Real scientists make their own data by Sean J. Taylor.
From the first list in the post:
4. If you are the creator of your data set, then you are likely to have a great understanding the data generating process. Blindly downloading someone’s CSV file means you are much more likely to make assumptions which do not hold in the data.
A good point among many good points.
Sean provides guidance on how you can collect data, not just have it dumped on you.
Or as Kaiser Fung says in the post that lead me to Sean’s:
In theory, the availability of data should improve our ability to measure performance. In reality, the measurement revolution has not taken place. It turns out that measuring performance requires careful design and deliberate collection of the right types of data — while Big Data is the processing and analysis of whatever data drops onto our laps. Ergo, we are far from fulfilling the promise.
So, do you make your own data?
Or do you lap dance with data?
I know which one I aspire to.
You?
[…] This fits quite well with the resources I mention in Lap Dancing with Big Data. […]
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