KUB Datalab: Basic introduction to OpenRefine – cleaning messy data

OpenRefine is a free tool, which can help you clean messy data. At the course you will import an excel-file to OpenRefine, work with several data cleaning options in OpenRefine, and export the file to excel after the cleaning. You will edit the data via OpenRefine’s graphical user interface as well as via simple coding. In addition to these hands-on exercises, you will see examples of how OpenRefine can be used to enrich your data with data from online sources.

The course is a basic introduction. You are not expected to have worked with OpenRefine before the course.

Requirements:

• Excel user (familiar with basic use of excel)
• PC user (We are developing a course for Mac users but we are not ready yet)

Your preparation before the course:

• Install OpenRefine on your PC: https://openrefine.org/download.html
• If possible, bring your own excelfile with messy data. If you have specific questions about how to clean you data, please send the question and excel-file to kubdatalab@kb.dk at least two days before the course. If you don’t have an excelfile with messy data the course instructor has a file you can use.

After the course the participants have:

• Imported an excel file to OpenRefine
• Exported data from OpenRefine to excel
• Worked with simple data cleaning operations via OpenRefine’s graphical user interface
• Worked with simple data cleaning operations via OpenRefine’s simple coding (GREL and Regular Expressions)
• Got a brief introduction to how OpenRefine can help you enrich your data with data from online sources.

No registration required – just show up!