9 Top Books to Become a Data Analyst in 2024
We are living in the age of information. Data analytics is the science of analyzing raw data to make conclusions about that information. Data analysts find trends, draw conclusions, and report insights about the information they contain.
Being data-driven is a hot topic: every big business wants to make intelligent decisions that will keep them ahead of the competition. Becoming a talented data analyst will likely make you highly valued and highly paid.
In this article, we will cover the top 5 books for data analysts.
Why Learn Data Analytics?
With data becoming the new oil, Data Analysts are more in need than ever. With such a boom in the use of analytics, these skills are the way of the future. Let's have a look at the reasons why you should learn data analytics.
High demand: Data analytics is now a priority for top organizations. It is taking over faster than expected.
Analytics is everywhere: The use of data analytics professionals to foster growth is slowly catching on and is becoming more important. There is no industry or sector which has remained untouched from the reach of Data Analytics.
Increasing job opportunities: Organizations are looking for specialists who can comprehensively gather, interpret and use data. There is an increasing number of job postings looking for data analysts and consultants.
Increasing pay for data analytics professionals: Data analytics professionals are getting paid more and more and this trend is evident across the globe.
It represents perfect freelancing opportunities: Everyone is looking for ways to diversify their sources of income. Data analytics gives you the perfect opportunity to become a well-paid freelancer or consultant.
What Makes The Best Data Analytics Books?
Here are our criteria for the selection of the books:
The book should contain a variety of instructional materials, including exercises, examples, questions, learning activities, and other features that promote a programmer’s engagement and active learning.
It uses clear, precise, and easy-to-understand language.
Content must be up-to-date and should thoroughly teach and explain the basic concepts of data analytics.
Contain programming assignments for practice and hands-on experience
The book should have a clear layout and must be friendly toward self-taught programmers.
Best Books for Data Analyst
It is important to stay on top of the game and read relevant books to boost your skills. Here’s the list of books you should read as a Data Analyst at any level. These books will help any reader understand the power of data and how to leverage it.
1. Fundamentals of Data Analytics
Fundamentals of Data Analytics: Learn Essential Skills, Embrace the Future, and Catapult Your Career in the Data-Driven World by Russell Dawson is your ultimate guide to understanding the fundamentals of data analytics. It helps you unlock the expertise of efficiently solving real-world data-related problems.
The book teaches important skills like data collection, cleaning, and analysis, all presented with helpful real-world examples. Here’s what you’ll learn from the book:
A comprehensive guide to the data analytics process — a beginner-friendly 5-step framework to kickstart your journey into analyzing and processing data
How to get started with the fundamental concepts, theories, and models for accurately analyzing data
Everything you ever needed to know about data mining and machine learning principles — your gateway to unlocking the secrets of data's hidden potential
Why business run on a data-driven culture, and how you can leverage it using real-time business intelligence analytics
Strategies and techniques to build a problem-solving mindset that can overcome any complex and unique dataset
How to create compelling and dynamic visualizations that help generate insights and make data-driven decisions
The 4 pillars of a new digital world — discover how emerging technologies will transform the landscape of analyzing data
The book was well-written and organized in a way that made it easy to understand. It includes helpful charts, detailed explanations of algorithms like Lasso Regression and Random Forest Regression, and a 5-step framework for analyzing and processing data. The author’s clear and methodical approach makes complex topics accessible and engaging.
If you're interested in launching a career in data or simply want to understand how data is used in today's world, this book is a great place to start.
2. Modern Data Analytics in Excel
Modern Data Analytics in Excel by George Mount serves as an introduction to the modern Excel suite of features along with other powerful tools for analytics. The book covers an impressive array of techniques for cleaning and analyzing data, all within a remarkably concise format.
You'll learn how to build repeatable data cleaning workflows with Power Query, and design relational data models straight from your workbook with Power Pivot. You'll also explore other exciting new features for analytics, such as dynamic array functions, AI-powered insights, and Python integration.
Here’s what you’ll get from the book:
Build repeatable data cleaning processes for Excel with Power Query
Create relational data models and analysis measures with Power Pivot
Pull data quickly with dynamic arrays
Use AI to uncover patterns and trends from inside Excel
Integrate Python functionality with Excel for automated analysis and reporting
What sets this book apart is its incredible capability of simplifying complex techniques for all level of users. From beginners to seasoned Excel users, you'll effortlessly understand and apply the concepts to your work. The book is a must-read for analytics professionals eager to expand their expertise with Excel's latest features.
3. Data Analytics & Visualization All-in-One For Dummies
Data Analytics & Visualization All-in-One For Dummies by Jack A. Hyman, Luca Massaron, and Paul McFedries collects the essential information on mining, organizing, and communicating data, all in one place. You’ll even get an intro to the Python, R, and SQL coding needed to take your data skills to a new level.
With this Dummies guide, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a priceless data jockey.
Mine data from data sources
Organize and analyze data
Use data to tell a story with Tableau
Expand your know-how with Python and R
The six mini-books inside are:
Learning Data Analytics & Visualization Foundations
Using Power BI for Data Analytics & Visualization
Using Tableau for Data Analytics & Visualization
Extracting Information with SQL
Performing Statistical Data Analysis & Visualization with R Programming
Applying Python Programming to Data Science
This book provides a trusty guide for getting a handle on the fundamentals of data.
4. Data Analytics for Business
Data Analytics for Business is an insightful and comprehensive guide to the world of data analytics. It provides essential guidance to apply advanced analytics and data mining techniques to real-world business applications. The book covers a wide range of topics related to data analytics, including big data, data warehousing, business intelligence, predictive analytics, and machine learning.
The book also offers a distinctive style: a series of essays, each of which summarizes a critical lesson or provides a step-by-step business process, with specific examples of successes and failures. It provides clear and concise explanations of each concept, making it easy for readers to understand the fundamentals of data analytics.
This was an enjoyable and informative read for anyone who wants to learn about what advanced analytics really looks like in a modern business. This book would be a great resource for students thinking of entering the Data Science / Data Analytics fields.
5. Best Book for Beginners: DATA ANALYTICS: A Comprehensive Beginner’s Guide To Learn About The Realms Of Data Analytics From A-Z
Data Analytics: A Comprehensive Beginner’s Guide by Mr. Benjamin Smith is a beginner-friendly guide that presents the A-Z on the realms of data analytics. You will find useful strategies and resources that can be used to derive reasonable insight into the data generated.
This book will help you uncover the nitty-gritty of data and big data. Here's what you will find in the book:
The two common data structures employed in data analytics
The essentials of machine learning and how it relates to data analytics
The data analytics life cycle
Unraveling probability distributions and inferential statistics processes
Some machine learning approaches to data analytics
How to clean your data for analysis
Data visualization tools and strategies
Some common analytical and statistical packages in R
Readers will enjoy an easy-to-understand piece that squeezes in a wide range of data analytics topics in a systematic way. The book is a must-read for anyone looking to embark on a lifelong journey toward analytical enlightenment.
6. Best Book for Hands-On Learners: Data Analytics for Absolute Beginners: A Deconstructed Guide to Data Literacy
Data Analytics for Absolute Beginners: A Deconstructed Guide to Data Literacy by Oliver Theobald gives an introduction to Data, Data Visualization, Business Intelligence, and Machine Learning. You will make better decisions with this easy deconstructed guide to data analytics.
This book teaches you the vocabulary, tools, and basic algorithms to think like a data scientist. Here's what you will learn from reading the book:
How to recognize the common data types every data scientist needs to master
Where to store your data, including Big Data
New trends in data analytics, including what is Alternative Data and why not many people know about it
How to explain the distinction between Data Mining, Machine Learning, and Analytics to your colleagues
When and how to use Regression Analysis, Classification, Clustering, Association Analysis, and Natural Language Processing
How to make better business decisions using Data Visualization and Business Intelligence
The book includes practical examples, visual examples, and two bonus coding exercises in Python. By the end of the book, you will have the practical knowledge to tackle real data problems in your organization or daily life. It is ideal for anyone interested in making sense of data analytics.
7. Best Book to Prepare for EMC Proven Professional Data Science Certification: Data Science and Big Data Analytics
Data Science and Big Data Analytics by EMC Education Services helps you to harness the power of data for new insights. It helps you to get started discovering, analyzing, visualizing, and presenting data in a meaningful way.
This book will help you to deploy a structured lifecycle approach to data analytics problems. The book is divided into eleven chapters and includes the following topics:
Chapter 1 gives you the introduction to Big Data Analytics
Chapter 2 talks about Data Analytics Lifecycle
Chapter 3 covers the review of Basic Data Analytic Methods Using R
Chapter 4 talks about Advanced Analytical Theory and Methods: Clustering
Chapter 5 covers Advanced Analytical Theory and Methods: Association Rules
Chapter 6 talks about Advanced Analytical Theory and Methods: Regression
Chapter 7 covers Advanced Analytical Theory and Methods: Classification
Chapter 8 talks about Advanced Analytical Theory and Methods: Time Series Analysis
Chapter 9 covers Advanced Analytical Theory and Methods: Text Analysis
Chapter 10 covers Advanced Analytics - Technology and Tools: MapReduce and Hadoop
Chapter 11 talks about Advanced Analytics - Technology and Tools: In-Database Analytics
You will learn how to tell a compelling story with data to drive business action. This book will help you to apply appropriate analytic techniques and tools to analyzing big data.
This book is a great way for data analysts to become a contributor on a data science team. It helps to prepare for EMC Proven Professional Data Science Certification
More books you may like:
8. Best Book for Future Managers: Business Intelligence, Analytics, and Data Science: A Managerial Perspective
Business Intelligence, Analytics, and Data Science by Ramesh Sharda. Dursun Delen and Efraim Turban give a managerial approach to understanding business intelligence systems. It gives a solid foundation of BI that is reinforced with hands-on practice.
The book is divided into eight chapters and includes the following topics:
Chapter 1 gives an overview of Business Intelligence, Analytics, and Data Science
Chapter 2 covers Descriptive Analytics including Nature of Data, Statistical Modeling, and Visualization
Chapter 3 covers Descriptive Analytics including Business Intelligence and Data Warehousing
Chapter 4 covers Predictive Analytics including topics like Data Mining Process, Methods, and Algorithms
Chapter 5 covers Predictive Analytics including topics like Text, Web, and Social Media Analytics
Chapter 6 covers Prescriptive Analytics: Optimization and Simulation
Chapter 7 talks about Big Data Concepts and Tools
Chapter 8 talks about future trends, Privacy, and managerial considerations in Analytics
This book is ideal for future managers to learn how to use and understand analytics.
9. Best Book on a Budget: Data Analytics: The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Data Analytics
Data Analytics: The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Data Analytics by Edward Mize is an extremely affordable, budget-friendly book. It presents the perfect data analytics guide for any beginner. It helps you learn how to use data analytics to improve efficiencies, accelerate growth, and increase sales.
The book gives you an understanding of the edge that business intelligence and data analytics plays in the real world today. The reader is introduced to the different types of data analytics and how he/she can apply it in their life for better quality and more powerful results.
The book is written in an easy-to-understand way and perfect for anyone who is a beginner.
More Ways to Learn to Become a Data Analyst
So these are the best books for Data Analysts. Developing a solid understanding of data analytics and learning how to extract insights are vital components for a successful and long-term career as Data Analysts.
Getting ahead of the curve by learning analytics now provides a pathway to success. It is important for potential and existing Data Analysts to stay up-to-date with the most relevant material in the industry.
If you’re curious about a data analyst job, there are also a few online courses on the list. To start a more in-depth grasp of your own data sets, you can try these courses.
Coursera: IBM Data Analyst Professional Certificate unlocks your potential in data analytics. It will help you build job-ready skills for an in-demand career as a data analyst. You will also earn a Certificate upon completion.
Codecademy: Codecademy’s Career Path for Data Analysts is a packed, 28-week course designed to go from total beginner to professional data analyst. It teaches you how to analyze data and communicate your findings using Python and SQL. For more on Codecademy Pro, see my Codecademy Pro review.
Udemy: Complete Introduction to Business Data Analysis is a 3.5 hours course by Ian Littlejohn. It helps to transform data into insight and intelligence using powerful methods of analysis, techniques, and tools.
We also suggest here over 70 coding resources that are free online.
Challenge yourself to begin your journey this 2021. It takes time, resources, and effort to master the fundamentals of data analytics, but keep in mind that a journey of 1000 miles begins with a single step! Thanks so much for reading, and I hope to see you in another article.