5 Unusual data sources
This chapter covers
- Thinking of data beyond what is available in structured formats
- Using all the data sources available to you creatively, regardless of their format
- Navigating the tradeoff between time spent and value added when working with additional data sources
Most datasets you will encounter in your career are not as clean and structured as those provided in a learning environment. The reality is that it’s often the analyst who must search for the right data, which may be hidden in complicated spreadsheets or hidden even further in unstructured, nontraditional data sources. This chapter is about practicing the creativity of identifying and using novel and unstructured data sources to answer interesting analytical questions.