics!

Ready to transform your research with the power of web data?
Find out more and secure your spot for our Summer School (link below)! Get ready to dive into the exciting world of web scraping and data mining in R!