Prepare Data for Exploration

This is the third course in the Google Data Analytics Certificate. These courses will equip you with the skills needed to apply to introductory-level data analyst jobs. As you continue to build on your understanding of the topics from the first two courses, you’ll also be introduced to new topics that will help you gain practical data analytics skills. You’ll learn how to use tools like spreadsheets and SQL to extract and make use of the right data for your objectives and how to organize and protect your data. Current Google data analysts will continue to instruct and provide you with hands-on ways to accomplish common data analyst tasks with the best tools and resources.Learners who complete this certificate program will be equipped to apply for introductory-level jobs as data analysts. No previous experience is necessary.

By the end of this course, you will:

• Find out how analysts decide which data to collect for analysis.
• Learn about structured and unstructured data, data types, and data formats.
• Discover how to identify different types of bias in data to help ensure data credibility.
• Explore how analysts use spreadsheets and SQL with databases and data sets.
• Examine open data and the relationship between and importance of data ethics and data privacy.
• Gain an understanding of how to access databases and extract, filter, and sort the data they contain.
• Learn the best practices for organizing data and keeping it secure.

• Explain factors to consider when making decisions about data collection

• Discuss the difference between biased and unbiased data

• Describe databases with references to their functions and components

• Describe best practices for organizing data

Syllabus

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Week 1
Data types and structures
Week 2
Bias, credibility, privacy, ethics, and access
Week 3
Databases: Where data lives
Week 4
Organizing and protecting your data
Week 5
Optional: Engaging in the data community
Course challenge

FAQ

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?

Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:

The course may not offer an audit option. You can try a Free Trial instead, or apply for Financial Aid.

The course may offer 'Full Course, No Certificate' instead. This option lets you see all course materials, submit required assessments, and get a final grade. This also means that you will not be able to purchase a Certificate experience.

What will I get if I subscribe to this Certificate?

When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Certificate, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.

What is data analytics?

Data is a group of facts that can take many different forms, such as numbers, pictures, words, videos, observations, and more. We use and create data everyday, like when we stream a show or song or post on social media.

Data analytics is the collection, transformation, and organization of these facts to draw conclusions, make predictions, and drive informed decision-making.

Why start a career in data analytics?

The amount of data created each day is tremendous. Any time you use your phone, look up something online, stream music, shop with a credit card, post on social media, or use GPS to map a route, you’re creating data. Companies must continually adjust their products, services, tools, and business strategies to meet consumer demand and react to emerging trends. Because of this, data analyst roles are in demand and competitively paid.

Data analysts make sense of data and numbers to help organizations make better business decisions. They prepare, process, analyze, and visualize data, discovering patterns and trends and answering key questions along the way. Their work empowers their wider team to make better business decisions.

Why enroll in the Google Data Analytics Certificate?

You will learn the skill set required for becoming a junior or associate data analyst in the Google Data Analytics Certificate. Data analysts know how to ask the right question; prepare, process, and analyze data for key insights; effectively share their findings with stakeholders; and provide data-driven recommendations for thoughtful action.

You’ll learn these job-ready skills in our certificate program through interactive content (discussion prompts, quizzes, and activities) in under six months, with under 10 hours of flexible study a week. Along the way, you'll work through a curriculum designed with input from top employers and industry leaders, like Tableau, Accenture, and Deloitte. You’ll even have the opportunity to complete a case study that you can share with potential employers to showcase your new skill set.

After you’ve graduated from the program, you’ll have access to career resources and be connected directly with employers hiring for open entry-level roles in data analytics.

What background is required?

No experience with spreadsheets or data analytics is required. All you need is high-school level math and a curiosity about how things work.

Do you need to be strong at math to succeed in this certificate?

You don't need to be a math all-star to succeed in this certificate. You need to be curious and open to learning with numbers (the language of data analysts). Being a strong data analyst is more than just math—it's about asking the right questions, finding the best sources to answer your questions effectively, and illustrating your findings clearly in visualizations.

What tools and platforms are taught in the curriculum?

You'll learn to use analysis tools and platforms such as spreadsheets (Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel), SQL, presentation tools (Powerpoint or Google Slides), Tableau, RStudio, and Kaggle.

Which “spreadsheet” platform is being taught?

Learners can self-select which platform they want to use throughout the program: Google Sheets or Microsoft Excel. It’s up to the learner’s preference. All activities throughout the syllabus can be performed on either platform.

Do you need to take each course in order?

We highly recommend completing the courses in the order presented because the content in each course builds on information from earlier lessons.

Reviews

I liked that some assignments had me use SQL and get more comfortable using it. However I would have liked more assignments using SQL and Sheets to get more practice. Otherwise was pretty fun.

This was a great course and it was in flow with the second course of the specialization. Gave good insights about bias, ethics, and protecting data. It also involved a lot of hands-on activities.

Thank you for the course! It's a nice introduction to SQL and Google Big Query as well as the concepts of data privacy and security. The course also offers some great tips for professional networking.

The Instructor is very well. The way she explained everything was so lovely. Overall content was beutifull and her way of explaining things was quite better than others. Highly Recommended.