Covering the technical and professional skills needed by analysts in the academic, private, and public sectors, Applying Analytics: A Practical Introduction systematically teaches you how to apply algorithms to real data and how to recognize potential pitfalls.nnnnThe text concentrates on the interpretation, strengths, and weaknesses of analytical techniques, along with challenges encountered by analysts in their daily work. The author shares various lessons learned from applying analytics in the real world. He supplements the technical material with coverage of professional skills traditionally learned through experience, such as project management, analytic communication, and the use of analysis to inform decisions. Example data sets used in the text are available for download online so that you can test your own analytic routines.