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It’s 2016, and pretty much everybody who’s interested in analytics (or politics or sports) has read a bit of FiveThirtyEight. Nate Silver and other bloggers write compelling posts that explain the thinking behind the predictions, so that’s a good educational resource for budding data analysts. Still, after months of build-up to the election and the World Series, you may be in the mood for some fresh subject matter.
A few months ago, I posted a list of my favorite analytics learning resources for business readers, primarily novices who want to understand what value analytics offers for commerce. Today, I have a few suggestions for those who have some hands-on data analysis experience, or business readers who are game to dig into a little more challenging reading.
Data Mining Research, the blog of Swiss analytics expert Sandro Saitta, takes on many topics, including careers, software and varied technical issues, but the real strong point is his book reviews. This guy never sleeps. How he keeps a day job and still reads and reviews so many analytics books, I’ll never know. This is the place to get a steady and consistent stream of thoughtfully-written analytics book reviews.
Fern Halper's data makes the world go 'round: the big wide world of data and analytics Fern Halper, coauthor of Big Data for Dummies, offers lots of solid information on practical applications of advanced analytics. She covers real-life challenges like “Closing the loop in customer experience management: When it doesn’t work.”
KDnuggets: Data Mining, Analytics, Big Data, and Data Science This is the 800 pound gorilla of analytics blogs, run by famed data miner Gregory Piatetsky-Shapiro. A long-established site with several new posts each day and guest posts from diverse viewpoints, this is a hefty repository of information. Much of the material is technically sophisticated, but there’s also content suited to less experienced analysts. This is the place to look for a calendar of upcoming analytics events, the best list of analytics blogs, and loads of information on tools and vendors.
mathbabe: Exploring and venting about quantitative issues Cathy O'Neil, author of Weapons of Math Destruction: How Big Data Increases Inequality and Threatens Democracy, is a sophisticated analytics professional and an outspoken critic of weaknesses and abuse in the industry. If you’re deeply enamored with Nate Silver, read her post, “Nate Silver confuses cause and effect, ends up defending corruption” for a reminder that everybody has limitations.
Statistically funny: Commenting on the science of unbiased health research with cartoons The cartoons are not the big attraction, although a little humor couldn’t hurt. Hilda Bastian, blogger, cartoonist and clinical epidemiology enthusiast, simply explains health statistics in unconventional and easy to understand ways that make you think about the things you read about health in the media.
