Books, Data Analysis

Book Review: Effective Data Analysis by Mona Khalil

My thoughts after reading this book by Manning Publications

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This book must be read. If you are an aspiring data analyst or are looking for a reference manual, this book absolutely cannot be missing from your shelf. Personally, I didn’t think that much of the theory of data analysis could be concentrated in one book. Yet, in the book Effective Data Analysis, Mona Khalil manages to condense and brilliantly describe what it takes to embark on the data analyst’s journey.

In the initial part, you will find theoretical descriptions of who the data analyst is and how they fit into a work scenario. Then, as you continue reading, you are slowly involved in the acquisition of new knowledge, which becomes more and more specific. At the end of reading, you realize that you have acquired a lot of knowledge, which will allow you to navigate your professional path.

To support the whole book, there are practical examples in Python, which allow you to test what you have learned, and you even find exercises.

This is a truly one-of-a-kind book. The author certainly describes classic concepts, but revisits them in a new way. I am really enthusiastic about this book, which I have sincerely added to my personal bibliography, and which I will use as a citation when I have to cite a reference to a data analysis text in my scientific articles.

Let’s look at the book’s index in more detail:

PART 1: ASKING QUESTIONS

1. What does an analyst do?
2. From Question to Deliverable
3. Testing and Evaluating Hypotheses

PART 2: MEASUREMENT

1. The Statistics You (Probably) Learned: T-Tests, ANOVAs, and Correlations
2. The Statistics You (Probably) Didn’t Learn: Non-Parametric Tests, Chi-Square Tests, and Responsible Interpretation
3. Are you measuring what you think you’re measuring?
4. The Art of Metrics: Tracking Performance for Organizational Success

PART 3: THE ANALYST’S TOOLBOX

1. Navigating Sensitive and Protected Data
2. The World of Statistical Modeling
3. Incorporating External Data into Analyses
4. The Magic of Well-Structured Data
5. Tools and Tech for Modern Data Analytics

For example, in the first chapter, the author explains what types of business analytics we can have:

• Financial Analytics
• Marketing Analytics
• Product Analytics

For each of them, she explains which metrics are typically calculated and what the objective is. In the following chapters, then, the author describes the various types of analysis you can do with the data, such as descriptive analysis (only with the data available), experiments, and so on.

The Book in Summary

Below, I summarize some features of the book:

• Author: Mona Khalil
• Title: Effective Data Analysis
• Publisher: Manning Publications
• Number of Chapters: 12
• Who can read this book: data analysts or aspiring data analysts.

Do you find the book exciting and want to know more? Visit its official page!

Other books to add to your bookshelf…

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Data Storytelling with Generative AI