Data science
The existence of Comet NEOWISE (here depicted as a series of red dots) was
discovered by analyzing astronomical survey data acquired by a space telescope,
the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer.
Data science is an interdisciplinary academic field[1] that uses statistics, scientific
computing, scientific methods, processing, scientific visualization, algorithms and
systems to extract or extrapolate knowledge from potentially noisy, structured,
or unstructured data.[2]
Data science also integrates domain knowledge from the underlying application domain
(e.g., natural sciences, information technology, and medicine).[3] Data science is
multifaceted and can be described as a science, a research paradigm, a research
method, a discipline, a workflow, and a profession.[4]
Data science is "a concept to unify statistics, data analysis, informatics, and their
related methods" to "understand and analyze actual phenomena" with data.[5] It uses
techniques and theories drawn from many fields within the context of mathematics,
statistics, computer science, information science, and domain knowledge.[6] However,
data science is different from computer science and information science. Turing
Award winner Jim Gray imagined data science as a "fourth paradigm" of science
(empirical, theoretical, computational, and now data-driven) and asserted that
"everything about science is changing because of the impact of information technology"
and the data deluge.[7][8]
A data scientist is a professional who creates programming code and combines it with
statistical knowledge to summarize data.[9]
Foundations
Data science is an interdisciplinary field[10] focused on extracting knowledge from
typically large data sets and applying the knowledge from that data to solve problems in
other application domains. The field encompasses preparing data for analysis,
formulating data science problems, analyzing data, and summarizing these findings. As
such, it incorporates skills from computer science, mathematics, data
visualization, graphic design, communication, and business.[11]
Vasant Dhar writes that statistics emphasizes quantitative data and description. In
contrast, data science deals with quantitative and qualitative data (e.g., from images,
text, sensors, transactions, customer information, etc.) and emphasizes prediction and
action.[12] Andrew Gelman of Columbia University has described statistics as a non-
essential part of data science.[13] Stanford professor David Donoho writes that data
science is not distinguished from statistics by the size of datasets or use of computing
and that many graduate programs misleadingly advertise their analytics and statistics
training as the essence of a data-science program. He describes data science as an
applied field growing out of traditional statistics.[14]
Etymology
Early usage
In 1962, John Tukey described a field he called "data analysis", which resembles
modern data science.[14] In 1985, in a lecture given to the Chinese Academy of Sciences
in Beijing, C. F. Jeff Wu used the term "data science" for the first time as an alternative
name for statistics.[15] Later, attendees at a 1992 statistics symposium at the University
of Montpellier II acknowledged the emergence of a new discipline focused on data of
various origins and forms, combining established concepts and principles of statistics
and data analysis with computing.[16][17]
The term "data science" has been traced back to 1974, when Peter Naur proposed it as
an alternative name to computer science.[6] In 1996, the International Federation of
Classification Societies became the first conference to specifically feature data science
as a topic.[6] However, the definition was still in flux. After the 1985 lecture at the
Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing, in 1997 C. F. Jeff Wu again suggested that
statistics should be renamed data science. He reasoned that a new name would help
statistics shed inaccurate stereotypes, such as being synonymous with accounting or
limited to describing data.[18] In 1998, Hayashi Chikio argued for data science as a new,
interdisciplinary concept, with three aspects: data design, collection, and analysis.[17]
Modern usage
In 2012, technologists Thomas H. Davenport and DJ Patil declared "Data Scientist: The
Sexiest Job of the 21st Century",[19] a catchphrase that was picked up even by major-city
newspapers like the New York Times[20] and the Boston Globe.[21] A decade later, they
reaffirmed it, stating that "the job is more in demand than ever with employers". [22]
The modern conception of data science as an independent discipline is sometimes
attributed to William S. Cleveland.[23] In 2014, the American Statistical Association's
Section on Statistical Learning and Data Mining changed its name to the Section on
Statistical Learning and Data Science, reflecting the ascendant popularity of data
science.[24]
The professional title of "data scientist" has been attributed to DJ Patil and Jeff
Hammerbacher in 2008.[25] Though it was used by the National Science Board in their
2005 report "Long-Lived Digital Data Collections: Enabling Research and Education in
the 21st Century", it referred broadly to any key role in managing a digital data
collection.[26]
Data science and data analysis
Example for the usefulness of exploratory data
analysis as demonstrated using the Datasaurus dozen data set
Data analysis typically involves working with structured datasets to answer specific
questions or solve specific problems. This can involve tasks such as data
cleaning and data visualization to summarize data and develop hypotheses about
relationships between variables. Data analysts typically use statistical methods to test
these hypotheses and draw conclusions from the data.[27]
Data science involves working with larger datasets that often require advanced
computational and statistical methods to analyze. Data scientists often work
with unstructured data such as text or images and use machine learning algorithms to
build predictive models. Data science often uses statistical analysis, data
preprocessing, and supervised learning.[28][29]
Cloud computing for data science
A cloud-based architecture for enabling big data
analytics. Data flows from various sources, such as personal computers, laptops,
and smart phones, through cloud services for processing and analysis, finally leading to
various big data applications.
Cloud computing can offer access to large amounts of computational power
and storage.[30] In big data, where volumes of information are continually generated and
processed, these platforms can be used to handle complex and resource-intensive
analytical tasks.[31]
Some distributed computing frameworks are designed to handle big data workloads.
These frameworks can enable data scientists to process and analyze large datasets in
parallel, which can reduce processing times.[32]
Ethical consideration in data science
Data science involves collecting, processing, and analyzing data which often includes
personal and sensitive information. Ethical concerns include potential privacy violations,
bias perpetuation, and negative societal impacts.[33][34]
