1. What is R, RStudio and R Markdown?

  • R is a popular open-source statistical programming environment.
  • R is freely available for download and runs on Macintosh and Windows computers.
  • RStudio is another freely available software package that has numerous features to make data analysis easier.
  • RStudio is open-source and free program that greatly facilitates the use of R.
  • RStudio gives users a text editor where we write programs, a grapp viewer which displays graphics we make, R console where we execute our programs, a help section, and many other useful features.
  • R Markdown consists of R and Markdown and works on RStudio.
  • Markdown is a Markup language proposed by John Gruber and Aaron Swartz in 2004.
  • R Markdown enables us to document R code, statistical results, and comments into one file

Advantages to use R Markdown on RStudio

  • You can display your idea, R code, statistical results, and comments at the same time in html.
    →　You can trace what you have done in your analysis
    →　You can avoid human errors in empirical analysis
  • Output type: HTML, PDF, MSWord, PowerPoint

・HTML output is highly recommended

What is R Markdown?
・You need to know the difference between plain text and rich text to understand the difference between Markdown and R Markdown

2 types of text 　　

1. plain text

・A document made up of text which does not include format information, such as the size and the color of characters.
・ Rmd file we use here is also a plain text.
・Examples of plain text:
- TextEdit (macOS)
- memo (Windows)
・ plain text does not include functions of formatting or inserting figures and graphs

2. rich text

・ A document made up of text which includes format information. ・ Examples of rich text:
- Microsoft Word
- Pages
- LibreOffice Writer
・ rich text includes functions of formatting or inserting figures and graphs.

What is Markup lauguage?

・Markup language is a language which aims at making a rich text only using plain text
・ Examples of Markup language: HTML:(HyperText Markup Language)
・html contains figures, tables, bold characters, and index in addition to plain text.
・html is written only by plain text.
・You need a Web Browser which enables you to visualize the text.
・ Examples of Web Browser:
- Firefox
- Chrome
- Edge
・Web Browsers read text
→ Interpret it
→ Visualize it as an output

What is Markdown?

・Markdown reconstructs Markup with simpler grammar.

What is R Markdown?

・R Markdown is a Markdown which contains R code and its statistical results altogether.

2. Setting up R Markdown

Procedure What you do Steps
I. Make an R Project :Make a folder (ex: keiryo_2023） 1 - 5
II. Make an Rmd file : Make a file (ex: first_trial.Rmd） 6 - 10
III. Click Knit : Visualize the Rmd file (ex: first_trial.html） 11 - 18

I. Make an R Project

  • Make an R Project equals making an R Project foler

Step_1:

  • Start RStusio → File → New Project