---
title: "Reading Data in R"
subtitle: "Module 3"
engine: markdown
---

## Reading a File {revealjs:offset-headings-by="-1" revealjs:offset-headings-depth="1"}

### From a CSV file

`read.csv()` reads a comma separated file and returns a data frame.

```{.r revealjs:style="font-size: 0.7em;"}
penguins <- read.csv("penguins.csv")
str(penguins)
```

The `str()` call prints the structure of the object, so you can check the column types before going further.

---

Two arguments matter more than the others.

- `stringsAsFactors` controls whether character columns become factors.
- `na.strings` lists the values to read as missing.

### From an Excel file

R has no built-in reader for Excel files, so you need a package.

```{.r}
readxl::read_excel("penguins.xlsx", sheet = "data")
```

## Common Pitfalls {revealjs:offset-headings-by="-1" revealjs:offset-headings-depth="1"}

### Separators and decimal marks

::: {revealjs:style="font-size: 0.6em;" default:style="max-width: 40em;"}

| Function       | Separator | Decimal mark |
| -------------- | --------- | ------------ |
| `read.csv()`   | `,`       | `.`          |
| `read.csv2()`  | `;`       | `,`          |
| `read.delim()` | tab       | `.`          |

:::

Pick the reader that matches the file you were given, rather than reading the file and repairing it afterwards.

### Checking your work {.no-cascade}

Always print the dimensions of what you read.

```{.r}
dim(penguins)
```