Syllabus
A comprehensive Machine Learning syllabus covers foundational concepts, algorithms, and practical applications, often organized into multiple modules for structured learning. Here is an outline of a well-rounded Machine Learning course, introducing
essential components and diving deeper into statistical analysis, regression, classification, clustering, and model evaluation.
1. Introduction to Machine Learning
The course begins with an overview of Machine Learning (ML), its importance, and various types of ML paradigms. Students learn the core concepts, including:
- What is Machine Learning? — Understanding ML as the field where algorithms improve through data.
- Types of Machine Learning — Explanation of Supervised, Unsupervised, and Reinforcement Learning.
- Applications of Machine Learning — Real-world scenarios like recommendation systems, healthcare diagnostics, and predictive analytics.
- Tools and Libraries — Introduction to essential Python libraries: scikit-learn, pandas, NumPy, and Matplotlib.
2. Getting Started
- Setting up the Environment — Installing tools like Jupyter Notebook and Python.
- Understanding Datasets — Insight into structured data and data quality.
- Loading and Inspecting Data — Working with data in CSV, Excel formats, and basic data operations.
3. Descriptive Statistics
- Mean, Mode, and Median — Definitions, importance, and Python implementation.
- Standard Deviation and Variance — Measuring data spread.
- Percentiles — Understanding and calculating percentiles in Python.
4. Data Distribution
- Normal Distribution — Introduction to the bell curve, histograms, and visualization.
- Skewness and Kurtosis — Identifying data asymmetry and peakness.
- Outliers — Recognizing and managing outliers.
5. Regression Analysis
- Linear Regression — Basics and Python implementation with Matplotlib visualization.
- Polynomial Regression — Modeling non-linear data with polynomial functions.
- Multiple Regression — Handling multiple input features for richer predictions.
6. Data Preprocessing
- Scaling Data — Feature scaling techniques like Min-Max and Standard Scaling.
- Splitting Data — Dividing data into training and test sets using scikit-learn.
- Categorical Data — Encoding techniques for non-numeric data.
7. Model Evaluation and Tuning
- Cross-Validation — K-Fold Cross-Validation for model accuracy.
- Grid Search — Hyperparameter tuning to optimize model configurations.
- Confusion Matrix — Understanding and visualizing confusion matrices.
8. Classification Techniques
- Logistic Regression — Comparing linear and logistic regression for classification.
- K-Nearest Neighbors (KNN) — Understanding and implementing KNN.
- Decision Trees — Tree-based decision-making for classification tasks.
9. Clustering
- K-Means Clustering — Using the Elbow method and implementing K-Means with scikit-learn.
This syllabus provides a balanced combination of theoretical knowledge, practical skills, and hands-on experience in Machine Learning.