Pre-training tasks

We ask that trainees accomplish a few tasks prior to the first training session. Please do the following:

View

• View my talk on the background of the lab, including what we do, and why we do it.

Install

• Go through our Setup Checklist and install necessary software. If you have concerns or questions, simply download the installers, ready to be installed when needed.

Accounts that may be useful

All are free.

• Github (Code repository, computations), if you don’t already have one.
• ORCID (Identity management) - useful in general for academia, can help you sign in to some of the other sites
• WholeTale (computations) - you should be able to use your university login, if not, use ORCID.
• CodeOcean (computations) - free account, some free computing hours if signing up with academic email.

Software to install on your laptop

• Git command line tool (download the software, then follow the guide on Installing Git on your computer
• Command line (We will use the “Bash shell”, but PowerShell will work, too)
  • Windows: “Git bash” comes with the Git install above. You could also use WSL2 (OPTIONAL, Pro)
  • macOS: Use the “Terminal” app (pre-installed)
  • Linux: Use any “terminal” app (pre-installed)
• Visual Studio Code (download location), a powerful text editor
  • Set up settings sync (OPTIONAL, recommended)
  • Install Plugins: Excel to Markdown table
  • Install Plugins: Markdown Preview Enhanced
  • Install Plugins: Auto-Open Markdown Preview (OPTIONAL, can sometimes be inconvenient)
  • Install Plugins: markdownlint will debug your Markdown

Other software is optional. You will use statistical software that you already have access to (if not, please let the instructor know).

Text editor vs. Word processor

You want to use a text editor, not a word processor. The difference: a text editor creates simple text files, without fancy formatting.

If you are creating code in Stata, Matlab, or Rstudio, you are using a customized text editor, sometimes called an IDE = “Integrated Development Environment”. That is OK. But remember that all such program code is a straight text file.

General purpose text editors can view and edit them all, although they may lack some of the fancy features that make programming easier in the dedicated IDE.

Help

• Git cheatsheet and another one
• Markdown cheatsheet

Try-out

• Try out command line, Markdown, Git (we’ll come back to it on the first day).