Introduction to Exploratory Data Analysis

Statistical Thinking in Python (Part 1)

Justin Bois

Teaching Professor at the California Institute of Technology

Exploratory data analysis

The process of organizing, plotting, and summarizing a data set

“Exploratory data analysis can never be the whole story, but nothing else can serve as the foundation stone.” —John Tukey

2008 US swing state election results

ch1-1.006.png

¹ Data retrieved from Data.gov (https://www.data.gov/)

2008 US swing state election results

import pandas as pd
df_swing = pd.read_csv('2008_swing_states.csv')
df_swing[['state', 'county', 'dem_share']]

    state              county  dem_share
0      PA         Erie County      60.08
1      PA     Bradford County      40.64
2      PA        Tioga County      36.07
3      PA       McKean County      41.21
4      PA       Potter County      31.04
5      PA        Wayne County      43.78
6      PA  Susquehanna County      44.08
7      PA       Warren County      46.85
8      OH    Ashtabula County      56.94

¹ Data retrieved from Data.gov (https://www.data.gov/)

2008 US swing state election results

ch1-1.009.png

¹ Data retrieved from Data.gov (https://www.data.gov/)

Let's practice!

Statistical Thinking in Python (Part 1)