R-Instat guide

[rdstern]

This is now needed. The old Instat had an introductory guide, a reference guide (to the commands), a tutorial guide and a climatic guide for the extra climatic menu.

We may eventually want a guide on each special menu (climatic, procurement, etc). But for now we propose that the Introductory guide is what is needed. We are not sue a reference guide is needed, and we have started producing some tutorial guides already.

I propose the (not very imaginative) name: R-Instat Guide. It will be sort of like the old Instat guide but with less statistics.

With Danny we have outlined the first chapters. So this outline is for discussion.

Chapter 1: Introduction
Like old Instat, namely possibly:
1.1 The context
1.2 Who might use Instat
1.3 History
1.4 Other statistical packages

Chapter 2 - Getting Started
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Getting and installing Instat
2.3 Using an Instat tutorial
2.4 Using this introductory guide
2.5 Technical details of Instat’s installation
(Except we might refer to the Installation guide)

Now we differ from the old guide!
Chapter 3 Getting Data In
Include library and File > new and File > Open
A bit like the Old Instat Chapter 7
Can also mention multiple files.
Mention other items on the File menu - Save/Export, but they are described elsewhere. Not quite sure where yet.

Chapter 4: Using R-Instat or Understanding R-Instat
Menus, Dialogues, Special Menus
Structure of the menus
Roughly like Chapter 4 in the old Guide
The 2 main windows.
This assumes the other windows are described elsewhere. If not, then could be here also.

Chapter 5: R Concepts
This includes data frames, column types, attributes, etc. It could include commands, Tidyverse, ggplot, etc.

Chapter 6 The Prepare Menu - Part 1
6.1 Managing data frames, i.e. the first menu in prepare
6.2 Calculations
6.3 Factor Columns
6.4 Text Columns
6.5 Date Columns

Chapter 7 Prepare Menu Part 2: Reshaping data
Mention multilevel data here
7.2 Reshape through summary
7.3 Reshape in General
Also include Keys and Links

Chapter 8 Check Data

Chapter 9 Describe
9.1 the General structure
9.2 1, 2 and 3 variables
9.3 Specific
9.4 General
9.5 Using the graphs and tables - the rest of the menu

I realise detailed comments will have to wait until some text is drafted. This is mainly to discuss whether you agree in general?

[rdstern]

On methodology I am proposing to start this guide in my "old-fashioned" way, namely using Word.

Comments on this. OK?

[dannyparsons]

With David we suggest changing Chapter 5: Column Types to R Concepts which includes R column types, data frames, maybe metadata etc. any concepts of R that are useful to know about in R-Instat.

[dannyparsons]

There is also a decision of whether to do this in Word or as a markdown document.

There are some good advantages to a markdown document but I think we want to be as efficient as possible with this, so starting in Word makes sense. There are ways to convert to markdown if we later decide to change.

I suggest the Word document is on Dropbox so different people can look at/comment on/edit the latest version at the same time.

[rdstern]

I'll edit the initial comment to make that change. Nice idea. That's where we could also include the Instat Object - or whatever its new name is. And the R commands, and hence the other windows in R-Instat.