FAQ

What will I get out of this course?

You will leave this course being able to:

  • use the R programming language and RStudio IDE to writing scripts, import & export data and develop visuizations
  • work with a wide array of data sets and be able to “tidy” data in order to perform structured analyses
  • access data via APIs, including the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics and Health & Human Services (along with virtually any API you can find)
  • use the “web” as a data source by scraping data from web sites/pages when an API is not available
  • perform exploratory data analysis (EDA) on any data set and describe the structure of data sets, including basic statistical information about the data
  • create data visualzations to communicate the results of your exploratory analyses and findings from general analyses

Do I need a computer?

Yes, you need a computer, but you can use the ones at Great Bay CC if you don’t have a personal computer.

Do I need to install R on my system?

Ideally, yes. However, a cloud-based RStudio Server will be provided by the course to ensure students have access to the a standardized install.

Will I need a text?

Yes. You can see which texts are required in the texts section.

Will there be quizzes?

Unfortunately, yes. The class meets infrequently enough that it will be important to keep up and one of the only ways to do that is with the shadow of a test of knowledge looming large on the horizon.

Will there be tests?

Yes. One mid-way through and one final exam.

Will there be projects?

Yes. After week #1, there will be weekly projects and 1-2 larger projects that run over multiple weeks, plus one final project.

Can I miss a class?

Kinda. We meet infrequently and you’ll be spotted one absence (excused or otherwise). If you plan or unexpectedly need to miss more, you will need to make arrangements with the instructor to ensure you won’t fall behind.

Will there be “lab” days?

The class meets in Room 400 and will be a mixture of instructor lectures and interactive work with datasets in R. There is no “lab day” but you can make arrangements with the instructor to be available at Great Bay. There is also the option for a virtual “hangout” as well, provided there is a common time folks are willing to set aside outside of class to participate.