How Do I Use Questions to Guide Exploratory Data Analysis?

Exploratory Data Analysis (EDA) is all about exploring a dataset to uncover patterns and insights.

Here are some common questions to guide your EDA:

1. What are typical values for the variables? This question helps you understand what the common or average values are for the variables in the dataset. For example, “What is the typical salary for people in this industry?”
2. What type of variation is there in the data? This question helps you understand how much the data varies from the typical values. For example, “What is the range of test scores in the class?”
3. What type of covariation is there between variables? This question helps you understand how the variables are related to each other. For example, “Is there a relationship between how much people exercise and their weight?”
4. Are there any patterns or trends in the data over time? This question helps you understand how the data changes over time. For example, “Are there any seasonal trends in sales of this product?”
5. Are there any outliers in the data? This question helps you identify any unusual or extreme values in the data. For example, “Is there a person in the dataset who is much older than everyone else?”

By asking these kinds of questions, you can start to explore the dataset and uncover patterns and insights that will help you better understand what the data represents. These questions help you focus on specific aspects of the data and guide your exploration.