Software for 431

NEW! Go here for suggested R/RStudio/Quarto learning resources

The course makes heavy use of the R statistical programming language, and several related tools, most especially the RStudio development environment. Every bit of this software is free to use, and open-source.

You will need access to a computer to do your work for this class, not just an iPad or other tablet, but an actual computer. You do not need a state of the art machine, nor should you need any special hardware to run things for this course.

Installing R and R Studio

The steps you need to complete are:

1. Download and install the latest version of R (version 4.4.1 or later) from https://cran.case.edu/ or, if you prefer, from https://cloud.r-project.org/ which automatically chooses a fast, nearby mirror for you.

   • If you have a pre-existing installation of R and/or RStudio, we highly recommend that you re-install both to get current.

2. Download and install RStudio Desktop (Open Source Edition - the free version 2024.04.2+764 or later) by visiting https://posit.co/download/rstudio-desktop/.

Installing R Packages and Data/Code for 431

After you’ve completed steps 1 and 2 above, move on to these tasks:

3. Install some R packages - an R “package” is a collection of functions, data, and documentation that extends the capabilities of R, and is the critical way to get R doing interesting work.

   • Visit https://github.com/THOMASELOVE/431-packages for details and the list of packages we’ll be using in 431.

4. Download data and code (functions) we’ve developed specifically for 431 at https://github.com/THOMASELOVE/431-data. Follow the instructions you’ll find there.

Need Installation Help?

If you need more help, you might look at this terrific resource for Installing R and RStudio from Jenny Bryan and the STAT 545 project. These are the people responsible for the great Happy Git with R project, which will also be worth your time when we are using Git and GitHub.

• If you’re having trouble with installation before our first class, don’t worry too much. The TAs and Professor Love will be available to help once the class gets going.
• Once the class starts, if you’re having installation problems or problems getting started in R, please consider visiting TA office hours or perhaps asking a question on Campuswire. We want to hear from you!

Updating Your R Packages

Every once in a while, it’s a good idea to update your R packages. To do so,

1. Go to the Packages tab on the right side of your RStudio screen, and click on Update.

2. This will bring up a dialog box. I usually click Select All, then click Install Updates.

   • A popup box may appear, asking “Do you want to install from sources the packages which need compilation?” to which I usually answer No. A Yes response leads to a slower installation, but can solve problems if you still have them after updating.
   • This may take a few minutes. As long as you’re seeing activity in the Console window, things are progressing.
   • Eventually, you’ll get a message that “The downloaded source packages are in …” with a directory name. That’s the sign that the updating is done.
   • Updating packages is something you’ll do occasionally throughout the semester, mostly when a problem happens.

3. Finally, choose File … Quit Session from the top menu, and accept or deny (I usually deny) RStudio’s request to save your workspace. Then close RStudio, and re-open it if you want to do some work.

Getting Better at R, RStudio and Quarto

This material is now found on our Resources page