Course for international guest/part time students
- Faculty
- Faculty of Science
- Organization
- TTK Department of Physical and Applied Geology
- Code
- ktudmonitg17lm
- Title
- From monitoring to data analysis
- Usual semester
- Spring
- Published semester
- 2025/26/2
- ECTS
- 3
- Language
- en
- Learning outcomes
- The aim of the course is for MSc students to acquire comprehensive knowledge of the generation and pitfalls of environmental monitoring data, measurement errors, the principles of reliable data analysis, data repository submission, and the rules of FAIR data management. The training develops students’ data analysis and data management skills, problem-solving abilities, and critical attitude toward data quality. Students learn to identify the origin and characteristics of datasets, filter out erroneous information, and create efficient, transparent data structures. The course also aims to boost students’ IT confidence, raise awareness of the “garbage in – garbage out” principle, and lay the foundation for learning scripting languages.
- Course content
- Students will become familiar with the characteristics of data produced in soil and water monitoring, as well as the challenges of urban geochemical sampling, sources of error in field sampling and laboratory analysis, and the basic methods of data manipulation and cleaning. The course covers the processing of data using multiple regression and the fundamentals of geostatistical analysis of residuals, including spatial autocorrelation, semivariogram functions, and the basics of handling spatial aspects of data. One lecture introduces the application of machine learning methods for creating spatially continuous isotopic landscapes. The subject addresses practical difficulties arising from field conditions, potential errors in measurement protocols and equipment use, as well as the risks posed by underrepresented datasets. Through computer-based exercises on real datasets, students will experience the factors influencing data quality and practice identifying and correcting errors. The theoretical material is complemented by guest lectures from industry professionals, who present practical examples of how monitoring data is generated, thereby strengthening students’ practical skills and broadening their professional perspective.
- Assessment method
- colloquium
- Bibliography
- József Kovács, Péter Tanos, János Korponai, Ilona Kovácsné Székely, Károly Gondár, Katalin Gondár-Sőregi and István Gábor Hatvani (2012). Analysis of Water Quality Data for Scientists, Water Quality Monitoring and Assessment, Dr. Voudouris (Ed.), ISBN: 978-953-51-0486-5, InTech, DOI: 10.5772/32173. Gábor Békés and Gábor Kézdi Data Analysis for Business, Economics, and Policy. Cambrige University Press (2021)