I asked ChatGPT how students should use it when learning how to code
in R. I’ve copied the response here, as well as added my own summarising
thoughts at the end.
Prompt: How would you advise students use you (ChatGPT) when
learning how to code in R?
Here’s how I would advise students to use me (ChatGPT) effectively
when learning to code in R:
1. Concept Clarification and Explanation:
- Ask me for explanations of R concepts you’re
struggling with, such as data types, functions, or specific R
packages.
- Use me to understand terminology (e.g., what a data
frame or factor is) or coding principles (e.g.,
vectorization, scoping).
- I can also explain error messages and suggest ways
to resolve them.
2. Learning Through Code Examples:
- Request example code for specific tasks, such as
data manipulation, plotting, or statistical analysis.
- After seeing my example, try to tweak the code on
your own. Understanding how the code changes behavior will reinforce
learning.
- If you have a complex task, break it into parts and
ask for help on specific sub-tasks.
3. Debugging Assistance:
- If your code isn’t working, share your code and
error with me. I can help identify mistakes and explain how to
fix them.
- I can also help optimize code or suggest more
efficient approaches if you’re unsure about your current
implementation.
4. Code Interpretation:
- If you encounter code you don’t understand, ask me to
explain line by line. I can break down the logic so you
can see why the code works the way it does.
- I can help you understand output or
results from specific R functions, making sure you know
how to interpret what the code produces.
5. Project Guidance:
- If you’re working on a larger project or assignment, ask me for help
with organizing your workflow or suggesting
best practices (e.g., code readability, data
preprocessing).
- For specific problems, ask for advice on which functions or
libraries are most appropriate (e.g.,
dplyr
for
data manipulation or ggplot2
for visualization).
6. Experimentation:
- Use me to try out new coding techniques or ask for
ideas on how to achieve something differently (e.g., applying a
different statistical method or visualization style).
- I can introduce you to R packages or tools you may
not know about that could enhance your coding skills.
7. Learning Syntax and Functions:
- When you’re unfamiliar with a specific function’s
syntax, I can quickly give you the correct format and explain
the purpose of each argument.
- You can ask me for comparisons between functions
(e.g.,
apply()
vs. lapply()
), so you know when
and why to use one over the other.
8. Learning How to Read Documentation:
- If you struggle with understanding the R
documentation, I can explain what certain parts of it mean and
how to apply what you’re reading.
- I can also point out important sections or break
down the technical language into simpler terms.
Best Practices When Using ChatGPT:
- Practice independently: After I give you an
explanation or a solution, try to code on your own to deepen
understanding.
- Ask specific questions: The more specific you are,
the better and more tailored my responses will be.
- Use me to supplement, not replace, learning: I’m a
helpful guide, but to truly master R, you need to experiment, debug, and
work through challenges on your own.
- Iterate: If you don’t understand an explanation or
code I provide, ask me to explain it in a different way. Learning coding
can involve multiple attempts at grasping a concept.
In summary, think of me as your tutor who can explain, provide
examples, and troubleshoot in real-time. However, always pair my
guidance with hands-on practice and exploration to
truly build your R skills.
My thoughts…
ChatGPT is best used to supplement your own learning. It is great at
helping you understand code, providing a template that you can adapt for
your own purposes, or finding simple typo errors in code quickly.
However, you should not rely on ChatGPT to write code for you. A lack of
understanding of the code you are running will leave you susceptible to
other calamitous mistakes that are harder to detect/correct (e.g., the
code may do something different to what you are expecting, or may not
apply as easily to your specific data set). ChatGPT is also not great at
complicated processes, where perhaps you are chaining multiple functions
together (i.e., ChatGPT is not great at seeing the big picture, which
you - an intelligent human being - can see with ease). All this to say,
ChatGPT is a useful resource, but an understanding of R coding is still
required to truly master the data preparation tasks and statistical
analyses you are required to conduct in this module.