R is for statistics R*evolution

R software is creating an open-source statistics revolution. It is powerful, easy to use, popular and free! And it just keeps get better all the time! In many ways, it has already surpassed what can be done with any other purchased software.

This post provides links to some useful resources for joining the R revolution – including a review of books on R. While we usually focus on what we have learned about humans and the environment, the methods used to make these discoveries also deserve mention. We use statistics all the time- it’s how we find out whether our observations are significant evidence for a new theory, or merely random luck. In other words, statistical methods keep us from making huge mistakes! And they also help us visualize, understand and present our observations in a form that can make sense to others.

Here are some links to help you join the R*evolution!

• R Book Review– what R books should you buy? (if you want more help than is available in R’s excellent free documentation). On February 3, 2009, a group of us in the lab and others sat down with 12 of the most popular books on R, and decided on the best books in 3 categories.
• Article on R in the NY Times (1/8/2009)
• Page of useful R links (including the R site- downloads!)