Library Carpentry OpenRefine - Shortened Version

OpenRefine is ‘a tool for working with messy data’

OpenRefine works best with data in a simple tabular format

OpenRefine can help you split data up into more granular parts

OpenRefine can help you match local data up to other data sets

OpenRefine can help you enhance a data set with data from other sources

Use the Create Project option to import data

You can control how data imports using options on the import screen

OpenRefine uses rows and columns to display data

Most options to work with data in OpenRefine are accessed through a drop down menu at the top of a data column

When you select an option in a particular column (e.g. to make a change to the data), it will effect all the cells in that column

You can use facets and filters to explore your data

You can use facets and filters work with a subset of data in OpenRefine

You can easily correct common data issues from a Facet

Clustering is a way of finding variant forms of the same piece of data within a dataset (e.g. different spellings of a name)

There are a number of different Clustering algorithms that work in different ways and will produce different results

The best clustering algorithm to use will depend on the data

Using clustering you can replace varying forms of the same data with a single consistent value

You can use Undo and Redo to retrace ones’ steps

You can save and apply a set of steps to a new set of data using the ‘Extract’ and ‘Apply’ features

Common transformations are available through the Menu option

You can alter data in OpenRefine based on specific instructions

You can preview the results of your GREL expression

You can alter data in OpenRefine based on specific instructions

You can export your data in a variety of formats