Lecture 3: Intro to ggplot2, Coding Style

Info and Materials

• Date: July 1, 2025
• Topics: Visualizing Data with ggplot2, Coding Style in R
• Slides: View Slides
• Code: usethis::use_course("csp-materials/ggplot2-style")

Learning Objectives

• Recognize the role of visualization in exploring and communicating data
• Understand the basic principles of the “Layered Grammar of Graphics”
• Create simple layered plots using ggplot2
• Apply correct coding style practices when writing R code

Before Class

• Review the Lecture 2 materials to get ready for today’s in-class quiz
• Start Homework 1. Have questions or need help? Join us for Office Hours right after class!
• Bring your laptop to every class

Readings

Skim the readings before or after class to get the big picture and prep for quizzes and assignments:

• Chapter 4 “Workflow: Code Style” from “R for Data Science” 2nd Edition
• Chapter 1 “Data Visualization” from “R for Data Science” 2nd Edition

Additional Resources (not needed for quizzes or homework, but helpful to dive deeper):

• ggplot2 Cheat Sheet
• ggplot2 Official Documentation
• ggplot2: Elegant Graphics for Data Analysis, 2nd Edition by Hadley Wickham. Excellent resource for learning the intricacies of ggplot2
• R Graphics Cookbook, 2nd edition by Winston Chang. A practical guide with 150 examples to generate quality graphics based on the data you wish to present
• “The tidyverse style guide”