Enroll Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/practical-time-series-analysis
Are you an “accidental” data analyst, finding yourself grappling with time series data without formal training? If so, Coursera’s “Practical Time Series Analysis” course is precisely what you need. This course is expertly designed for individuals with a technical background who desire a deeper understanding beyond simple “cookbook” methods, focusing on the routine analyses that illuminate professional topics.
The syllabus is thoughtfully structured to build your expertise progressively. Week 1 lays a solid foundation with essential basic statistics, including R installation and a review of inferential and descriptive statistics crucial for the course. Week 2 dives into visualizing time series data and introduces the initial steps of mathematical modeling. As you move into Week 3, you’ll explore fundamental concepts like stationarity, the backward shift operator, invertibility, and duality, while beginning to understand Autoregressive (AR) processes and Yule-Walker equations. Week 4 deepens your knowledge of AR processes and Yule-Walker equations, introducing Partial Autocorrelation (PACF) and applying these concepts to real-world datasets.
By Week 5, the course tackles model selection with the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) and introduces mixed models such as ARMA and ARIMA, with practical applications. The final week, Week 6, focuses on seasonality, the Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) model, and the critical skill of forecasting. This comprehensive approach ensures you’re well-equipped to handle and interpret time series data effectively.
I personally found this course to be incredibly valuable. The instructors strike a perfect balance between theoretical rigor and practical application, making complex concepts accessible. The use of R for demonstrations and exercises is particularly beneficial, providing hands-on experience. If you’re looking to enhance your data analysis skills and gain confidence in working with time series data, I wholeheartedly recommend “Practical Time Series Analysis” on Coursera. It’s an investment in your analytical toolkit that will undoubtedly pay dividends.
Enroll Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/practical-time-series-analysis