Statistics for Big Data For Dummies

Description

From the Back Cover Learn to: Collect, clean, and interpret data Effectively communicate data analysis Make good predictions Big data making you dizzy? Relax—here′s what it′s all about Big data figures into everything from weather forecasting to political polling. Don′t let it give you a big headache; use this friendly book to learn about it in manageable, bite–size chunks. You′ll get a handle on the statistical methods used when working with big data, applications for it, ways to organize and check data, and a whole lot more. Solving the big mystery—find out what big data is, characteristics that define it, how it′s used, and what it makes possible How to handle it — explore statistical techniques used with big data, including probability distributions, regression analysis, time series analysis, and forecasting techniques Getting graphical — learn how big data can be analyzed with graphical techniques and how to identify valid, useful, and understandable patterns in data A variable approach — examine key univariate and multivariate statistical techniques for analyzing data Thinking ahead — discover techniques for forecasting the future values of a dataset There′s a tool for that — learn about the best software packages and programming tools for analyzing statistical data Open the book and find: Ways to extract previously unknown information from a database Tips for data collection and cleaning Techniques for analyzing time series data How to check data for missing information What to do with outliers in a dataset Some surprising uses for big data An overview of modeling techniques About the Author Alan Anderson, PhD, is a professor of economics and finance at Fordham University and New York University. He′s a veteran economist, risk manager, and fixed income analyst. David Semmelroth is an experienced data analyst, trainer, and statistics instructor who consults on customer databases and database marketing.