Analysis of the Carpentries Long-Term Feedback Survey: Round 2
Contributors: Kari L. Jordan, Naupaka Zimmerman, Marianne Corvellec, Elizabeth Wickes, Jonah Duckles
January 2018
Demographics
Respondents Status
Field of work, research, or study.
| Field | n | % |
|---|---|---|
| Life Sciences | 175 | 36.2 |
| Biomedical/Health Sciences | 104 | 21.5 |
| Agricultural or Environmental Sciences | 81 | 16.8 |
| Physical Sciences | 57 | 11.8 |
| Earth Sciences | 50 | 10.4 |
| Mathematics or Statistics | 43 | 8.9 |
| Engineering | 42 | 8.7 |
| Computer Science | 38 | 7.9 |
| Social Sciences | 25 | 5.2 |
| Library Sciences | 21 | 4.3 |
| Humanities | 14 | 2.9 |
| Business | 6 | 1.2 |
Number of Carpentries workshops attended
Time since completing last Carpentries workshop
Workshop Content
What content was covered at the last Carpentries workshop you completed? Select all that apply.
| ContentCovered | n |
|---|---|
| Git | 378 |
| Python | 301 |
| Unix Shell | 291 |
| R | 200 |
| SQL | 139 |
| I don’t remember. | 32 |
| OpenRefine | 29 |
| Spreadsheets | 21 |
| Cloud Computing | 15 |
| MATLAB | 5 |
| Mercurial | 3 |
Combination of tools covered in respondents’ workshops.
| Frequency of Tools Covered | n | % |
|---|---|---|
| Git Python Unix Shell | 96 | 19.0 |
| Git Python | 41 | 8.1 |
| Git Python SQL Unix Shell | 39 | 7.7 |
| Git R Unix Shell | 31 | 6.2 |
| Git R | 22 | 4.4 |
| Git Python R Unix Shell | 19 | 3.8 |
| Git Unix Shell | 17 | 3.4 |
| Git Python SQL | 16 | 3.2 |
| R | 15 | 3.0 |
| Git R SQL Unix Shell | 12 | 2.4 |
Matrix of combinations of tools covered.
| Cloud Computing | Git | I don’t remember. | MATLAB | Mercurial | OpenRefine | Python | R | Spreadsheets | SQL | Unix Shell | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cloud Computing | 15 | 10 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 10 |
| Git | 10 | 378 | 18 | 4 | 2 | 14 | 256 | 139 | 9 | 115 | 257 |
| I don’t remember. | 3 | 18 | 32 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 16 | 1 | 6 | 9 |
| MATLAB | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
| Mercurial | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| OpenRefine | 2 | 14 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 29 | 12 | 23 | 13 | 19 | 10 |
| Python | 6 | 256 | 8 | 4 | 3 | 12 | 301 | 68 | 6 | 91 | 202 |
| R | 8 | 139 | 16 | 2 | 0 | 23 | 68 | 200 | 20 | 67 | 104 |
| Spreadsheets | 2 | 9 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 13 | 6 | 20 | 21 | 17 | 11 |
| SQL | 2 | 115 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 19 | 91 | 67 | 17 | 139 | 85 |
| Unix Shell | 10 | 257 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 202 | 104 | 11 | 85 | 291 |
Workshop Impact
Behaviors Adopted
Which of the following behaviors have you adopted as a result of completing a Carpentries workshop? Check all that apply.
| Behaviors_Adopted | n | % |
|---|---|---|
| Using programming languages like R or Python, or the command line to automate repetitive tasks. | 274 | 66.2 |
| Improving data management and project organization. | 204 | 49.3 |
| Using version control to manage code. | 191 | 46.1 |
| Reusing code. | 180 | 43.5 |
| Sharing code or data publicly on places like GitHub or FigShare. | 128 | 30.9 |
| Using databases, scripts and queries to manage large data sets. | 124 | 30.0 |
| Using version control to collaborate online (in public or private repositories). | 123 | 29.7 |
| Transforming step-by-step workflows into scripts or functions. | 118 | 28.5 |
| Developing a data management and analysis plan. | 75 | 18.1 |
Behaviors by Group
| Behaviors_Adopted | Academic Research Staff | Faculty | Graduate Student | Industry | Postdoc | Undergraduate Student |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Developing a data management and analysis plan. | 9.8 | 16.1 | 17.4 | 22.0 | 12.0 | 0 |
| Improving data management and project organization. | 39.3 | 48.2 | 41.3 | 45.8 | 41.3 | 0 |
| Reusing code. | 34.4 | 35.7 | 37.7 | 37.3 | 34.8 | 20 |
| Sharing code or data publicly on places like GitHub or FigShare. | 23.0 | 28.6 | 24.6 | 28.8 | 25.0 | 30 |
| Transforming step-by-step workflows into scripts or functions. | 24.6 | 19.6 | 26.9 | 27.1 | 26.1 | 20 |
| Using databases, scripts and queries to manage large data sets. | 19.7 | 19.6 | 25.7 | 28.8 | 31.5 | 10 |
| Using programming languages like R or Python, or the command line to automate repetitive tasks. | 59.0 | 53.6 | 58.1 | 59.3 | 59.8 | 20 |
| Using version control to collaborate online (in public or private repositories). | 26.2 | 32.1 | 19.2 | 44.1 | 21.7 | 40 |
| Using version control to manage code. | 45.9 | 42.9 | 33.5 | 61.0 | 31.5 | 30 |
Programming Usage Pre- and Post-Workshop
Before completing a Carpentries workshop, how often did you use programming languages (R, Python, etc.), databases (Access, SQL, etc.), version control software and/or the shell?
| ProgrammingBefore | n |
|---|---|
| Daily. | 123 |
| I had not been using tools like these. | 80 |
| Less than once per year. | 52 |
| Monthly. | 45 |
| Several times per year. | 74 |
| Weekly. | 84 |
Since completing a Carpentries workshop, how often do you currently use programming languages (R, Python, etc.), databases (Access, SQL, etc.), version control software and/or the shell?
| ProgrammingSince | n |
|---|---|
| I have not been using tools like these. | 24 |
| Less than once per year. | 20 |
| Several times per year. | 68 |
| Monthly. | 50 |
| Weekly. | 101 |
| Daily. | 195 |
Comparing pre/post programming usage
Pre-post programming usage by group
Pre/Post Residuals
Workshop Impact
Change in Confidence
How would you rate your change in confidence in the tools that were covered during your Carpentries workshops compared to before the workshop?
Change in Confidence by Status
Usage of Tools for Research and/or Work
If you are using the tools you learned in a Carpentries workshop, how are they helping you? Check all that apply.
| How Tools Covered Have Helped | n | % |
|---|---|---|
| They are improving my overall efficiency. | 254 | 59.5 |
| They are improving my ability to analyze data. | 228 | 53.4 |
| They are improving my ability to manage data. | 214 | 50.1 |
| I am not using the tools I learned. | 65 | 15.2 |
| The tools I learned have not helped me with my work. | 30 | 7.0 |
Contributions to Academic Writing
Has completing a Carpentries workshop contributed to your writing of a research article, thesis, dissertation, or grant proposal?
| Writing | n | % |
|---|---|---|
| No. | 207 | 45.1 |
| Not sure. | 130 | 28.3 |
| Yes. | 122 | 26.6 |
Perception of Workshop Impact
The statements below reflect ways in which completing a Carpentries workshop may have impacted you. Please indicate your level of agreement with these statements:
- I have used skills I learned at the workshop to advance my career.
- I have been motivated to seek more knowledge about the tools I learned at the workshop.
- I have made my analyses more reproducible as a result of completing the workshop.
- I have received professional recognition for my work as a result of using the tools I learned at the workshop.
- I have improved my coding practices as a result of completing the workshop.
- My research productivity has improved as a result of completing the workshop.
- I have gained confidence in working with data as a result of completing the workshop.
Breakdown of respondents by Country
In what country was the workshop you attended held?
Respondent Demographics
What is your gender?
Gender was added to the survey during the second round of data collection. We only have seven data points, so do not include this information in the report.
| Gender | n | perc |
|---|---|---|
| Female | 4 | 57 |
| Male | 3 | 43 |
How would you describe yourself?
Ethnicity was added to the survey in the second round of data collection. We only have eight responses, so do not include this information in the report.
| Race | n | % |
|---|---|---|
| White(A person having origins in any of the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, or North Africa.) | 4 | 50.0 |
| Asian(A person having origins in any of the original peoples of the Far East, Southeast Asia, or the Indian subcontinent including, for example, Cambodia, China, India, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippine Islands, Thailand, and Vietnam.) | 2 | 25.0 |
| Black or African American(A person having origins in any of the Black racial groups of Africa – includes Caribbean Islanders and other of African origin.) | 1 | 12.5 |
| I prefer not to say. | 1 | 12.5 |
| Number of Workshops Attended | n |
|---|---|
| 1 | 418 |
| 2 | 67 |
| 3+ | 14 |
| Time Since Last Attending Workshop | n |
|---|---|
| 0-6 months ago | 56 |
| 6 months - 1 year ago | 88 |
| More than 1 year ago | 355 |
| value | Academic Research Staff | Faculty | Graduate Student | Industry | Other (please specify) | Other Academic Staff | Postdoc | Undergraduate Student |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agricultural or Environmental Sciences | 4 | 4 | 35 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 15 | 1 |
| Biomedical/Health Sciences | 16 | 8 | 28 | 16 | 0 | 6 | 25 | 1 |
| Business | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Computer Science | 2 | 3 | 12 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 |
| Earth Sciences | 12 | 4 | 19 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 6 | 0 |
| Engineering | 4 | 4 | 18 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Humanities | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 |
| Library Sciences | 2 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| Life Sciences | 17 | 19 | 67 | 12 | 0 | 7 | 47 | 2 |
| Mathematics or Statistics | 6 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 4 |
| Physical Sciences | 8 | 5 | 25 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 12 | 1 |
| Social Sciences | 6 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
Involvement in the Carpentries
Please indicate your involvement in the Carpentry community since completing a Carpentry workshop. Check all that apply.
| Involvement Since Attending a Carpentry Workshop | n |
|---|---|
| Subscribed to the newsletter. | 128 |
| Became a workshop helper. | 33 |
| Became a Carpentry instructor. | 28 |
| Contributed to a Carpentry lesson. | 21 |
| Attended at least one community call. | 20 |
| Joined a mentoring group. | 13 |
| Participated in a Twitter chat. | 11 |
| Joined a committee. | 7 |
Matrix of involvement
| Attended at least one community call. | Became a Carpentry instructor. | Became a workshop helper. | Contributed to a Carpentry lesson. | Joined a committee. | Joined a mentoring group. | Participated in a Twitter chat. | Subscribed to the newsletter. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attended at least one community call. | 20 | 17 | 11 | 14 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 16 |
| Became a Carpentry instructor. | 17 | 28 | 16 | 19 | 4 | 10 | 4 | 19 |
| Became a workshop helper. | 11 | 16 | 33 | 12 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 19 |
| Contributed to a Carpentry lesson. | 14 | 19 | 12 | 21 | 3 | 8 | 4 | 15 |
| Joined a committee. | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| Joined a mentoring group. | 7 | 10 | 6 | 8 | 4 | 13 | 2 | 9 |
| Participated in a Twitter chat. | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 4 |
| Subscribed to the newsletter. | 16 | 19 | 19 | 15 | 3 | 9 | 4 | 128 |
Continuous Learning
Which of the following learning activities (for data management and analysis) have you participated in since completing a Carpentry workshop? Check all that apply.
| Continuous Learning | n | % |
|---|---|---|
| Used non-Carpentry self-guided material. | 135 | 35 |
| Used self-guided Carpentry lesson material. | 72 | 19 |
| Participated in an in-person short course. | 63 | 17 |
| Participated in an online short course. | 48 | 13 |
| Participated in a Meetup. | 35 | 9 |
| Participated in a semester long course. | 28 | 7 |
Matrix of continuous learning activities
| Participated in a Meetup. | Participated in a semester long course. | Participated in an in-person short course. | Participated in an online short course. | Used non-Carpentry self-guided material. | Used self-guided Carpentry lesson material. | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Participated in a Meetup. | 35 | 8 | 12 | 16 | 17 | 9 |
| Participated in a semester long course. | 8 | 28 | 8 | 9 | 13 | 4 |
| Participated in an in-person short course. | 12 | 8 | 63 | 16 | 19 | 13 |
| Participated in an online short course. | 16 | 9 | 16 | 48 | 27 | 9 |
| Used non-Carpentry self-guided material. | 17 | 13 | 19 | 27 | 135 | 37 |
| Used self-guided Carpentry lesson material. | 9 | 4 | 13 | 9 | 37 | 72 |
Recommending Carpentries Workshops
Have you recommended a Carpentry workshop to a friend or colleague?
| Recommended a Workshop? | n | % |
|---|---|---|
| Yes. | 316 | 74 |
| No. | 66 | 16 |
| I don’t remember. | 43 | 10 |