Data Science for Beginners – Getting Started Guide 2023
Learning data science can be a rewarding and challenging endeavour, and there are many resources available to help you get started. Here are some steps you can follow to begin your journey:
- Understand the basics: Start by familiarising yourself with the fundamental concepts of data science, such as statistics, programming, and machine learning. There are many online resources, such as tutorials and MOOCs (massive open online courses), that can help you learn these concepts.
- Choose a programming language: Data science often involves working with large amounts of data, so it’s important to be proficient in a programming language that is well-suited for data manipulation and analysis. Some popular choices for data science include Python, R, and Julia.
- Learn how to work with data: Data science involves working with data at all stages of the process, from collecting and cleaning to analysing and visualising. Learn how to use tools like SQL and Excel to manipulate and analyse data, and learn how to use libraries like Pandas and NumPy to work with data in Python.
- Practice machine learning: Machine learning is a key aspect of data science, and it involves using algorithms to analyse data and make predictions or decisions. There are many online resources, such as Kaggle, that offer machine learning exercises and competitions to help you practice and hone your skills.
- Keep learning: Data science is an evolving field, and it’s important to stay up to date with new techniques and technologies. Consider subscribing to industry publications and blogs, participating in online communities, and taking additional courses or earning certifications to continue learning and growing as a data scientist.
I hope this gives you a good starting point for learning data science. Good luck on your journey!
Note that this blog is still a work in progress and will be the cornerstone blog for most of the Data Science resources to be shared by the Zindua School team and external experts. Feel free to bookmark it and check it from time to time to get the most updated content.
Coming Soon: Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Data Science?
- What exactly does a data scientist do?
- Does data science require coding?
- Is data science a good career?
- What qualifications do you need to be a data scientist?
- Where to learn Data Science?
- How much do Data Scientists earn?
Coming Soon: The Data Science Pathway
This section will cover the pathway needed for Data Science in apt detail.
- Learn SQL programming
- Learn Python programming
- Learn Python Data Analysis
- Bonus: Learn Big Data Tools
- Learn Machine Learning
- Learn Big Data Engineering
- Bonus: Learn Cloud Computing
Conclusion and Next Steps
If Data Science is a career pathway you are interested in, then you should consider joining the Zindua School Data Science program. This is an intensive 25-week part-time program in Data Science covering all the pathway points covered in this blog. Zindua also offers Free Foundational courses in Data Science; occasional masterclasses in Data Science topics like PowerBI and Data Storytelling; and you can join the open Slack community to share and learn from other budding and expert Data Scientists.
