The world is moving towards digitalization at a fast pace. This has led to many significant changes, and one field that has seen rapid growth is data analytics. If you’re hoping to start a new career in a stable industry, then mastering data analysis skills is a great place to start.
In today’s competitive world, knowledge is power. So we’ve put together a list of books that will help you stay informed and up your data analysis game. Whether you’re new to data or already a pro, choose a few books from this list and keep on learning your craft.
And if you're still figuring out how to become a Data Analyst, this is a great place to start.
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Top Data Analytics Books to Read
Data Strategy: How to Profit from a World of Big Data, Analytics, and the Internet of Things
By Bernard Marr
Every business needs the right strategies to analyze and use data. In this book, Bernard Marr paints a realistic picture of today’s business world and how essential it is to analyze data efficiently. Effective systems to gather information and establish appropriate data infrastructure is now crucial for any business that wants to scale up.
Through case studies of businesses like Dominos and Walmart, Marr shows how to plan and strategize to collect the right data about your customers. The data analysis book is a well-structured guide to understanding the significance of data in today’s competitive business environment.
Doing Data Science: Straight Talk from the Frontline
By Cathy O'Neil and Rachel Schutt
If you find the field of data analytics somewhat daunting or challenging to comprehend, this book provides definitions, explanations, and answers to many data-related quandaries. It explains how this growing field is evolving and how it can be utilized in the modern marketplace. The authors have approached the field of data science as an interdisciplinary field with enormous possibilities and potential. Real-life examples bring their concepts to life, as well as socio-cultural and historical insights not usually seen in texts of this kind.
Data Analytics Made Accessible
By Anil Maheshwari
If you’re interested in exploring the field of data, this is the perfect book for you.
Anil Maheshwari uses an understandable format and language suitable for beginners, with no confusing or complicated hypothetical examples. Anyone with basic data analyst skills can easily comprehend the author’s perspective.
The best part is that the book is helpful across various disciplines, including engineering, statistics, and business.,It gives a broad insight into the field of data science, so readers can become familiar with the basics before moving onto more in-depth study. With its easy-to-read style, this book is already being used in data analytics courses at many universities.
The Art of Data Science
By Elizabeth Matsui and Roger D. Peng
Whether you’re a practitioner or a manager in data science, you’ll take plenty away from the extensive data analysis experiences the authors have shared in this book.
One of the significant things the authors highlight is the role of both formal and informal communication in data analysis. If you’re looking for a book that can help you clear all the concepts without too much technical detail, this is the one for you. And for those who prefer a little multi-platform learning, video lectures are also available along with the book.
Predictive Analytics: The Power to Predict Who Will Click, Buy, Lie, Or Die
By Eric Siegel
Author David Leinweber has said about this book, “What Nate Silver did for poker and politics, this does for everything else. A broad, well-written book, easily accessible to non-nerd readers.” With some great reviews under its belt, this book on data analysis holds an important place in the field of data science.
Eric Siegel explains why and how predictive analytics functions in our day-to-day lives. Alongside the best of latest technologies, predicting human behavior works wonders, and Siegel describes data as a gold mine that analysts can mine to achieve great results. High profile examples like Chase Bank, Obama’s election, the NSA, the BBC, Hewlett-Packard, Wikipedia, Netflix, and MTV underscore the power and credibility of Siegel’s arguments. The book provides a well-rounded understanding of the importance of prediction of the field of data science.
Storytelling with Data: A Data Visualization Guide for Business Professionals
By Cole Nussbaumer
While most data analytics books will focus on strategies to maximize the use of data and its analysis, this book takes a slightly different tack. Cole Nussbaumer talks about data visualization tools and the way in which data can be transformed into a captivating story.
Not all parts of data are useful. This book shows you how to present data in forms that highlight only the important parts. The book places particular emphasis on building and designing graphs, with practical examples that can easily be implemented in real-life situations. The book is targeted primarily at those inbusiness settings, however any beginner-level data practitioner can learn about useful data visualization tools through this resource.
Data Science for Business: What You Need to Know About Data Mining and Data-Analytic Thinking
By Foster Provost & Tom Fawcett
If you’re looking for a reputable book that brings together data mining, visualization and analytics, then this is the one. Two renowned data scientists have co-authored this book, which takes a practical look at modern data science in the business world.
The book uses simple explanations to illustrate concepts, and practical examples to help you understand the application of each concept. You’ll learn how to implement data analytics in your organization or business using appropriate data collection and data analyzing techniques. You can also incorporate these principles into mining data, interviewing candidates for data science jobs, and even making investments.
Too Big to Ignore: The Business Case for Big Data
By P. Simon
If you’re planning to enter the field of data science, then this book is a must-read to gain an edge over your competitors. It’s also an important resource to share with anyone you know who may be doubting the significance of predictive data analysis and big data.
Through his own personal experiences and case studies from all over the world, the author shows us how complicated technical information can be simplified to give you a competitive edge in today’s market. No matter how big or small your business is, appropriate use of big data can take you to great heights. And it’s not just private enterprise getting in on the action - even local government can make use of big data.
Reading Data Analytics Books is Just the Beginning
Whether you’re just starting out in your career or looking to take it to the next level, understanding data analytics can open new doors of opportunity. Keeping up with new developments and changes is the only way to stay ahead of the game, which is why we recommend these books to help keep your knowledge up to date.
If you found this list helpful and want to learn more about computer science, artificial intelligence or data visualization, we have more great book recommendations on our blog. If you want to progress in your field, keep on learning: check out relevant books, blogs, podcasts, and even certificate courses in data analysis.
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