Data cleaning is an essential step in the data preparation process for any data science or analysis project. However, data cleaning can be a challenging and time-consuming task, often fraught with pitfalls that can lead to inaccurate or biased results if not handled correctly. In this thread, we will explore some of the most common mistakes that arise when cleaning datasets.
1. Ignoring duplicate values:
Ignoring duplicate values in your dataset is a critical mistake as it can introduce a significant bias into your analysis. Duplicate entries may skew statistical measures, such as averages or correlations, making your results unreliable. In the example code below, we handle the duplicate values present in a sample dataframe by dropping them.
2. Inconsistent handling of missing values:
This mistake occurs when different methods are applied to deal with missing values within a dataset. This inconsistency can result in unreliable analysis or misinterpretation of results because the choice of handling missing values can significantly impact the outcomes of data analyses. In the sample code below, we handle missing values in each column by filling them with the column’s mean.
3. Incorrect data type conversions:
Another common mistake is incorrectly converting the data types of columns, leading to inconsistencies or errors in the analysis. For example, converting a string to a numerical type without handling non-numeric values can result in errors. In the sample code below, the columns of the original dataframe have incorrect data types, and we convert them to their correct data types.
4. Mishandling outliers:
This common mistake refers to incorrectly dealing with values that are significantly different from the majority of the data in the dataset. These outliers, if not handled properly, can lead to skewed statistical measures and adversely affect the accuracy and reliability of data analysis. The example code below removes outliers in a sample dataframe using the Z-score.