Understanding your data

Explore quality, patterns and the questions that matter.

Understanding a dataset starts with its purpose. Ask what each row represents, where values come from and which decision the analysis should support.

Inspect quality

Check missing values, duplicates, units and inconsistent categories. Record cleaning decisions so they can be repeated.

Look at ranges, typical values and unusual observations. Compare groups with appropriate summaries and charts.

Explain what the results support and where uncertainty remains. Association alone does not establish cause and effect.