Learning data science or machine learning can be challenging task. I have penned down some pointers as to how you should approach the learning path with a gradient approach.
Brief about Data Science Learning
Learning data science can be hard, but it doesn't have to be impossible. You just need to know what you're getting into. I'll share with you some tips that will help you get started. It's important that you realize this isn't for everyone, and there is a lot of competition out there. However, if you're willing to stick with it, you'll reap the rewards in no time.
You need to think long and hard about what type of formal education you're going to need. There are many types, so you need to decide what's best for you. If you like college, then you've probably figured out what type of formal education you need. If not, you might want to consider taking classes online or through an institution. No matter what you choose, there is enough to cover this topic that you'll be prepared.
What to Study ?
Next, you need to figure out what you want to study. This can be done by listing your interests and defining the tools and materials that you'll use. You might want to do a little bit of analysis as well, such as looking at existing data sets or trying to predict the future. It's really up to you.
Once you know what you're going to do, you can start thinking about how to get started. You can take a course at your local college. Some colleges even offer online courses for learning. If you prefer the written word, you can always read books on the subject or check out websites to see data sets and other examples.
If you've already got some education, you can read up on specific subjects and begin studying. This can be done at home, on the Internet, or in a library. There are many ways you can learn. The fastest way, of course, is to download eBooks on the subject and begin learning immediately. You'll save money and get instant results.
Some good learning resources
You can also learn online or through video tutorials. There are many websites offering tutorial type courses on how to learn data science. These courses are designed to be self-directed or interactive. They usually involve learning scientific concepts using specific software applications. You might find that the best courses are those that combine text with video tutorials. I particularly would refer these two websites as I have been a contributor myself in their content. Imurgence for self paced data science courses and Integrumlitera for One on One machine learning courses.
These programs are designed to give you hands-on experience with actual data science projects. Some are based on experiments you might do at home. Others are more project based than anything else. Whatever you choose, you need to be aware that learning this way is just that: learning. Don't become so confident in your understanding that you think you understand it all.
Remember that as you learn you need to keep things interesting. Keep re-thinking things and questioning yourself. Be willing to accept that things don't always work the way you expected them to. You'll find that the more questions that you ask and the more independent data you collect, the more you'll learn about data science in the process. The better you get at it, the more value you will earn.
While the science part of this is important, remember that you're also learning to communicate. In the beginning, you should probably use a visual tool to make simple expressions and plots. Over time you can probably move beyond that. It's okay if you don't know everything right from the beginning. You should be able to figure out what to write in your own words. You don't need to understand everything right now, but you should gather some knowledge at each step of the way.
Once you have some initial data, try to backtest it. This means looking at how your system or application performs against a known set of standards. This lets you see what kind of effect you may have had if you tweaked the system to its maximum potential. If you find that it still performs poorly, consider changing your approach.
Parting Views
Finally, you want to find out if there are other people who are learning the same things as you. This is where message boards and forums become useful. Find others with the same goals as you and ask for tips and advice.
There is a lot involved in understanding how to learn data science. However, once you have some preliminary knowledge, you can proceed with confidence. You will be ready to take on more advanced tasks. And even if you never go beyond a basic program, having the basic foundation will help you be prepared to move forward when you choose. This holds true for almost every subject you might choose to study.
