Preparation Guide

Edition 202306
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Preparation Guide EXIN Data Analytics Foundation (DAF.EN) 2

Content

1. Overview 4
2. Exam requirements 6
3. List of basic concepts 9
4. Literature 10

Preparation Guide EXIN Data Analytics Foundation (DAF.EN) 3

1. Overview

EXIN Data Analytics Foundation (DAF.EN)

Scope
EXIN Data Analytics Foundation certification confirms that the professional understands the life
cycle of collecting, cleaning, analyzing and visualizing data for the purpose of gaining business
insights.

The certification covers:

• turning data into insights
• collecting, organizing, managing
• cleaning
• analyzing
• visualizing

Summary
Data analytics has its roots in statistics, which dates back to Ancient Egypt. Globalization and
technical facilitation have recently led to an ever-increasing amount of data. Organizations of all
sizes see the benefit of systematically gathering and using data to inform business decisions. The
vital role of data is reflected by the increasing number of functions that are related to it such as
data analysts, data scientists, data engineers and data managers.

Data analytics entails storing structured and unstructured data and transforming data by cleaning
it. Data analytics also includes aggregating data and drawing insights from it. However, it is not
only for specialists. Most business-oriented roles include requesting or creating reports.
Subsequently, it is crucial to understand the basic principles of how data is turned into insights for
anyone who is systematically processing information or wants to submit efficient requests for
reports to inform the decision-making process.

The EXIN Data Analytics Foundation certification helps professionals understand the basic
concepts of data analytics, the activities in the data analysis process, and the different methods
used to analyze data. Candidates who pass the exam also know how outputs from the analysis
process can be visualized in charts, graphs, and plots.

Context
The EXIN Data Analytics Foundation certification is part of the EXIN Data Analytics qualification
program.

Target group
The EXIN Data Analytics Foundation certification is developed for professionals who are aspiring a
role where analyzing data is part of their core responsibilities. More specifically, the following roles
could be interested:
• data/information analysts
• business intelligence analysts
• data administrators/(business) information managers
• data/analytics managers
• data scientists

Preparation Guide EXIN Data Analytics Foundation (DAF.EN) 4

This certification is also a good starting point for professionals involved in (business) operations
and management in any domain, who are interested in the business benefits of data analysis and
the techniques involved in it. These roles could include:
• (digital) marketing/media specialists
• marketing/market research analysts
• business unit/department managers
• business analysts
• finance professionals

Requirements for certification

• Successful completion of the EXIN Data Analytics Foundation exam.

Examination details
Examination type: Multiple-choice questions
Number of questions: 40
Pass mark: 65% (26/40 questions)
Open book: No
Notes: No
Electronic equipment/aides permitted: No
Exam duration: 60 minutes

The Rules and Regulations for EXIN’s examinations apply to this exam.

Bloom level
The EXIN Data Analytics Foundation certification tests candidates at Bloom level 1 and 2 according
to Bloom’s revised taxonomy:
• Bloom level 1: Remembering – relies on recall of information. Candidates will need to
absorb, remember, recognize and recall.
• Bloom level 2: Understanding – a step beyond remembering. Understanding shows that
candidates comprehend what is presented and can evaluate how the learning material may
be applied in their own environment. This type of questions aims to demonstrate that the
candidate is able to organize, compare, interpret and choose the correct description of
facts and ideas.

Training

Contact hours
The recommended number of contact hours for this training course is 14. This includes group
assignments, exam preparation and short breaks. This number of hours does not include lunch
breaks, homework and the exam.

Indication study effort

56 hours (2 ECTS), depending on existing knowledge.

Training organization
You can find a list of our Accredited Training Organizations at www.exin.com.

Preparation Guide EXIN Data Analytics Foundation (DAF.EN) 5

2. Exam requirements

The exam requirements are specified in the exam specifications. The following table lists the
topics of the module (exam requirements) and the subtopics (exam specifications).

Exam requirements Exam specifications Weight

1. Turning data into insights 10%
1.1 Concepts and the process 7.5%
1.2 Business intelligence 2.5%
2. Collecting, organizing, managing 32.5%
2.1 Data collection 10%
2.2 Storing data 12.5%
2.3 Variables 10%
3. Cleaning 7.5%
3.1 Data scrubbing 7.5%
4. Analyzing 35%
4.1 Statistics 5%
4.2 Data mining 2.5%
4.3 Machine learning 10%
4.4 Algorithms 17.5%
5. Visualizing 15%
5.1 Explanatory and exploratory 2.5%
5.2 Charts and plots 7.5%
5.3 Design and tools 5%
Total 100%

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Exam specifications

1 Turning data into insights

1.1 Concepts and the process
The candidate can…
1.1.1 explain concepts related to data analytics.
1.1.2 outline the steps in the process of data analysis.
1.1.3 describe risks in data analytics.
1.2 Business intelligence
The candidate can…
1.2.1 illustrate how business intelligence leads to business decisions.

2 Collecting, organizing, managing

2.1 Data collection
The candidate can…
2.1.1 outline channels for collecting data.
2.1.2 explain ways to source public data.
2.1.3 outline how to reach compliance with contemporary data laws.
2.2 Storing data
The candidate can…
2.2.1 distinguish between raw data, structured data, unstructured data, and big data.
2.2.2 differentiate between types of databases.
2.2.3 outline the utility of distributed file systems.
2.2.4 describe the advantages of using cloud solutions.
2.3 Variables
The candidate can…
2.3.1 distinguish between dependent and independent variables.
2.3.2 explain the common types of variables.
2.3.3 distinguish between continuous and discrete variables.

3 Cleaning
3.1 Data scrubbing
The candidate can…
3.1.1 describe methods for data scrubbing.
3.1.2 outline techniques for data scrubbing.
3.1.3 indicate the considerations for data retention.

4 Analyzing
4.1 Statistics
The candidate can…
4.1.1 explain what distinguishes descriptive statistics from inferential statistics.
4.2 Data mining
The candidate can…
4.2.1 explain data mining.
4.3 Machine learning
The candidate can…
4.3.1 summarize ways of using machine learning.
4.3.2 describe natural language processing (NLP).
4.3.3 describe key methods and techniques of NLP.

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 4.4 Algorithms
The candidate can…
4.4.1 describe how data and algorithms relate to each other.
4.4.2 clarify how regression analysis can be used to describe patterns in the data.
4.4.3 explain the use of classification models.
4.4.4 explain the use of clustering analysis.
4.4.5 explain what association analysis and sequence mining are and how they
relate to each other.

5 Visualizing
5.1 Explanatory and exploratory
The candidate can…
5.1.1 describe explanatory and exploratory graphics.
5.2 Charts and plots
The candidate can…
5.2.1 illustrate types of charts.
5.2.2 illustrate types of plots.
5.2.3 illustrate the usage of heatmaps.
5.3 Design and tools
The candidate can…
5.3.1 summarize the purpose of aesthetic design in data visualization.
5.3.2 recall visualization tools.

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3. List of basic concepts

This chapter contains the terms and abbreviations with which candidates should be familiar.

Please note that knowledge of these terms alone does not suffice for the exam. The candidate
must understand the concepts and be able to provide examples.

accuracy distribution
aesthetic design duplicate
algorithm frequency
analysis graphic
anomaly hyperparameter
artificial intelligence (AI) k-means clustering
big data key-value store
binning machine learning
Boolean mean
business intelligence median
chart metadata
classification model
cloud natural language processing (NLP)
clustering nearest neighbors clustering
crowdsourcing one-hot encoding
data analysis outlier
data analytics percentile
data cleaning plot
data collection predictive model
data lake probability
data management programming language
data mining quartile
data procurement regression
data retention relational database
data science schema
data security sequence mining
data validation statistics
data quality third-party libraries
database variable
decision tree web scraping

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4. Literature

Exam literature

The knowledge required for the exam is covered in the following literature:

A. Oliver Theobald
Data Analytics for Absolute Beginners: A Deconstructed Guide to Data Literacy
(Introduction to Data, Data Visualization, Business Intelligence & Machine Learning)
Independently published (2019)
ISBN: 9781081762469 (hardcopy)

B. EXIN
Exam Literature Data Analytics
EXIN (2023)
Go to www.exin.com. Click on 'Professionals' and then on 'Certifications' to find the
certification. The free download can be found under 'Required reading'.

Additional literature

C. Elizabeth Clarke
Everything Data Analytics - A Beginner's Guide to Data Literacy: Understanding the
Processes That Turn Data Into Insights
Kenneth Michael Fornari (2022)
ISBN: 9781777967130 (hardcopy)

Comment
Additional literature is for reference and depth of knowledge only.

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Literature matrix

Exam requirements Exam specifications Reference

1. Turning data into insights
1.1 Concepts and the process B
1.2 Business intelligence A, Chapter 13
2. Collecting, organizing, managing
2.1 Data collection A, Chapter 1
2.2 Storing data A, Chapter 2
2.3 Variables A, Chapter 3
3. Cleaning
3.1 Data scrubbing A, Chapter 4
4. Analyzing
4.1 Statistics A, Chapter 5
4.2 Data mining A, Chapter 5
4.3 Machine learning A, Chapter 5 & 11
4.4 Algorithms A, Chapter 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10
5. Visualizing
5.1 Explanatory and exploratory A, Chapter 12
5.2 Charts and plots A, Chapter 12
5.3 Design and tools A, Chapter 12

Preparation Guide EXIN Data Analytics Foundation (DAF.EN) 11

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