Putting the R in CER
Jordan T. Harshman, Ellen J. Yezierski, Sara E. Nielsen · ACS symposium series · 2017
When researchers employ quantitative methods in their investigations, they have the choice of many programs to conduct their analyses. In this chapter, we argue that the statistical programming language called R demonstrates the greatest utility in these analyses. R is capable of conducting one of the largest varieties of statistical techniques compared to other programs and has the potential to transform how researchers analyze their data. Throughout the chapter, we will discuss the significant benefits of using R to more efficiently and effectively analyze data by re-conceptualizing data visualizations, defining custom functions, writing programmatic loops, and enhancing reproducibility and documentation.