Python or R for Data Analysis: Which Should You Learn?
February 4, 2025
Article · 5 min read
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Launch your career in Data Science & Data Analysis. By mastering the skills and techniques covered in these courses, students will be better equipped to handle the challenges of real-world data analysis.
Instructor: Di Wu
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Intermediate level
Students are expected to have taken the specialization "Data Wrangling with Python" or have equivalent skill sets
(13 reviews)
Recommended experience
Intermediate level
Students are expected to have taken the specialization "Data Wrangling with Python" or have equivalent skill sets
Describe and define the fundamental concepts and techniques used in Data Analysis. Identify the appropriate techniques to apply.
Compare and contrast different Data Analysis techniques, including Classification, Regression, Clustering, Dimension Reduction, and Association Rules
Design and implement effective Data Analysis workflows, including data preprocessing, feature selection, and model selection
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The Data Analysis specialization will provide a comprehensive overview of various techniques for analyzing data. The courses will cover a wide range of topics, including Classification, Regression, Clustering, Dimension Reduction, and Association Rules. The courses will be very hands-on and will include real-life examples and case studies, which will help students develop a deeper understanding of Data Analysis concepts and techniques. The courses will culminate in a project that demonstrates the student's mastery of Data Analysis techniques.
Applied Learning Project
The "Data Analysis Project" course empowers students to apply their knowledge and skills gained in this specialization to conduct a real-life data analysis project of their interest. Participants will explore various directions in data analysis, including supervised and unsupervised learning, regression, clustering, dimension reduction, association rules, and outlier detection. Throughout the modules, students will learn essential data analysis techniques and methodologies and embark on a journey from raw data to knowledge and intelligence. By completing the course, students will be proficient in data analysis, capable of applying their expertise in diverse projects and making data-driven decisions.
Understand the concept and significance of classification as a supervised learning method.
Identify and describe different classifiers, apply each classifier to perform binary and multiclass classification tasks on diverse datasets.
Evaluate the performance of classifiers, select and fine-tune classifiers based on dataset characteristics and learning requirements.
Understand the principles and significance of regression analysis in supervised learning.
Implement cross-validation methods to assess model performance and optimize hyperparameters.
Comprehend ensemble methods (bagging, boosting, and stacking) and their role in enhancing regression model accuracy.
Understand the principles and significance of unsupervised learning, particularly clustering and dimension reduction.
Apply clustering techniques to diverse datasets for pattern discovery and data exploration.
Implement Principal Component Analysis (PCA) for dimension reduction and interpret the reduced feature space.
Understand the principles and significance of unsupervised learning methods, specifically association rules and outlier detection
Grasp the concepts and applications of frequent patterns and association rules in discovering interesting relationships between items.
Apply various outlier detection methods, including statistical and distance-based approaches, to identify anomalous data points.
Define the scope and direction of a data analysis project, identifying appropriate techniques and methodologies for achieving project objectives.
Apply various classification and regression algorithms and implement cross-validation and ensemble techniques to enhance the performance of models.
Apply various clustering, dimension reduction association rule mining, and outlier detection algorithms for unsupervised learning models.
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This specialization is estimated to take 2 months to complete.
Students are expected to have taken the specialization "Data Wrangling with Python" or have equivalent skill sets
It is recommended to take the courses sequentially.
No, you will not earn university credit for completing this Specialization.
By completing this Specialization, you will have a foundation of data analysis in Python for data science.
This course is completely online, so there’s no need to show up to a classroom in person. You can access your lectures, readings and assignments anytime and anywhere via the web or your mobile device.
If you subscribed, you get a 7-day free trial during which you can cancel at no penalty. After that, we don’t give refunds, but you can cancel your subscription at any time. See our full refund policy.
Yes! To get started, click the course card that interests you and enroll. You can enroll and complete the course to earn a shareable certificate, or you can audit it to view the course materials for free. When you subscribe to a course that is part of a Specialization, you’re automatically subscribed to the full Specialization. Visit your learner dashboard to track your progress.
Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free. If you cannot afford the fee, you can apply for financial aid.
Financial aid available,
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