About Data Camp

Description

Some class sessions have an interactive lesson that you will work through after doing the readings and lecture (if applicable). These lessons are a central part of the class—they will teach you how to use R and corresponding packages we’ll use.

Interactive training sections are provided via

Data Camp Logo

Purpose

The ultimate point of Data Camp1 is to get you familiarized with an environment that you likely have never seen or been exposed to. While you should absolutely go through each module, there is certainly no expectation that you will get everything right. In fact, the points that you incur don’t mean anything as far as how you are assessed so please use hints as needed! As with any things data science, you’ll learn by doing. If you are a polar personality type when it comes to work (i.e. primarily a perfectionist or mostly careless), then the modules will likely prove to be a challenge. It is highly unlikely that you will be able to comprehend everything by going beyond your limit or that it will just come to you so please work hard but also take breaks, swear2, and ask peers or me for help.

Grading

The emphasis on Data Camp involves putting in a solid effort, rather than completing everything correctly. The earned grade distribution is as follows:

  • 115%: Modules are 100% completed. Every task was attempted and answered, and most answers are correct. These are not earned often.
  • 100%: Modules are 70–99% complete and most answers are correct or on point. This is the expected level of performance.
  • 50%: Modules are less than 70% complete and/or most answers are incorrect or off-point. This indicates that you need to improve next time. Hopefully people will not earn this often.

Otherwise 0%.

Notes

for previous participants

If you have participated in Data Camp before and would like to receive credit for assigned modules you have previously completed, make sure to login with the associated username. Please note that you must do this to qualify.

for new participants

Please take your time going through these, especially the initial module. I suggest setting 8-10 hours aside spread the information out over the next two weeks if it is conducive to your learning style. This first module gives you an understand of the R environment. Please reach out if you need help!

Installing R and RStudio

Go to the Installing R, RStudio, and tidyverse page under Resources to get both R and RStudio installed on your system.

Schedule

A tentative schedule is given below. The Course and Chapter names represent Data Camp titles3:

ModuleAvailableDue byRequiredCourse
18/19/219/1/21Introduction to R
28/26/219/8/21Introduction to the Tidyverse
38/26/2110/6/21Introduction to Statistics in R
49/23/2110/20/21Introduction to Data in R
510/21/2111/3/21Foundations of Inference
610/21/2111/17/21Inference for Categorical Data in R
EC110/21/2111/3/21Analyzing Survey Data in R
EC211/4/2111/18/21Fundamentals of Bayesian Data Analysis in R
EC310/21/2112/8/21Reporting with R Markdown

Need Help?

I always prefer a face to face meeting if possible but since that’s not possible, you can schedule a Zoom via the Calendar or contact me within Slack by tagging my name @Dr. Abhik Roy in a text box along with your message.


  1. If you have (1) used Data Camp before and (2) are logged in with the same username, then any module that was successfully completed will not have to be done again. ↩︎

  2. and curse my name if you have to ↩︎

  3. Subject to change with notice. ↩︎