Skip to Main Content

Research Software

Data Services Librarian

Profile Photo
Ann James
calendly.com/ajames31
Contact:
Suite 303V, Gelman Library
+1 202-994-2216
Website
Social: Twitter Page

Finding and Getting Help Using R

R is available for students, staff, faculty, and affiliates across campus and in virtual computer labs. Please review Academic Technologies Classrooms and Labs online search page to learn more about where you can access and use R on campus in shared computer facilities. Academic Commons also maintains a current list of software packages available in virtual computer labs and Gelman Library. 

For software support, schedule a research consultation or attend a workshop

Downloading R/RStudio

  1. Download the R programming language. For Windows, you'll want to use the base file if you're installing the program for the first time.
  2. Download RStudio. RStudio is an integrated development environment (IDE) for R which provides users some additional features for programming in R with an easy-to-navigate graphical user interface. Install RStudio after installing R. 
  3. After installing R and RStudio, open RStudio. 

Why use R?

R is available as free, open source software under the terms of the Free Software Foundation's GNU General Public License. It compiles and runs on a wide variety of UNIX platforms and similar systems, Windows, and Mac OS. It is actively supported by GWU's librarians and statistical consultants through research consultation appointments and workshops.

R is a language and environment for research computing, data analysis, and visualization. This program offers users a wide variety of statistical, analytical, and graphical capabilities and is easily extensible through its many, user-created packages. R has strengths in its ability to enable users to create well-designed, publication-quality graphics, animations, and maps with relative ease. It provides researchers with a way of easily reproducing and sharing their cleaning and analysis process with colleagues. It also supports users who are interested to integrate into their research process a variety of other computer languages and software applications, like Tableau, ArcGIS, and python.

R Tutorials

R Books and Ebooks

R Learning Communities

GW Libraries • 2130 H Street NW • Washington DC 20052202.994.6558AskUs@gwu.edu