I'm diving into Python to help with statistical analysis and data work. I know R is another choice, but I'm putting that off for now. I want to build a portfolio to showcase my skills before applying for REUs. Can anyone share their experiences or tips on what to focus on? Also, are there other programming languages that are beneficial for data science and statistics?
3 Answers
If you're sticking with Python, definitely get familiar with the pandas and NumPy libraries. They make calculations way faster since basic Python can be pretty slow. Understanding how these libraries work is key. For instance, NumPy can vectorize your operations, which means it can handle things like adding a number to a list of 20,000 items much more efficiently than looping through each one. Pandas is great for data manipulation, too; it's handy for most tasks you'll encounter, just don’t expect it to be the best for every single calculation. If you’re a total newbie, just start with the basics and work your way up like others have suggested!
Don't stress too much about it. Just create an account at MOOC and start with the first part of their Python programming course. Complete all the exercises; it's more about the learning process than getting every line of code right.
Great question! To showcase your projects, GitHub is the way to go. It's the standard platform for sharing code and projects, and definitely something you should add to your resume!
Thanks for the tip about GitHub! I'll definitely check it out.