Key Terms

attribute

characteristic or feature that defines an item in a dataset

categorical data

data that is represented in different forms and do not indicate measurable quantities

cell

a block or rectangle on a table that is specified with a combination of a row number and a column number

comma-separated values (CSV)

format of a dataset in which each item takes up a single line and its values are separated by commas (“,”)

continuous data

data whose value is chosen from an infinite set of numbers

data

anything that we can analyze to compile some high-level insights

data analysis

the process of examining and interpreting raw data to uncover patterns, discover meaningful insights, and make informed decisions

data collection

the systematic process of gathering information on variables of interest

data preparation (data processing)

the second step within the data science cycle; converts the collected data into an optimal form for analysis

data reporting

the presentation of data in a way that will best convey the information learned from data analysis

data science

a field of study that investigates how to collect, manage, and analyze data in order to retrieve meaningful information from some seemingly arbitrary data

data science cycle

a process used when investigating data

data visualization

the graphical representation of data to point out the patterns and trends involving the use of visual elements such as charts, graphs, and maps

data warehousing

the process of storing and managing large volumes of data from various sources in a central location for easier access and analysis by businesses

DataFrame

a data type that

Pandas

uses to store a multi-column tabular data

dataset

a collection of related and organized information or data points grouped together for reference or analysis

discrete data

data that follows a specific precision

Excel

a spreadsheet program with a graphical user interface developed by Microsoft to help with the manipulation and analysis of data

Extensible Markup Language (XML)

format of a dataset with which uses tags

Google Colaboratory (Colab)

software for editing and running Jupyter Notebook files

Google Sheets

a spreadsheet program with a graphical user interface developed by Google to help with the manipulation and analysis of data

information

some high-level insights that are compiled from data

Internet of Things (IoT)

the network of multiple objects interacting with each other through the Internet

item

an element that makes up a dataset; also referred to as an entry and an instance

JavaScript Object Notation (JSON)

format of a dataset that follows the syntax of the JavaScript programming language

Jupyter Notebook

a web-based document that helps users run Python programs more interactively

nominal data

data whose values do not include any ordering notion

numeric data

data that are represented in numbers and indicate measurable quantities

ordinal data

data whose values include an ordering notion

Pandas

a Python library specialized for data manipulation and analysis

predictive analytics

statistical techniques, algorithms, and machine learning that analyze historical data and make predictions about future events, an approach often used in medicine to offer more accurate diagnosis and treatment

programming language

a formal language that consists of a set of instructions or commands used to communicate with a computer and instruct it to perform specific tasks

Python

a programming language that has extensive libraries and is commonly used for data analysis

qualitative data

non-numerical data that generally describe subjective attributes or characteristics and are analyzed using methods such as thematic analysis or content analysis

quantitative data

data that can be measured by specific quantities and amounts and are often analyzed using statistical methods

R

an open-source programming language that is specifically designed for statistical computing and graphics

recommendation system

a system that makes data-driven, personalized suggestions for users

sabermetrics

a statistical approach to sports team management

sports analytics

use of data and business analytics in sports

spreadsheet program

a software application consisting of electronic worksheets with rows and columns where data can be entered, manipulated, and calculated

structured data

dataset whose individual items have the same structure

unstructured data

dataset whose individual items have different structures

XML tag

any block of text that consists of a pair of angle brackets (< >) with some text inside