Visualizing Data with Python from edX

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"A picture is worth a thousand words." We are all familiar with this expression. It especially applies when trying to explain the insights obtained from the analysis of increasingly large datasets. Data visualization plays an essential role in the representation of both small and large-scale data.

One of the key skills of a data scientist is the ability to tell a compelling story, visualizing data and findings in an approachable and stimulating way.

In this course, you will learn how to leverage a software tool to visualize data that will also enable you to extract information, better understand the data, and make more effective decisions.

When you sign up for this course, you get free access to IBM Watson Studio. In Watson Studio, you’ll be able to start creating your own data science projects and collaborating with other data scientists. Start now and take advantage of everything this platform has to offer!

What you'll learn

Present data using some of the data visualization libraries in Python, including Matplotlib, Seaborn, and Folium
Use basic visualization tools, including area plots, histograms, and bar charts
Use specialized visualization tools, including pie charts, box plots, scatter plots, and bubble plots
Utilize advanced visualization tools, including waffle charts, word clouds and regression plots
Plot data on maps and visualize geospatial data

What's inside

Learning objectives

Present data using some of the data visualization libraries in python, including matplotlib, seaborn, and folium
Use basic visualization tools, including area plots, histograms, and bar charts
Use specialized visualization tools, including pie charts, box plots, scatter plots, and bubble plots

Utilize advanced visualization tools, including waffle charts, word clouds and regression plots
Plot data on maps and visualize geospatial data

Present data using some of the data visualization libraries in python, including matplotlib, seaborn, and folium
Use basic visualization tools, including area plots, histograms, and bar charts
Use specialized visualization tools, including pie charts, box plots, scatter plots, and bubble plots
Utilize advanced visualization tools, including waffle charts, word clouds and regression plots
Plot data on maps and visualize geospatial data

Syllabus

Module 1 -Introduction to Visualization Tools

Introduction to Data Visualization

Introduction to Matplotlib

Basic Plotting with Matplotlib

Dataset on Immigration to Canada

Line Plots

Module 2 -Basic Visualization Tools

Area Plots

Histograms

Bar Charts

Module 3 -Specialized Visualization Tools

Pie Charts

Box Plots

Scatter Plots

Bubble Plots

Module 4 -Advanced Visualization Tools

Waffle Charts

Word Clouds

Seaborn and Regression Plots

Module 5 -Creating Maps and Visualizing Geospatial Data

Introduction to Folium

Maps with Markers

Choropleth Maps

Good to know

Know what's good

, what to watch for

, and possible dealbreakers

Teaches foundational techniques of data visualization for maximum impact

Uses Matplotlib, Seaborn, and Folium to visualize data

Instructors are data science professionals

Provides access to IBM Watson Studio

Covers key data visualization principles

Recommended for those new to data visualization

Reviews summary

Course lacks explanation

Learners say that "Visualizing Data with Python" is lacking in explanation. Videos are usually too short to offer more than basic knowledge. The lab mainly consists of already written code, which prevents learners from practicing writing it themselves. Learners also report that the course mixes basic concepts with complex code. By the end of the course, learners report that they still don't understand visualization tools.

Videos are too short to be instructive.

"The videos are usually super short, so they don't teach you much beyond the existence of the thing."

Lab is mainly already written code.

"The "lab" are mainly code that is already written, so you don't get enough of a chance to learn how to write it yourself."

Learners still don't understand by the end.

"You can finish the course and still understand nothing about building blocks in matplotlib."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Visualizing Data with Python with these activities:

Review basic programming concepts

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Brush up on basic programming concepts to strengthen your foundation and facilitate a smoother learning experience in this course.

Browse courses on Python

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Review tutorials or online resources on Python basics
Practice writing simple Python programs

Review basic statistics concepts

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Refresh your knowledge of basic statistics concepts to enhance your ability to understand and interpret data visualizations effectively.

Browse courses on Statistics

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Review notes or textbooks on statistics fundamentals
Solve practice problems or quizzes on statistical concepts

Compile and organize course materials

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Organize and review your notes, assignments, and other course materials to enhance your understanding and retention of the concepts covered in this course.

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Collect all relevant course materials
Review and summarize key concepts

Three other activities

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Show all six activities

Review the book 'Python Data Science Handbook'

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This book provides a comprehensive overview of data science using Python, including data visualization techniques with Matplotlib and other libraries.

View Python Data Science Handbook: Essential Tools... on Amazon

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Read the chapters on data visualization
Work through the exercises provided in the book

Participate in a study group or discussion forum

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Collaborate with peers to discuss course concepts, share insights, and work on assignments, which can enhance your understanding and retention of the material.

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Join or form a study group or discussion forum
Participate actively in discussions and contribute your own perspectives

Start a personal data visualization project

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Apply your data visualization skills by working on a personal project that involves data collection, analysis, and visualization, which will deepen your understanding and proficiency.

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Identify a topic or dataset of interest
Gather and clean the data
Create visualizations to explore and communicate the data

Career center

Learners who complete Visualizing Data with Python will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Data Visualization Specialist

Data Visualization Specialists are responsible for creating visual representations of data. This course will provide you with the skills necessary to visualize data in a way that is both clear and concise. The course will also help you to build a foundation in Python, which is a popular programming language for data visualization.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Visualization Specialist

Data Scientist

Data Scientists use their knowledge of data analysis and visualization to solve business problems. This course will provide you with the skills necessary to visualize data in a way that is both informative and visually appealing. The course will also help you to build a foundation in Python, which is a popular programming language for data science.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Scientist

Data Analyst

As a Data Analyst, you will be responsible for collecting, cleaning, and analyzing data to identify trends and patterns. This course will provide you with the skills necessary to visualize data in a clear and concise way, which is essential for communicating your findings to stakeholders. The course will also help you to build a foundation in Python, which is a popular programming language for data analysis.

See salaries and explore the career path for Data Analyst

Financial Analyst

Financial Analysts use data to make investment decisions. This course will provide you with the skills necessary to visualize data in a way that is both clear and concise. The course will also help you to build a foundation in Python, which is a popular programming language for financial analysis.

See salaries and explore the career path for Financial Analyst

Risk Analyst

Risk Analysts use data to identify and manage risks. This course will provide you with the skills necessary to visualize data in a way that is both clear and concise. The course will also help you to build a foundation in Python, which is a popular programming language for risk analysis.

See salaries and explore the career path for Risk Analyst

User Experience Researcher

User Experience Researchers use data to understand how users interact with products and services. This course will provide you with the skills necessary to visualize data in a way that is both clear and concise. The course will also help you to build a foundation in Python, which is a popular programming language for user experience research.

See salaries and explore the career path for User Experience Researcher

Business Analyst

Business Analysts use data to identify and solve business problems. This course will provide you with the skills necessary to visualize data in a way that is both informative and visually appealing. The course will also help you to build a foundation in Python, which is a popular programming language for business analysis.

See salaries and explore the career path for Business Analyst

Statistician

Statisticians use data to make predictions and draw conclusions. This course will provide you with the skills necessary to visualize data in a way that is both clear and concise. The course will also help you to build a foundation in Python, which is a popular programming language for statistics.

See salaries and explore the career path for Statistician

Actuary

Actuaries use data to assess and manage financial risks. This course will provide you with the skills necessary to visualize data in a way that is both clear and concise. The course will also help you to build a foundation in Python, which is a popular programming language for actuarial science.

See salaries and explore the career path for Actuary

Market Researcher

Market Researchers use data to understand consumer behavior. This course will provide you with the skills necessary to visualize data in a way that is both clear and concise. The course will also help you to build a foundation in Python, which is a popular programming language for market research.

See salaries and explore the career path for Market Researcher

Insurance Analyst

Insurance Analysts use data to assess and underwrite insurance policies. This course will provide you with the skills necessary to visualize data in a way that is both clear and concise. The course will also help you to build a foundation in Python, which is a popular programming language for insurance analysis.

See salaries and explore the career path for Insurance Analyst

Quantitative Analyst

Quantitative Analysts use data to make investment decisions. This course will provide you with the skills necessary to visualize data in a way that is both clear and concise. The course will also help you to build a foundation in Python, which is a popular programming language for quantitative analysis.

See salaries and explore the career path for Quantitative Analyst

Product Manager

Product Managers use data to make decisions about product development and marketing. This course will provide you with the skills necessary to visualize data in a way that is both informative and visually appealing. The course will also help you to build a foundation in Python, which is a popular programming language for product management.

See salaries and explore the career path for Product Manager

Web Developer

Web Developers use data to create and maintain websites. This course will provide you with the skills necessary to visualize data in a way that is both informative and visually appealing. The course will also help you to build a foundation in Python, which is a popular programming language for web development.

See salaries and explore the career path for Web Developer

Software Engineer

Software Engineers use data to design and develop software applications. This course will provide you with the skills necessary to visualize data in a way that is both clear and concise. The course will also help you to build a foundation in Python, which is a popular programming language for software development.

See salaries and explore the career path for Software Engineer