CST 383 - Intro to Data Science | Week 4

Learning log 4:

This week I learned more about how to compare two discrete or categorical variables, especially using statistics and visualizations. One thing that stood out to me was how useful crosstabs are for organizing categorical data. Before this, I mostly thought about looking at one variable at a time, but now I can see how comparing two variables can show patterns that are not obvious at first.

I also learned that choosing the right kind of plot matters a lot. For example, bar plots are useful for categorical variables, and grouped or stacked bar plots can help compare categories across another variable. I am starting to understand why we should think about the type of variables first before choosing a visualization.

Something I am still trying to get better at is knowing when to use counts, fractions, or percentages. Sometimes the code is not too hard, but deciding what the graph should actually show is harder. I also want more practice with crosstabs and the normalize option because it changes the meaning of the results.

This week helped me see that data visualization is not just about making charts. It is about making a chart that answers a question clearly.

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