LIBR 559H : Topics In Computer-Based Information Systems: Introduction to data manipulation using perl -- COURSE SYLLABUS
Program: Master of Library and Information Studies
Year: 2006 Spring Session
Course Schedule:
March 3, 5:00-9:00 and March 4, 9:00-12:00 & 1:00-6:00 , Friday & Saturday
Location: TEF 340 [IT Lab I]
Instructor: Mark Jordan & John Durno
Office hours: N/A
E-mail address: mjordan@sfu.ca and johnd@eln.bc.ca
Course Goal: This course will introduce students to using Perl, a popular and flexible scripting language, to manipulate the principle types of structured data encountered in library work: delimited, MARC, and XML.
Upon completion of this couse students will be able to:
Course Topics:
- Write Perl scripts to parse and manipulate structured data
- Recognize where the use of scripting tools is preferable to graphical applications
- Use Perl's MARC::Record and XML::Writer modules
Course Objectives:
- Introduction to Perl
- Basic Perl syntax
- Writing and running scripts
- Handling input and output from/to files and the terminal
- Perl operators, control structures, and functions
- Perl modules and object syntax
- Transforming delimited data files to MARC and XML formats
- Modifying a file of MARC records
Pre- or co-requisites:
- Learning Perl, Fourth Edition by Randal L. Schwartz, Tom Phoenix, brian d foy: July 2005. ISBN: 0-596-10105-8. http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/learnperl4/
- Perl Cookbook, Second Edition by Tom Christiansen, Nathan Torkington. August 2003. ISBN: 0-596-00313-7. http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/perlckbk2/
- Data Munging for Non-Programming Biologists
- http://www.perl.com/pub/a/2005/10/20/scriptome.html
- Programming Languages for Library and Textual Processing
- http://www.asis.org/Bulletin/Aug-05/fosdick.html
- Tutorials
- http://www.perlmonks.org/index.pl?node=Tutorials
- MARC::Record Tutorial
- http://marcpm.sourceforge.net/MARC/Doc/Tutorial.html
- Perl (Wikipedia)
- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perl
- perlintro
- http://perldoc.perl.org/perlintro.html
- Our Long Java Nightmare
http://www.oreillynet.com/pub/wlg/8317
Course Assignments
Students will convert a file of MARC records to XML, and modify a group of MARC records, using Perl's MARC::Record and XML::Writer Modules
The assignment will be due on March 24, 2006.
Attendance: The Calendar states: “Regular attendance is expected of students in all their classes (including lectures, laboratories, tutorials, seminars, etc.). Students who neglect their academic work and assignments may be excluded from the final examinations. Students who are unavoidably absent because of illness or disability should report to their instructors on return to classes.”
This is a two-day course and attendance is mandatory for both days. Failure to attend will result in failure.
Evaluation: Assignments will not be accepted late unless prior arrangements are made with the instructors. Consideration will be given to legitimate emergencies. If an extension is granted, a late penalty may be imposed at the instructor's discretion; this will be discussed when you request an extension. All assignments will be awarded letter grades using the evaluative criteria given on the SLAIS web site: http://www.slais.ubc.ca/RESOURCES/slais-marking.htm.
Other Course Policies : Students should periodically consult the course web site for updates prior to the course: http://interoperating.info/courses/perl4data/
Written & Spoken English Requirement: Written and spoken work may receive a lower mark if it is, in the opinion of the instructor, deficient in English.
