[R-sig-teaching] Choice of graphics package

[Drew Tyre]

I use R to teach graduate students in the life sciences (mostly ecology but branching out). So far I show students both lattice and base  graphics. I like lattice graphics for exploration because of the ease of faceting plots. I use base graphics for "production plots" because I find it easier to tell people how to add things to a base plot (multiple lines etc). To do that effectively with lattice graphics you have to learn how to write panel functions, and that can be a mind bending experience (it was/is for me). 

I have not developed the facility with ggplot that I have with base graphics, so I can't comment on it. I think if one comes to truly understand the ggplot model it will be better/faster/easier than either base or lattice graphics, but it's a new model. I don't know which will be easier to teach to students hitting it "cold". I'd be interested in hearing from people that have tried teaching ggplot to students with no prior expeRience. 

--
Drew Tyre

School of Natural Resources
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
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________________________________________
From: R-sig-teaching <r-sig-teaching-bounces at r-project.org> on behalf of Granaas, Michael <Michael.Granaas at usd.edu>
Sent: Thursday, November 26, 2015 9:23 AM
To: R-sig-teaching
Subject: [R-sig-teaching] Choice of graphics package

I am working with first year grad students in psychology and have sloooooooowly been adding some R content to the course.  I do not have a systematic plan and I haven't yet found the teaching related materials that will be a good match to my particular course structure.

I noticed Randall Pruim's comment:
"4) For teaching, the decision between base graphics, lattice, and ggplot2 (and soon ggvis) is an important one to think through.  Depending on the goals of the course, I can imagine good arguments for using lattice or ggplot2.  I don’t find base graphics compelling for teaching and never teach it to my students."

Which caused me to wonder....which package should I be focusing on?

For these students I am focused on fairly basic graphics such as boxplots, histograms, scatterplots.  What are the pros/cons of the different packages that I should consider as I work to be more planful in my incorporation of R?

Michael

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Michael Granaas                                           mgranaas at usd.edu
Department of Psychology                           SL: VRprofessor Resident
University of South Dakota
414 E. Clark St                                             Phone: 605 677 5295
Vermillion, SD  57069                                 FAX: 605 677 3195
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