An Inclusive Ontological Breakdown of Data Analysis

Theory of data analysis as a young discipline is still immature, in particular with respect to the ontological breakdown of data analysis: that is, breaking down data analysis as a whole to it constituting parts. Relying on the Aristotelian notions of intension and extension, this study examines the most well-established ontological breakdown of data analysis into exploratory data analysis (EDA) and confirmatory data analysis (CDA), to show that several practices known as data analysis are neither EDA nor CDA. The study then contributes to the theory of data analysis by providing an ontological breakdown that includes all data analysis practices.