In order to learn and understand Natural Language Processing, or NLP, you first have to understand how it is implemented. If you are interested in learning artificial intelligence, machine learning, or deep learning, then studying NLP first will provide you with a strong foundation.
This article will act as your guide to provide you with insight to help you get started with learning NLP. We will list some of the best NLP courses and resources you can find after familiarizing you with NLP first.
What Is Natural Language Processing?
NLP is the tool used by AI to understand, read, and find meaning in human language. It uses cutting edge language models and neural networks to classify text and speech. Then, it can recognize words in a sentence and create a machine translation for the text.
Everything that we use to communicate, either verbally or in written form, carries huge amounts of information. Our body language and our tone add even more information, subtly referencing our speech and writing. Theoretically, this information can be used to understand and predict human behavior.
What Is Natural Language Processing Used For?
NLP has applications in almost every industry, including banking, health care, and smartphone development. Below are some of the most common fields in which NLP is being actively used.
- Healthcare. By using advanced, recurrent neural networks, state-of-the-art data analysis engines in combination with artificial intelligence and NLP, scientists can predict diseases using previous medical records and patients’ own speech.
- Advertisement. Using real-world data and a process called sentiment analysis, AI machines can recommend products to you based on your social media preferences and search history.
- Assistance. AI engines use cognitive assistants to understand your patterns. They can remind you of the name of a song when you can’t remember it, or a task you have forgotten to do.
- Fake news detection. By analyzing a user’s past data, AI can detect when a user’s words show a political bias and can then determine whether the source is trustworthy or not.
Types of Natural Language Processing
Natural language processing is divided into categories based on the mode of data collection. Some of the major types are listed below.
Natural Language Processing Based on Text, Voice, and Audio
This category covers data processed by an NLP engine that was obtained using text, voice, and audio. This is the most common type of NLP and results in the largest amount of data collected.
This data is sorted and saved in segments to be analyzed by the AI engine in order to make analysis easy and quick.
Natural Language Processing Using Computational Models
This type of NLP is used to scan and sort data received through computers, requiring greater processing power. This data is then used to build models to train AIs.
Machine Translation Of Language
This is the most important tool in a machine’s ability to translate language. This is the part of NLP that processes code so that a machine can understand it.
Learning Natural Language Processing
Studying natural language processing is of utmost importance if you are thinking of learning artificial intelligence. Once you decide you want to learn, then you’re ready to take the first step.
How Long Does It Take to Learn Natural Language Processing?
To fully understand the basics of natural language processing, you should be prepared to invest at least three months. But just getting yourself enrolled in a course won’t make you a master. You also have to practice a lot to make sure you grasp the concepts.
How to Learn Natural Language Processing: Step-By-Step
Following a step-by-step guide is a simple way to start learning a new skill correctly. Below are a few steps that can simplify your journey.
- Learn string algorithm. Strong knowledge of string manipulation algorithms is very important when it comes to implementing NLP in any application. You should be well-versed in these algorithms before you start studying NLP.
- Learn regular expressions. Regular expressions seem difficult to learn, but once you get the hang of them, they will make your journey to learning natural language processing much easier.
- Learn tokenization. Tokenization is another skill that you should master before you start learning natural language processing. Learning the programming language Python is great for customizing tokens.
- Learn evaluation metrics. Learning evaluation metrics and the confusion matrix are also essential to machine learning. Completing a few online courses about matrices will put you right on track.
- Learn logic regression. You must have a really good understanding of logic regressions to comprehend NLP.
The Best Natural Language Processing Courses and Training
Courses and training are an integral part of learning any skill. They will act as a guide throughout your journey. We have included some of the highest-rated courses and training programs for natural language processing below.
Best In-Person Natural Language Processing Classes
Different people have different approaches toward understanding a concept, so it is important to choose the course which you are comfortable with. Below is a list of some top in-person courses.
Oxford University
- Course: Deep Learning for Natural Language Processing
- Time: 32 hours
- Prerequisites: None
- Cost: $500
This course provided by Oxford University covers a wide array of topics, ranging from basic to advanced implementations of natural language processing. This course features many practical assignments, including a seminar on how to build your own chatbot using NLP.
Stanford University
- Course: From Language To Information
- Time: 2 weeks
- Prerequisites: None
- Cost: $500
This is a highly rated course offered by Stanford University. It includes a combination of online and in-class lectures and projects. You should have some basic programming knowledge before signing up, but the course will still teach you all the essential concepts of NLP.
University of Washington
- Course: Natural Language Processing
- Time: 3 months
- Prerequisites: None
- Cost: $800
This is a one of a kind course that focuses on unique topics that are not usually covered in most NLP courses. This course provides concise summaries of many NLP concepts that are essential to learning NLP. As far as assignments and practical work are concerned, the class will give you plenty of projects to improve your skills.
Best Online Natural Language Processing Courses
Most NLP courses are offered online, as it is a technical skill that is not difficult to teach remotely. Let’s review some of the best online NLP courses.
Udacity
- Course: Master Natural Language Processing
- Time: 3 months
- Prerequisites: None
- Cost: $150
This is a master’s level nanodegree program that will teach you how to get computers to understand and manipulate the human language. It provides hands-on experience in sentiment analysis and data science.
Udemy
- Course: Natural Language Processing
- Time: 3 hours
- Prerequisites: None
- Cost: $15
This is a beginners’ level course that promises to get you up to speed on the fundamentals of natural language processing. It only takes three hours to complete and is a brief introduction to how NLP works.
Best Free Natural Language Processing Courses
If you don’t want to pay for the online courses above, there are also a couple of free courses you can turn to if you want to learn NLP.
Plural Sight
- Course: Natural Language Processing Using Python
- Time: 2 hours
- Prerequisites: Python knowledge
- Cost: Free
This course explains how NLP can be used in conjunction with Python. To understand this course, you need to have a basic knowledge of Python. This is the highest-rated free online NLP course, so it is worth a try.
Analytics Vidhya
- Course name: Introduction to Natural Language Processing
- Time: 1 week
- Prerequisites: None
- Cost: Free
This is an introductory level course that’s good for gaining an understanding of NLP basics. It covers all the essentials and can be completed within a week. This course is very popular among young coders.
Best Natural Language Processing Books
Although NLP is more of a practical skill rather than a theoretical one, you may choose to study it by reading books to get a general understanding of the concepts. Below is a list of books you can review if you want to understand natural language processing.
Practical Natural Language Processing by Sowmya Vajjala
This book will guide you through the practical applications of natural language processing. The authors have kept the language as basic as possible to suit a broader audience, making it easier to read.
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Natural Language Processing with Python by Steven Bird
This book is written for people who already have a basic knowledge of Python and who want to learn NLP. This book is sure to clear up the basics and provide you with much-needed insight into the implementation and application of NLP in different sectors.
Introduction to Natural Language Processing by Jacob Eisenstein
This book can serve as a beginner’s guide book, as it covers all the theoretical concepts of NLP and will give you a strong foundation. You should give this book a try if you are sure that you want to start learning about NLP but don’t enjoy online courses.
Natural Language Processing Certifications
Certifications are an integral part of any training, as they are hard evidence that you have mastered a subject and are ready to be employed. Below we have a compilation of the most widely recognized certification programs to boost your resume.
Certified Natural Language Processing Expert
This certification is provided by the International Association of Business Analytics Certification, which is considered the gold standard for NLP learning. This certificate will stand out on your resume, letting people know you are ready to take on a challenging job.
Natural Language Processing with Deep Learning
This certification is provided by Stanford’s School of Engineering. The renowned status of this Ivy League college makes this certification very valuable. This program costs about $5,000 and comes with an online certificate. You should consider completing this certificate course, which usually takes place from January to March.
Online Natural Language Processing Resources
Using online resources to practice and learn NLP is very important because they will help clear up any confusion you have regarding its implementation. Some of the best online resources you can use to study NLP are listed below.
SpaCy
SpaCy is an industrial-level tool that will help you understand and practice NLP. It uses specially built Python libraries, which conduct analyses efficiently. Some of its other features include deep learning integration, multiple language support, and non-destructive tokens.
CoreNLP
The Stanford University resource CoreNLP is one of the most powerful AI tools on the Web. It uses Java to process results and derive linguistic annotations from texts and speech. It’s very reliable and supports multiple languages. It also works with Python, C, and C++, so it can be used on multiple platforms.
YouTube
YouTube is the world’s largest and most used video streaming platform, with millions of videos. It contains countless hours of video lectures on almost all topics within the AI domain, including NLP.
You can use this program to revise old concepts and find solutions to problems you are facing in developing NLP. It is used by both beginner and advanced programmers and developers all over the world.
Should You Study Natural Language Processing?
The answer to this question is subjective. You should ask yourself whether you are interested in learning deep learning or AI. If you are, then you will have to learn NLP sooner or later, as it is one of the essential concepts of machine learning.
AI is a huge emerging industry that is constantly undergoing development. Although predicting the future can be difficult, it is certain that in the future, we will have many more uses for AI.
Start learning NLP today to get an edge over other students and as you pursue an education in this field.
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