1. Introduction 2. Machine Learning, Data Science and Artificial Intelligence 3. The Anatomy of a Data Science Project 4. Introduction to R 5. Exploratory Data Analysis 6. Forecasting 7. Clustering 8. Classification 9. Other use cases 10. Workflows and Tools 11. Ethical handling of data and algorithms 12. Next Steps after this book? 13. Appendix: Troubleshooting 14. Glossary
Biography
Tom Alby has been working in the digital world since 1994, including nearly 20 years for search engines such as Lycos, Ask.com and Google. His focus is on data-driven applications for everyday business and the development of data literacy. He is the author of several books, lecturer for Data Science and Digital Analytics at various universities and certified project manager (PMP) of the Project Management Institute since 2004.
"This book is a comprehensive introduction to data science, with a focus on how it is used in practice. It promises to be suitable for a variety of audiences: data science stakeholders without advanced mathematical backgrounds and who might not be planning careers as Data Scientists, those wanting to go deeper into data science, and for decision makers who might be interested in starting data science projects or teams. It is described as a complementary text for university students and for those moving into more data-related roles. I believe the book suits these particular audiences. It provides a high-level “tour” of important data science concepts, and provides resources for those interested in learning more. My opinion is that it is best suited for those managing data science teams, or for more business-oriented individuals working with data scientists." - Xiao Hui Tai, Journal of the American Statistical Association, April 9, 2025.
"...in my opinion the greatest value of this book is in providing a thoughtful curation of topics and methods that are most relevant to data science as it is currently practiced. It provides a suitable introduction to these selected topics, as well as resources for those interested in learning more. It is a valuable introduction to those curious about the field of data science and how it is used in practice."
- Xiao Hui Tai, “Data Science in Practice: Tom Alby, Boca Raton, FL: Chapman & Hall/CRC Press, 2024, Xvi + 301 Pp., $200.00(H), ISBN: 978-1-032-50524-4.” The American Statistician 79 (3)
