ThesisIsCode

What is a Thesis?

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A Thesis is

ideas + data + text + formatting

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A Thesis is Ideas

IDEAS + data + text + formatting

• We have expectations and hypotheses that we aim to test
• Our project design is based on assumptions

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A Thesis is Data

ideas + DATA + text + formatting

• Data is the product of experimental design and has constraints
• Data collection and processing is part of a workflow

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A Thesis is Text

ideas + data + TEXT + formatting

• Text depends on results from analysis
• Text is structured, ordered and order has meaning

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A Thesis is Formatting

ideas + data + text + FORMATTING

• Formatting transforms text and gives meaning
• Formatting makes it all look pretty
• Your thesis office will not accept a thesis with the wrong formatting

<img src="../images/thick-book.jpg" width=30% alt="A ridiculously thick book">

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Is A Thesis Like Software?

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Software Is

• ideas (usually sus)
• data (data)
• text (code)
• formatting (styling)

<img src="../images/Floppy_disk_2009_G1.jpg" width=70% alt="Very old floppy disks for computers">

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What can we learn from Software Development

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What can we learn from Software Development

• Working on Features
• Testing Assumptions
• Building Workflows

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Software Development: FEATURES

• Working on Features

  • Thesis elements are “units” (a chapter, a statistical test, a graph, a table)
  • A unit can be its own file
  • A unit has expected inputs & outputs
  • A unit can have versions

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Software Development: ASSUMPTIONS

• Testing Assumptions

  • We know things about our data (n = ??, all values are positive)
  • We write things about our results (p < 0.5)
  • Results and data might change as features change

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Software Development: WORKFLOWS

• Building Workflows

  • The final thesis is the sum of units
  • Writing units that “just work” takes planning
  • Writing units that “just work” makes changing them easier
  • Writing units that “just work” makes fixing them easier

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Your Thesis is Software

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This Workshop

• An introduction to software tools & concepts
• A resource & community for your ongoing work
• A tool to help you re-think your work going forward

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Key Learning Points

• An introduction to git as a tool for version control
• An introduction to markdown (and RMarkdown)
• Data access and processing tricks in documents
• A collection of tips & tricks