Homework 00: Getting setup
Getting all the materials and tools for the class
1. Discord
Click this link to join the Math & Stats Discord server https://discord.gg/xCQTAgu8bE. This is a support platform where student office hours will be held and personalized channels can be made.
- Download the Desktop app. You should not rely on remembering to log in using the web version. Chances are very high that you will miss out on important announcements and bonus activities. There also is a Discord phone app that you may want to consider.
- You are welcome to have any username you choose as long as it’s suitable for school.
- Once you join the server and accept the code of conduct, go to the
#class-selection
channel (left side bar) and click the icon that’ll add you to our class folder. - Post an introduction in the
#458-class-chat
channel. Include the following:- major
- Any pets (include pics!)
- what fictional family would you like to belong to?
- your biggest concern about the class
2. Update your R (4.2+) and R Studio (latest).
- All homework is to be done in a literate programming/reproducible manner. This means either
.Rmd
or.qmd
files compiled to PDF.- If you don’t know what this means, review lecture 02 & 03 from Math 130 week 1
- Also check out the next generation of literate programming tools: Quarto. I will be giving you
.qmd
files to work in. They work essentially the same as Rmarkdown files with subtle differences. You must have the newest version of Rstudio to work with these files.
- Make sure you can knit to PDF. If you cannot, then install the
tinytex
package and then runtinytex::install_tinytex()
in the console to install a lightweight version of LaTeX.
3. Get Organized
Using a consistent folder structure across your projects will help keep things organized, and will also make it easy to find/file things in the future. This can be especially helpful when you have multiple projects. In general, you may create directories (folders) for scripts, data, and reports.
You need to choose a naming convention for your folders and try to stick with it. Recommended options are:
- ALL CAPS (MATH458)
- no caps (math458)
- snake_case (math_458)
- CamelCase (Math458)
Create this class folder along with the following subfolders to organize your data and script files.
data
- any data that’s handed out goes in hereworksheets
- scripts used for completing worksheetshomework
- assignments to be submittednotes
- you will be writing and contributing notes to the classexams
- because they’re likely to be computer based.
4. Quick access
Bookmark this class website. Going through Canvas every time just is a waste of your time.
5. HackMD
Go to the What is HackMD collaborative notes, read the introduction and add your name and major to the list.
6. Student office hours
Help me decide when to hold student office hours. Remember, these are open drop in times where I dedicate my time to YOU as students. My time outside these hours is limited, so be sure to fill this out so I can best choose times that you are free. [Link]
🛑 If you are doing this for Math 456, do not submit a second entry. You only need to do this once.
7. Programming Assessment
This is a required, but ungraded pre-assessment of your R programming skills. This allows both of us to have an understanding about where you are at. Instructions are found in Canvas.
🛑 If you are doing this for Math 456, do not submit a second entry. You only need to do this once.