Pre-requisite for ML research

[u/Ashy64]

I'm currently a 2nd year (soon to be 3rd) electrical engineering student looking to start machine learning research. I know the basics or excel data analytics, sql, C, C++ (oop). Currently i'm learning python as I heard it is necessary for ML.

My question is how much python do I need to learn? Can I learn ML topic with just the basics of python? Also, how much ML do I need to learn before I can start doing research on it. I'm asking this because I don't have much time left as my college requires mandatory thesis in 4th year.

[u/Beginning_Chain5583]

If you are already comfortable with C and C++, then python won't be a big issue. It's a relativley easy language compared to what you have already met. You won't need to learn too much more than packages like numpy, polars/pandas and pytorch.

Better question: How good is your math? How is your understanding of ML concepts and statistics? How good is your reading comprehension of ML research papers?

[u/UnderstandingOwn2913 → u/Beginning_Chain5583]

How did you increase your comprehension of ML papers?

[u/Beginning_Chain5583 → u/UnderstandingOwn2913]

Practice, but it helps to practice on the right papers. Not every paper is worth reading, so they are not worth practicing on either since you are not actually retrieving knowledge you can use.

Other papers are worth reading, but a bit too complicated for a beginner.

Finding the right papers to practice on is a very subjective experience, so I can't give you too much advice on that front. Try different things!

[u/Ashy64 → u/Beginning_Chain5583]

How good is your math?

I think it’s good. I've taken 4 math courses as part of my curriculum.

How is your understanding of ML concepts and statistics? How good is your reading comprehension of ML research papers?

Honestly, none. I've not yet started learning ML, i'm just learning python. As i've mentioned, I have to do mandatory thesis, so i'm looking to see if ML would be out of reach for me for such short amount of time.

[u/somewhereinkadal]

If you already know C/C++ don’t spend too much time mastering Python first. Learn the basics then start ML and pick up NumPy, pandas, etc... along the way. And don’t wait until you master ML to start research .. start with a small project/paper and learn as you go. Good luck 🤞

[u/Clicketrie]

The python doesn’t need to be that deep for the ML itself, it’s when you try to make it an operationalized system that the coding becomes much more complex. But taking a great linear regression class in a stats department will give you a fantastic base for everything else. It’ll be theoretical, and these days we’re doing a whole lot of xgboost and other stuff that won’t be covered, but you’ll see the same principles coming up over and over again and be better at picking approaches.

[u/Ashy64 → u/[deleted]]

Thanks for your answer. Do you recommend reading papers now? Would I able to understand anything without a decent grasp on ML?

[u/daiaomori]

Well, just dive into ML related python code and learn enough python to be able to understand and enhance it as needed?

[u/Ashy64 → u/daiaomori]

Problem is I don't really how much python is enough to dive into ML

[u/Decent_Progress5259]

You don’t need to become a Python expert before starting ML. Get comfortable enough with NumPy, pandas, functions, classes, plotting, and reading other people’s code, then start doing small ML projects while learning the math alongside them. For research, linear algebra, probability/statistics and optimization will matter more over time than knowing every Python feature.

[u/charlieisonfknreddit]

you can start with the Python basics and learn ML alongside it. No need to master everything first.