Introduction to data science

A question I’ve gotten at least once a month for the past decade is What’s the difference between data science and data analytics? One could argue that there is no difference between the two; others will argue that there are hundreds of differences! I believe that, regardless of how many differences there are between the two terms, the following applies:

Data science follows a structured, step-by-step process that, when followed, preserves the integrity of the results and leads to a deeper understanding of the data and the environment the data comes from.

As with any other scientific endeavor, this process must be adhered to, or else the analysis and the results are in danger of scrutiny. On a simpler level, following a strict process can make it much easier for any data scientist, hobbyist, or professional to obtain results faster than if they were exploring data with no clear vision.

While these steps are a guiding lesson for amateur...