1.1 How to read this book

In the shaded dialog boxes with the thick left border are commands that should be typed into your R Console window. This corresponds to input, the output will sometimes follow below with lines preceeded with two hashmarks (##).

print("HELLO WORLD")

## [1] "HELLO WORLD"

Tips, Suggestions and Traps

Comments and salient advice are provided in dialogs such as this. We’ll use this format to warn you of traps that you could slip into and to provide some hints.

Warnings and Traps

Warnings are provided in dialogs such as this. We’ll use this format to warn you of traps that you could slip into and to provide some hints.

Time for you to make R work

Exercises are the best way to learn. A document can provide an insight to the process but hands-on interaction with R is the only way to learn. In the exercise boxes are some suggested exercises that will apply the knowledge that is being shared.