Getting Started with Data Science: Making Sense of Data with Analytics

by Murtaza Haider

Master Data Analytics Hands-On by Solving Fascinating Problems You’ll Actually Enjoy! Harvard Business Review recently called data science “The Sexiest Job of the 21st Century.” It’s not just For millions of managers, analysts, and students who need to solve real business problems, it’s indispensable. Unfortunately, there’s been nothing easy about learning data science–until now. Getting Started with Data Science takes its inspiration from worldwide best-sellers like Freakonomics and Malcolm Gladwell’s It teaches through a powerful narrative packed with unforgettable stories. Murtaza Haider offers informative, jargon-free coverage of basic theory and technique, backed with plenty of vivid examples and hands-on practice opportunities. Everything’s software and platform agnostic, so you can learn data science whether you work with R, Stata, SPSS, or SAS. Best of all, Haider teaches a crucial skillset most data science books how to tell powerful stories using graphics and tables. Every chapter is built around real research challenges, so you’ll always know why you’re doing what you’re doing. You’ll master data science by answering fascinating questions, such • Are religious individuals more or less likely to have extramarital affairs? • Do attractive professors get better teaching evaluations? • Does the higher price of cigarettes deter smoking? • What determines housing prices lot size or the number of bedrooms? • How do teenagers and older people differ in the way they use social media? • Who is more likely to use online dating services? • Why do some purchase iPhones and others Blackberry devices? • Does the presence of children influence a family’s spending on alcohol? For each problem, you’ll walk through defining your question and the answers you’ll need; exploring how others have approached similar challenges; selecting your data and methods; generating your statistics; organizing your report; and telling your story. Throughout, the focus is squarely on what matters transforming data into insights that are clear, accurate, and can be acted upon.

Genres: Science, Nonfiction, Programming, Technology, Computer Science

604 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 24, 2015

Reviews

[Murtaza · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent primer on data science, 'Getting Started with Data Science: Making Sense of Data with Analytics' by Murtaza Haider is both an ideal starting point for beginners and a valuable reference for seasoned Data Analytics enthusiasts. Highly recommended for anyone embarking on a Data Science journey.

[Cow · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have already recommended this book to several friends and colleagues.

Professor Murtaza covers the fundamentals of doing data science and analytics, but most importantly, he never compromises on his core philosophy: data science is fundamentally about telling a story, and numbers without a story are just a spreadsheet no one reads. If you want your analysis to matter, to be read and considered, tell the story.

[Russ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Considering a degree or career in data science? If so, this book will test your commitment. It offers a textbook like intro to R programming, probability and statistics. If you aren't comfortable working through this book, you may want to consider a different field.

[Tej · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful basic book on Data Science to start with.

[Sivasailam · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best book to start learning data science concepts. Covers all essential concepts and sample codes to play around with.

[Angeline Vall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learning Material on online course