Why completing side projects?
I have realized early on that learning-by-doing works well for me if it comes to programming and data science. In addition, this is a great way to show your abilities!
I have worked on four different projects covering the following topics:
1. PubMed - Mining the science web
2. Twitter - Mining the social web
3. Crime analysis in San Francisco
4. Flight delays in the U.S.
For all projects, I have included some graphs and the corresponding code. I hope this helps you to get inspired to start your first project!
Good luck with your first project!
Ps: I am still working on the projects. There is always room for improvement, especially if you are as new as I am to the field.
Image source: http://www.majormadness.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/MBA-PROJECT.jpg