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Start here to learn R

r-exercises.com

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Re: Start here to learn R

#2
All the tutorials involve using base R packages. While OK for a tutorial, this is not reflective for real-world data analysis both in performance and usability, a lesson I have learned the hard way. (After using it for three semesters in college, I almost quit R completely in frustration)

I recommend going straight to the Hadleyverse packages for the common use cases, and read the vignettes for the common use cases: readr for reading files, dplyr for manipulating data, ggplot2 for plotting (the most important package!), and tidyr for reshaping data into a ggplot2-friendly long form.

Wickham himself has a very beginner-friendly, free book for learn R using his packages: http://r4ds.had.co.nz/index.html (far better than any tutorial I could write)

Re: Start here to learn R

#3

All the tutorials involve using base R packages. While OK for a tutorial, this is not reflective for real-world data analysis both in performance and usability, a lesson I have learned the hard way. (After using it for three semesters in college, I almost quit R completely in frustration) I recommend going straight to the Hadleyverse packages for the common use cases, and read the vignettes for the common use cases:…

The Hadleyverse is the best thing that ever happened to R: sane, intuitive tools that do what you expect with common-sense usage and examples. And don't forget stringr!

Re: Start here to learn R

#4
> If you’re completely new to R, we suggest you simply start with the first topic, “Simple manipulations; numbers and vectors”.

Where is this? I couldn't see anything with the same name.

The first thing in the list: http://r-exercises.com/2015/10/09/vector-exercises/ starts by telling me I need to have read something else, which is a chapter in a long PDF.

I applaud the effort, but this feels confusing and I'm worried about people being discouraged right as they start.

Re: Start here to learn R

#5

All the tutorials involve using base R packages. While OK for a tutorial, this is not reflective for real-world data analysis both in performance and usability, a lesson I have learned the hard way. (After using it for three semesters in college, I almost quit R completely in frustration) I recommend going straight to the Hadleyverse packages for the common use cases, and read the vignettes for the common use cases:…

Go one step further with Wickham's purrr too. Offers well developed functional programming tools!

Re: Start here to learn R

#6
These are interesting exercises. I would also add that what it means to learn, or begin to learn, a language in general but R in particular could vary widely.

Some people actually need to learn statistics while they are learning to express those concepts.

Some people need to learn idiomatic R. I really didn't think of R as very functional till I took Peng's (excellent) Coursera course.

Some people need to get a sense of the libraries available.

This is an intro to get some practice in the the classical, original purpose for S, Splus and R: linear algebra operations in R.

Re: Start here to learn R

#7

All the tutorials involve using base R packages. While OK for a tutorial, this is not reflective for real-world data analysis both in performance and usability, a lesson I have learned the hard way. (After using it for three semesters in college, I almost quit R completely in frustration) I recommend going straight to the Hadleyverse packages for the common use cases, and read the vignettes for the common use cases:…

Thanks for mentioning this. I have used dplyr, ggplot2, and a little of some others but I had no idea about Hadley and that they all worked together.

Re: Start here to learn R

#8

All the tutorials involve using base R packages. While OK for a tutorial, this is not reflective for real-world data analysis both in performance and usability, a lesson I have learned the hard way. (After using it for three semesters in college, I almost quit R completely in frustration) I recommend going straight to the Hadleyverse packages for the common use cases, and read the vignettes for the common use cases:…

Btw it's called the tidyverse now ;)

Re: Start here to learn R

#9

All the tutorials involve using base R packages. While OK for a tutorial, this is not reflective for real-world data analysis both in performance and usability, a lesson I have learned the hard way. (After using it for three semesters in college, I almost quit R completely in frustration) I recommend going straight to the Hadleyverse packages for the common use cases, and read the vignettes for the common use cases:…

Thanks for mentioning this. I have used dplyr, ggplot2, and a little of some others but I had no idea about Hadley and that they all worked together.

No idea about Hadley?! Oh the horror :p
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