Chapter 1 (1.1-1.6)

Question 1

What are the three fundamental goals of quantitative social science research?

Answer 1

1. measure
2. predict
3. explain

Question 2

True or false: “successfully executed code” and “output” are different things.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

How does R store information?

Answer 3

In the form of objects.

Question 4

True or false: “replace” and “overwrite” is the same thing.

Answer 4

True

Question 5

To create an object called “seven” containing the number 7, you run:
A. “seven” <- 7
B. seven <- “7”
C. seven <- 7
D. 7 <- seven

Answer 5

C. (“seven <- 7”)

Question 6

What does “##” indicate?

Answer 6

The beginning of an output.

Question 7

What are the three steps to create an object?

Answer 7

1. give the object a name
2. specify its contents
3. use the assignment operator “<-“

Question 8

Is R case sensitive?

Answer 8

Yes (for example, “student” and “Student” are different things).

Question 9

What’s the definition of a function?

Answer 9

An action that you request R to perform on an object or dataset.

Question 10

Explain the process of an object.

Answer 10

1. take an input (or multiple inputs)
2. perform an action with the input
3. produce an output

Question 11

Explain the following sentence: “code is sequential”.

Answer 11

Code must be run in order.

Question 12

Account for the four parts of R.

Answer 12

Upper left window: RScript (where you write and run code)
Lower left window: RConsole (where R provides the executed code and its outputs and errors)
Upper right window: Environment (storage room of the current R session; lists the objects that have been created)
Lower right window: Help and plots tables