In a previous post I explained how to install RStudio, a popular integrated development environment for the R programming language. Open up RStudio for the first time and it might look like …
Does the Upset Election Kill Big Data?
It's been about a month since the US presidential election, when Donald Trump was elected contrary to the prediction of nearly every poll.Since then, there's been lots of talk about "the death …
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Does Big Data Overlook Human Behavior?
I am becoming skeptical about the promises of Big Data.Surprised? So am I.The Big Data worldview tends to see information as a natural resource, like oil. It emerges from some chemical or physical …
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These Modeling Tips Are on My Desk: What About Yours?
The other day in my research methods class we were discussing theory: what makes it believable or interesting, when to use math versus a more discursive approach, and so forth. Over the course of the …
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Is Data Distracting Us From Science?
I've often joked that data science needs a new emphasis. We tend to over-emphasize the "data" half and forget the "science" half. The scale and scope of data is new, but science is not. Are we …
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Is Data a Bridge to Nowhere?
Well, data is a bridge -- and it could lead to nowhere. This weekend I watched a BBC documentary called The Joy of Data. You can see it here, but I'm not sure for how long -- BBC does not post to …