Data 101: Analyzing Data

Data analysis involves inspecting, cleaning, transforming, and (often) computationally modeling data to find information and trends within a dataset, and inform decision-making and lend insight towards hypotheses. Data analysis helps us turn data into meaningful information about the objects represented through the data. 

For an introductory view of data analysis using mean, median, and mode, check out this video: 

CMU Libraries provides individualized training and group workshops to dozens of useful data analysis tools! Check out our list of (free!) workshops each semester that are open to anyone in the CMU community: 

https://www.library.cmu.edu/about/publications/news/upcoming-workshops

Examples of data analysis-themed workshop topics we regularly offer include: 

• Cleaning Messy Data with OpenRefine
• Introduction to Data Visualization in R 
• Data Analysis in Jupyter Notebook
• Text Analysis in R 
• Network Analysis
• Getting Started with Zotero

CMU Libraries offers several opportunities for hands-on help and collaboration with your data analysis needs and general data education. These opportunities involve working with our very talented group of librarians and specialists, most of whom have several years of hands-on experience with data analytics! Check out some of our programs below for more information:

• Open Science Program: https://www.library.cmu.edu/datapub/open-science 
• digital Sciences, Humanities, & Arts Research & Publishing (dSHARP): http://dsharp.library.cmu.edu
• Data Collaborations Program: (more information coming soon!)
• Love Data Week: https://lovedataweek.org (we will advertise our own local activities associated with Love Data Week in January of each year)