[R-sig-teaching] The pedagogy of the assignment operator

[Robert W. Hayden]

Forwarded message:
> From: Murray Jorgensen <maj at waikato.ac.nz>
> 
> in my own R code I have used various forms of the R assignment operator 
> at different times in my life. There are arguments for and against each 
> choice.
> 
> A question I would like this sig is whether there are any specifically 
> teaching reasons for preferring one form over another?
> 
> A second question, mainly to clarify the first, is whether different 
> forms might be preferred for different types of student?

I don't have a strong opinion but I think this was much debated long
ago in connection with other programming languages such as BASIC and
Pascal.  Some of that might be relevant.

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