DATA ANALYSIS CIRCUIT SYLLABUS

COURSE
OVERVIEW

Data Analysis Circuits is a 10-week, project based, mentor-led, online course that teaches students
how to collect, analyze, and communicate about data, beginning with a primer on effective data
analysis workflows, and covering critical data manipulation and visualization processes.
Each unit is intended to follow one week in the course (ex: Unit 1=Week 1, Unit 2=Week 2). While
the course is meant to be flexible to work around your schedule, its important to stay on track with
the class so you dont get behind. Each unit builds upon the previous unit, so once you fall behind,
it can be very difficult to catch up.

UNIT 1:
INTRODUCTION TO
DATA ANALYSIS

UNIT SUMMARY
Unit 1 teaches decision making with data, using visual storytelling to make a compelling case, and problem
solving using the GA framework.
Learning Objectives:
Review the importance of data in the decision making process
Apply the GA framework for solving problems with data
Explore how to create a narrative through visual storytelling around a set data
Learn how the GA framework was deployed in order to solve a specific problem (case study)
Learn the use cases, benefits, detractors, and see good and bad examples of bar charts

UNIT 2:
THE RIGHT DATA

UNIT SUMMARY
Unit 2 teaches the spectrum of data sources and formats, and utilizing Experimental Design to make sure
you're gathering the right type of data.
Learning Objectives:
Learn how to identify the right data type to utilize in order to solve specific problems
Learn how to import data into Excel and format it properly
Explore common file types and sources containing data sets
Learn the basics of how experiments are run, and how experimental design can alter data
Learn the use cases, benefits, detractors, and see good and bad examples of line charts

DATA ANALYSIS CIRCUIT SYLLABUS

UNIT 3:
RELATIONAL
DATABASES

UNIT SUMMARY
Unit 3 teaches structures of relational databases, seeing common uses of relational databases, SQL
fundamentals, including how to perform basic SQL queries.
Learning Objectives:
Learn how relational database systems have evolved and are used today
Discover how Excel can be used as a relational database
Learn the importance of SELECTION from a SQL database
Practice pulling subsets of data with basic operators and queries
Learn how to export data from SQL to Excel
Learn use cases for database systems in different organizations + industries
Learn the use cases, benefits, detractors, and see good and bad examples of pie charts

UNIT 4:
DATA
PREPARATION

UNIT SUMMARY
Unit 4 teaches cleaning data for analysis, what null values are, and how they factor into data analysis.
Learning Objectives:
Review the process for preparing data for analysis
Go over proper ways to handle null values in Excel and SQL
Learn how to make data sets less "noisy"
Learn how to visualize data using conditional formatting
Learn about different types of data
Learn how different types of data relate to each other and can be used for analysis

UNIT 5:
STATISTICAL
METHODS

UNIT SUMMARY
Unit 5 teaches the basics of descriptive statistics for use in data analysis.
Learning Objectives:
See how basic data visualization of raw data sets can be used to form new hypotheses
Learn to visualize raw data sets for new hypotheses formation
Learn the theory and application for simple descriptive statistical methods(MEAN, MEDIAN, MODE) and
how they relate to data
Learn how to use simple descriptive statistical methods in Excel and SQL with formulas
Learn the use cases, benefits, detractors, and see good and bad examples of histograms

DATA ANALYSIS CIRCUIT SYLLABUS

UNIT 6:
DATA
TRANSFORMATION

UNIT SUMMARY
Unit 6 teaches combining and manipulating data structures and the usefulness of functions in data.
Learning Objectives:
Take data from across different tables and join them
Learn how to implement conditional statements into their selection
Learn how to effectively use functions(both aggregate and mathematical) in Excel and SQL
Learn how to read documentation on functions so they can use functions not covered in the course
Learn the use case, benefits, detractors, and see good and bad examples of scatter plot charts

UNIT 7:
DATA FILTRATION

UNIT SUMMARY
Unit 7 teaches structuring and displaying subsets of data.
Learning Objectives:
Take larger clean data sets and display specific subsets of data
Understand how to look for values within a range, to find out other associated values with V and H Lookups
Learn use cases and how to quickly make comparison charts with conditional formatting
Be able to hide extraneous data using table views, Autofilter, and criterion pages
Work with virtual tables using views
Learn how to make pivot tables

UNIT 8:
DESIGN AND DATA

UNIT SUMMARY
Unit 8 teaches design best practices to maximize the effectiveness of your data visualization.
Learning Objectives:
Learn how Design and Data are interconnected
Learn how to apply Design to Data
Learn how color theory can help with data visualization
Learn common tools that can be used to perform visualization beyond Excel
Learn the use cases, benefits, detractors, and see good and bad examples of map charts

DATA ANALYSIS CIRCUIT SYLLABUS

UNIT 9:
DATA AND
NARRATIVE

UNIT SUMMARY
Unit 9 teaches how to use narrative to take your processed data and tell a compelling story with it.
Learning Objectives:
Learn about and see cases of how narrative can be used in conjunction with data for decision making
Learn about information design, and how it can be used for effective data visualization
Learn how to create a basic dashboard in Excel
Review skills on how to use data in presentations.

UNIT 10:
FINAL PROJECT

UNIT SUMMARY
The final project is a culmination of the data extraction, analysis and visualization skills that students have
been learning throughout the course. Students will have to extract noisy information from a SQL database,
prepare, clean, and analyze it in Microsoft Excel, and create data visualizations and a final report that
addresses a problem.