Introduction to R and RStudio

About this Class

This is the first class in the NIH Library Introduction to R Series. This class provides a basic overview of the functionality of R programming language and RStudio. R is a programming language and open source environment for statistical computing and graphics. The R class series is a comprehensive collection of training sessions offered by the NIH Library Data Services and Bioinformatics programs that is designed to teach non-programmers how to write modular code and to introduce best practices for using R for data analysis and data visualization. Each class uses both evidence-based best practices for programming and practical hands-on lessons.

By the end of this class, students should be able to: list reasons for using R; describe the purpose of the RStudio Script, Console, Environment, and Plots panes; describe the various methods for finding help on R and RStudio; organize files and directories for a set of analyses as an R Project; define the following terms as they relate to R: object, assign, comment, call, function, and arguments; and assign values to objects in R.

Students are encouraged to install R and RStudio before the class so that they can follow along with the instructor. Please bring your laptop with R and RStudio installed.