About Quick-R
R is an elegant and comprehensive statistical and graphical programming language. Unfortunately, it can also have a steep learning curve. I created this website for experienced users of popular statistical packages such as SAS, SPSS, Stata, and Systat (although current R users should also find it useful). My goal is to help you quickly access this language in your work.
I assume that you are already familiar with the statistical methods covered and instead provide you with a roadmap and the code necessary to get started quickly, and orient yourself for future learning.
Why Use R?
If you currently use a statistical package such as SAS, SPSS, Stata, or Systat why learn R?
- It's free! If you are a teacher or a student, the benefits are obvious.
- It runs on a variety of platforms including Windows, Unix and MacOS.
- It provides an unparalleled platform for programming new statistical methods in an easy and straightforward manner.
- It contains advanced statistical routines not yet available in other packages.
- It has state-of-the-art graphics capabilities.
Obtaining R
R is available for Linux, MacOS X, and Windows (95 or later) platforms. Software can be downloaded from one of the Comprehensive R Archive Network (CRAN) mirror sites.
A Learning Strategy
In order to learn R quickly, I would suggest the following sequence: read An Introduction to R, followed by R for SAS and SPSS Users. Both are short, excellent guides you can download in PDF format. Then work through the pages of the Quick-R website, choosing the topics that interest you. I designed this web site to be an easily accessible reference. Look at the sitemap to get an overview.