Learn R with DataCamp

DataCamp is an online learning platform that offers programming courses in R, among other languages. All university students can avail themselves of a complimentary 6-month license from DataCamp. If you are enrolled in one of my courses, you should have received this license by email, but if you haven’t, please reach out to me.

To start learning, first create an account on DataCamp using the student license you received. Once set up, I recommend beginning with the Introduction to R for Finance and Intermediate R for Finance courses.

Prepare for the Course

Before beginning a course on DataCamp, consider downloading and printing out the course slides. This will allow you to add your own notes as you work through the material. You can access the slides from the course dashboard by scrolling down to any of the chapters and clicking on Continue Chapter or Completed (if you’ve already finished that chapter). Then, locate the Show Slides icon in the top-right corner and click on the download symbol.

As you progress through the course, try to apply what you’re learning to a financial or economic dataset that interests you using the RStudio software on your desktop. This immediate application of newly acquired knowledge helps solidify understanding and allows you to save useful functions in your R script for future reference. This method is particularly effective for bridging the gap between course material and your area of interest, especially in more advanced courses. While the Introduction to R for Finance and Intermediate R for Finance courses mainly focus on introducing basic functions and don’t necessarily involve specific datasets, this approach is highly beneficial for most other courses.

XP System and Course Completion

In DataCamp, each course is equipped with an experience point (XP) system. XP is a measure of your progress and engagement within a course. You earn XP by successfully completing exercises, practice sessions, and assessments within a course. The more XP you gain, the more it showcases your dedication and understanding of the subject matter.

Upon successfully completing a course, you receive a certificate from DataCamp, which is a testament to your accomplishment and newly acquired skills. These certificates can be shared on professional networking sites like LinkedIn or included in your CV, showcasing your dedication to learning and skill development.

Courses are divided into chapters that each focus on a specific topic. In turn, each chapter consists of numerous exercises. You complete a course by working through each exercise and solving them successfully. When Completed appears beneath every chapter of a course, it signifies that you have finished the course. If you find an exercise challenging, you can opt for Take Hint to get some help or Show Answer to see the correct solution. However, it’s most beneficial to grasp the concepts and find solutions independently.

Importantly, DataCamp allows unlimited course retakes. If you wish to reset a course, go to the course dashboard, select Replay Course (or Continue Course), then Course Outline, and finally Reset Course Progress. This way, if you’re unsatisfied with your XP score in a course, you can simply redo it. The aim is to thoroughly understand the course content and develop the associated skills, not to rush through it. Learn at your own pace and remember to enjoy the learning journey!

Develop Your Skills

After completing the initial courses, I encourage you to delve into more courses and skill tracks to uncover the wide array of possibilities that R (and Python) offer. One effective method of exploring new courses is by following career or skill tracks. These are curated collections of courses designed to provide comprehensive knowledge in a specific field. You can find these tracks by navigating to app.datacamp.com/learn, clicking on Tracks in the left navigation pane, and then selecting either Career Tracks or Skill Tracks. You can then choose R for courses based on the R software, or select other programs such as Python.

For those studying Economics and Business, the following tracks are particularly pertinent:

For honing report writing skills, Reporting with R Markdown is recommended, and for those keen on Excel, the Spreadsheet Fundamentals skill track is worth considering.