Head First Data Analysis
Michael Milton
Beijing Cambridge Farnham Kln Sebastopol Tokyo
Dedicated to the memory of my grandmother, Jane Reese Gibbs.
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Advance Praise for Head First Data Analysis
Its about time a straightforward and comprehensive guide to analyzing data was written that makes learning the concepts simple and fun. It will change the way you think and approach problems using proven techniques and free tools. Concepts are good in theory and even better in practicality.
Anthony Rose, President, Support Analytics
Head First Data Analysis does a fantastic job of giving readers systematic methods to analyze real-world problems. From coffee, to rubber duckies, to asking for a raise, Head First Data Analysis shows the reader how to find and unlock the power of data in everyday life. Using everything from graphs and visual aides to computer programs like Excel and R, Head First Data Analysis gives readers at all levels accessible ways to understand how systematic data analysis can improve decision making both large and small.
Eric Heilman, Statistics teacher, Georgetown Preparatory School
Buried under mountains of data? Let Michael Milton be your guide as you fill your toolbox with the analytical skills that give you an edge. In Head First Data Analysis , youll learn how to turn raw numbers into real knowledge. Put away your Ouija board and tarot cards; all you need to make good decisions is some software and a copy of this book.
Bill Mietelski, Software engineer
Praise for other Head First books
Kathy and Berts Head First Java transforms the printed page into the closest thing to a GUI youve ever seen. In a wry, hip manner, the authors make learning Java an engaging whatre they gonna do next? experience.
Warren Keuffel, Software Development Magazine
Beyond the engaging style that drags you forward from know-nothing into exalted Java warrior status, Head First Java covers a huge amount of practical matters that other texts leave as the dreaded exercise for the reader... Its clever, wry, hip and practicalthere arent a lot of textbooks that can make that claim and live up to it while also teaching you about object serialization and network launch protocols.
Dr. Dan Russell, Director of User Sciences and Experience Research IBM Almaden Research Center (and teacher of Artificial Intelligence at Stanford University)
Its fast, irreverent, fun, and engaging. Be carefulyou might actually learn something!
Ken Arnold, former Senior Engineer at Sun Microsystems Coauthor (with James Gosling, creator of Java), The Java Programming Language
I feel like a thousand pounds of books have just been lifted off of my head.
Ward Cunningham, inventor of the Wiki and founder of the Hillside Group
Just the right tone for the geeked-out, casual-cool guru coder in all of us. The right reference for practical development strategiesgets my brain going without having to slog through a bunch of tired stale professor-speak.
Travis Kalanick, Founder of Scour and Red Swoosh Member of the MIT TR100
There are books you buy, books you keep, books you keep on your desk, and thanks to OReilly and the Head First crew, there is the ultimate category, Head First books. Theyre the ones that are dog-eared, mangled, and carried everywhere. Head First SQL is at the top of my stack. Heck, even the PDF I have for review is tattered and torn.
Bill Sawyer, ATG Curriculum Manager, Oracle
This books admirable clarity, humor and substantial doses of clever make it the sort of book that helps even non-programmers think well about problem-solving.
Cory Doctorow, co-editor of BoingBoing Author, Down and Out in the Magic Kingdom and Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town
I received the book yesterday and started to read it...and I couldnt stop. This is definitely trs cool. It is fun, but they cover a lot of ground and they are right to the point. Im really impressed.
Erich Gamma, IBM Distinguished Engineer, and co-author ofDesign Patterns
One of the funniest and smartest books on software design Ive ever read.
Aaron LaBerge, VP Technology, ESPN.com
What used to be a long trial and error learning process has now been reduced neatly into an engaging paperback.
Mike Davidson, CEO, Newsvine, Inc.
Elegant design is at the core of every chapter here, each concept conveyed with equal doses of pragmatism and wit.
Ken Goldstein, Executive Vice President, Disney Online
I Head First HTML with CSS & XHTML it teaches you everything you need to learn in a fun coated format.
Sally Applin, UI Designer and Artist
Usually when reading through a book or article on design patterns, Id have to occasionally stick myself in the eye with something just to make sure I was paying attention. Not with this book. Odd as it may sound, this book makes learning about design patterns fun.
While other books on design patterns are saying Buehler... Buehler... Buehler... this book is on the float belting out Shake it up, baby!
Eric Wuehler
I literally love this book. In fact, I kissed this book in front of my wife.
Satish Kumar
Other related books from OReilly
Analyzing Business Data with Excel
Excel Scientific and Engineering Cookbook
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Other books in OReillys Head First series
Head First Java
Head First Object-Oriented Analysis and Design (OOA&D)
Head First HTML with CSS and XHTML
Head First Design Patterns
Head First Servlets and JSP
Head First EJB
Head First PMP