# load_dataset()


Load a built-in example dataset.


Usage

``` python
load_dataset(
    name,
    as_frame=False,
)
```


## Parameters


`name: str`  
Dataset name. Call [list_datasets](list_datasets.md#whittaker.list_datasets) to see all available names.

`as_frame: bool = ``False`  
If `True`, return a `pandas.DataFrame` instead of a plain `dict`. Requires `pandas` to be installed.


## Returns


`dict[str, NDArray] or pandas.DataFrame`  
Column-oriented data. The `dict` form is accepted directly by `~whittaker.gam.GAM.fit` and all other Whittaker model classes.


## Examples


``` python
import whittaker as wk

data = wk.load_dataset("mcycle")
model = wk.GAM("accel ~ s(times)").fit(data)
model.edf
```


    [7.915324259501651]


``` python
df = wk.load_dataset("wages", as_frame=True)
df.head()
```


|     | age       | experience | wage      |
|-----|-----------|------------|-----------|
| 0   | 62.323637 | 9.216817   | 80.231223 |
| 1   | 42.032395 | 2.487841   | 40.024189 |
| 2   | 63.883454 | 7.251912   | 60.292852 |
| 3   | 21.799293 | 3.799293   | 20.232940 |
| 4   | 46.545724 | 1.738119   | 62.383214 |