Resources
Everything you need to set up, run, and get help with the course. If you are just getting started, follow the Getting Started guide first.
Course documents
Syllabus Contract
5 min
Review and sign to confirm you understand course policies, grading, and academic integrity.
Annotated Manuscript Example
15 min
An example of a properly annotated research article, showing the critical reading protocol.
Get the course workspace
Your VS Code course workspace holds your journals, notes, and project files in one Git-tracked folder. You do not download a ZIP: open the template on GitHub, click Use this template to create your own copy, then clone it into VS Code.
Use the template on GitHub Setup guide
What’s inside: 00_inbox (quick capture), 01_journal (weekly reflections), 02_literature (reading notes), 03_project (prospectus, codebook, data, drafts), 04_resources (attachments), and _templates (journal and codebook templates).
Required software
Install these before Phase I. All are free.
VS Code
Your single workspace for writing, R, Quarto, and Git.
Free
R
Statistical analysis and visualization, run inside VS Code.
Free
Git & GitHub
Version control for your work and your White Paper.
Free
GitHub Desktop (optional)
A visual Git interface if you prefer buttons to the command line.
Free
Make VS Code your own
Once the tools are installed, spend a few minutes owning your editor. These guides go deeper than setup.
Customizing VS Code
15 min
Themes, settings, keyboard shortcuts, and profiles, so the editor fits how you work.
GitHub Education Copilot
15 min
Claim the free student plan and use Copilot as a supervised code-completion aid.
Learning templates
Ready-to-use templates live in your course workspace under _templates/.
- Weekly journal template reflects on your learning using one of three thinking paths: the Connector (how does this relate to what I know?), the Troubleshooter (what problems did I solve?), and the Critic (does this match my experience?).
- Data dictionary / codebook template defines your variables in Phase III, with columns for variable name, definition, type, allowed values, and examples.
FAQ
Q: Do I need to buy the textbook? No. From Vibes to Variables is free and open access. Read it online.
Q: Can I use RStudio or another editor instead of VS Code? This course standardizes on VS Code so everyone shares one environment and one set of instructions. Learning it deeply is part of the course.
Q: Do I need a separate note-taking app? No. Your notes live as Markdown files in the course workspace. Keeping everything in VS Code is the whole point.
Q: Where do I turn in my work? Graded deliverables live in your workspace under 03_project/ and are pushed to GitHub. Dr. Leith collects via GitHub or Blackboard as noted in the syllabus.
Q: Can I work with classmates? Yes. Pair programming and collaborative analysis are encouraged. Document who contributed what.
Q: What if I fall behind? Reach out to Dr. Leith early. The phases are structured but timelines can flex.
More help
- Setup: Getting Started walks through the whole install in about 15 minutes.
- Concepts: the relevant textbook chapter usually explains it.
- Email: aleith@siue.edu (allow 24 hours Mon-Fri).
- Office hours: TuTh 12:30 to 1:45 PM and 3:30 to 5:00 PM, Dunham Hall 1017.
Third-party learning resources
- R for Data Science is a free, well-written R guide.
- Happy Git and GitHub for the useR covers Git for R users.
- The Markdown Guide is a concise Markdown reference.