Common techniques used in univariate exploration include:
- Descriptive Statistics: Calculating measures such as mean, median, mode, range, and standard deviation to summarize the distribution of the variable.
- Visualizations: Creating charts and graphs, such as histograms, box plots, and bar charts, to visually represent the distribution and characteristics of the variable.
- Frequency Distributions: Creating tables or charts that show the frequency of different values or ranges of values in the variable.
Univariate exploration is often the first step in data analysis, providing insights into the basic characteristics of individual variables before moving on to more complex analyses involving multiple variables (bivariate or multivariate exploration).
The choice of features for univariate exploration depends on your specific goals and the nature of your dataset. However, in general, you might want to consider the following types of features for univariate analysis:
- Continuous Numerical Variables:
- Examples: Age, Income, Temperature, Time.
- Analysis: Use descriptive statistics (mean, median, standard deviation) and visualizations (histograms, box plots) to understand the distribution and central tendency of these variables.
- Categorical Variables:
- Examples: Gender, Region, Product Type.
- Analysis: Examine the frequency distribution of categories using bar charts or pie charts.
- Ordinal Variables:
- Examples: Education Level, Customer Satisfaction Rating.
- Analysis: Explore the order and distribution of categories using similar techniques as categorical variables.
- Time-based Variables:
- Examples: Date, Time, Timestamp.
- Analysis: Investigate trends over time using line charts or time series plots.
- Binary Variables:
- Examples: Yes/No, True/False.
- Analysis: Understand the distribution and proportion of each category.
- Textual Variables:
- Examples: Customer Comments, Product Descriptions.
- Analysis: Depending on your goals, you might analyze word frequencies, sentiment, or other text-based features.
Remember that the choice of features also depends on your specific objectives, the nature of your data, and the questions you want to answer. Tailor your univariate exploration to gain insights into the characteristics and patterns of individual variables before moving on to more complex analyses.