[R-sig-eco] keeping a variable as qualitative even if it is coded with numbers

[Chris Howden]

What do u mean it includes the 0's in your analysis?

Are u sure as.factor is converting them to factors (have a look using
str(data))

And if as.factor isn't working maybe try creating them as factors using
factor()

Chris Howden
Founding Partner
Tricky Solutions
Tricky Solutions 4 Tricky Problems
Evidence Based Strategic Development, IP Commercialisation and Innovation,
Data Analysis, Modelling, and Training
(mobile) 0410 689 945
(fax / office) (+618) 8952 7878
chris at trickysolutions.com.au

-----Original Message-----
From: r-sig-ecology-bounces at r-project.org
[mailto:r-sig-ecology-bounces at r-project.org] On Behalf Of amelie_can
Sent: Saturday, 27 November 2010 3:11 AM
To: r-sig-ecology at r-project.org
Subject: [R-sig-eco] keeping a variable as qualitative even if it is coded
with numbers


Hello,

I am running a fourthcorner analysis which links species abundance,
functionnal traits and environmental variable. One of my trait is about
seed
dispersal (qualitative variable) in which I have four classes: wind,
water,
short and long distance. One species can have many types of dispersal. So
in
my original table, I created four different column.

ex:

       wind         water        short         long
sp1    1               1              0             0
sp2    0               0              1             0
sp3    0               1              1             1

and so forth. My problem is that those variable are considered as
quantitative but they are qualitative.
I tried to transform them using the function as.factor but then it
includes
the 0 in my analysis and I am not interest in that.

Any ideas to make those variable "qualitative"?

Thank you all,

Amelie
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