Data Science: R Basics

Harvard's Professional Certificate Program in Data Science

Course Description

Welcome to "Data Science: R Basics," the first course in Harvard's Professional Certificate Program in Data Science. This exciting and hands-on course is designed to introduce you to the fundamentals of R programming, a powerful tool in the world of data science. Instead of learning R in isolation, you'll dive into a real-world scenario, using crime data from the United States to develop practical skills that can be applied to various data analysis challenges.

What Students Will Learn

  • Basic R syntax and foundational programming concepts
  • Data types, vector arithmetic, and indexing in R
  • Essential R functions and when to use advanced functions like sorting
  • General programming features such as "if-else" and "for loop" commands
  • Data wrangling techniques using the dplyr package
  • Data visualization skills with ggplot2
  • File organization using UNIX/Linux
  • Version control with git and GitHub
  • Reproducible document preparation with RStudio

Prerequisites

While this course is designed for beginners, having an up-to-date web browser is recommended to enable programming directly in a browser-based interface. No prior programming experience is required, but a basic understanding of mathematics and statistics would be beneficial.

Course Content

  • Introduction to R programming and its importance in data science
  • R data types and basic syntax
  • Vector operations and indexing
  • Advanced functions and sorting techniques
  • Control structures (if-else statements and for loops)
  • Data manipulation with dplyr
  • Data visualization using ggplot2
  • File management and organization with UNIX/Linux
  • Version control basics using git and GitHub
  • Creating reproducible documents with RStudio
  • Application of learned skills to analyze US crime data

Who This Course Is For

  • Aspiring data scientists and analysts
  • Students interested in pursuing a career in data-driven fields
  • Professionals looking to enhance their data analysis skills
  • Anyone curious about R programming and its applications in real-world scenarios

Real-World Applications

The skills acquired in this course are highly valuable in today's data-driven world. Learners will be able to:

  1. Analyze and interpret complex datasets in various industries
  2. Create compelling data visualizations for reports and presentations
  3. Develop reproducible research and analysis workflows
  4. Collaborate effectively on data science projects using version control
  5. Apply R programming skills to solve real-world problems in fields such as finance, healthcare, marketing, and more
  6. Lay a strong foundation for more advanced data science concepts and techniques

Conclusion

By completing this course, you'll be well-prepared to tackle the subsequent courses in the Professional Certificate Program in Data Science, which cover more advanced topics like probability, inference, regression, and machine learning. Join us on this exciting journey into the world of data science and R programming!