This workshop will introduce participants to the possibilities of using the free and open-source R programming language and software environment for data processing, analysis, and visualization. For many, Microsoft Excel is the tool of choice when working with data. By simply clicking, pointing, and dragging things with your mouse, you can accomplish many data-related tasks. What R offers is the ability to do the same tasks and much more in a fraction of the time it would in Excel, with larger data sets, fewer errors, and more transparency. Participants will see satisfying examples of using R to do common data tasks and, working back from those examples, learn key R programming skills in the process. The workshop facilitator will use a fun and freely-accessible dataset and examples from popular R “packages” to perform common data tasks, including cleaning, exploring, and plotting data. Participants will see right away what data science can do for them and the many advantages of using R.
To actively learn new R skills, participants will need R and Rstudio, a free and open-source tool for using R, on their computers; however, those without laptops or R will still benefit from a demonstration of R and a discussion of its features. A handout with links to the presentation and the R examples used along with additional details on where they can learn more will be provided.
Session slides
