Tutorial 3: Introduction to Functions and Libraries in Python

Abstract

The third introductory tutorial of our series “Python for Researchers in Psychology” aims to teach researchers about the importance of functions and libraries. First, we introduce the concept of functions. We cover the advantages of functions and how to use them with the help of basic examples, including a paired-samples (dependent-samples) t-test. Then, libraries and their included functions are discussed, including how to import them and the functionality of some of the most popular libraries for researchers in psychology. Finally, a longer, more complex example shows how functions and libraries can help accelerate your research, statistical analyses, and data visualization.