Must-Read Data Science Blogs
- OkTrends
- FiveThirtyEight
- Simply Statistics
- Inside Big Data
- Variance Explained
Data science is uniquely suited to the internet. That’s because this exciting field depends on computers and up-to-date technology, so there’s a clear connection between the work of data scientists and the broader tech world. That’s what makes these great blogs for data scientists so fun to read.
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The OKCupid Blog
No, it’s the not the most serious blog about data scientists, but this beloved publication of dating website OkCupid makes data fun. Co-founder Christian Rudder publishes witty posts on the OKCupid Blog, analyzing the habits of OkCupid users. Topics included serious lessons on how to optimize profiles for meaningful responses as well as entertaining posts on the correlation between beer preferences and willingness to go all the way on a first date. Rudder has a strong eye for turning piles of data into attractive graphics, so aspiring data scientists might find themselves obsessively emailing every post to family members.
FiveThirtyEight
With constant content on politics, sports and data produced by a team of expert writers, FiveThirtyEight is another blog that makes data science accessible to the masses. It’s a great example of how to present statistical research to a broad audience. True, professional scientists won’t use memes in their writing, but for quick lessons on how to jazz up poll results, FiveThirtyEight is the best blog to read.
Simply Statistics
Here’s the first entry on the list of great blogs for data scientists that is truly for scientists only. Casual readers will find the writing of Professors Rafa Irizarry, Roger Peng and Jeff Leek too dense to enjoy. That doesn’t mean they don’t know how to write for the internet, but their topics are mostly technical, with recent blog posts bearing titles like “Process versus outcome productivity” and “What can we learn from data analysis features?” Their target audience is budding statisticians passionate about the field, so Simply Statistics is a great choice for students and young professionals.
Inside Big Data
With big data on everyone’s mind, career-focused statisticians need to stay up-to-date on the field. Daniel Gutierrez’s Inside Big Data provides news, interviews, industry publications and career-focused advice. Posts vary from detailed industry analyses like “Why Optimizing In-Store Marketing Spend is Critical to CPG and Retail Success” to fun infographics like “How Netflix Uses Big Data to Drive Success.” It’s a fun way to keep knowledge fresh, and Gutierrez also produces videos and a podcast for a multimedia experience.
Variance Explained
DataCamp Chief Data Scientist David Robinson runs Variance Explained. Robinson is a widely published educator and statistics lover who uses his blog to provide neat, easy-to-understand explanations of complex data science techniques. He also shares thoughts on DataCamp and career development for data scientists. Robinson’s blog is a perfect example of how data scientists can improve their career options by blogging; it was his internet work that got him hired at DataCamp. He has dozens of fun, inspiring posts providing his chops with things like a deep analysis of the dialogue in “Love, Actually” or President Trump’s tweeting.
Conclusion
Many companies and small entrepreneurs use their data science blogs to draw in customers, like OkTrends or Variance Explained. Others are focused on teaching, like Simply Statistics or Inside Big Data. No matter what, though, each of these five important blogs for data scientists is fun and informative.
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