9 Final Reflection

9.1 What I Learned This Semester

Over the course of this semester, I learned how to use R to move through the full data analysis process, from loading datasets to cleaning, analyzing, and visualizing data. I learned how to bring data into R from different sources, examine its structure, and prepare it for analysis by handling missing values, recoding variables, and converting data types. I also gained experience running statistical analyses to explore patterns and answer research questions, as well as creating visualizations that clearly communicate those results. Finally, working in R Markdown taught me how to connect code, output, and interpretation in a reproducible and organized way, which helped me better understand my own analyses and communicate them more effectively.

9.2 Challenges I Encountered

One of the most challenging parts of learning R was understanding the logic behind certain functions. While using built-in functions became more intuitive over time, creating my own functions pushed me to think more deeply about how code is structured and how different pieces work together.

9.3 What I Am Most Proud Of

My favorite part of this course, and what I am most proud of, is the visualizations I created. The fact that I can show my work to people outside of this class and have them easily understand the results made me feel like I am developing a meaningful and practical skill as a data analyst.

9.4 Growth in Skills and Confidence

I am much more confident in my coding abilities now than when I first started, particularly after learning the foundational concepts of R programming. Early on, I felt uncertain about my skill level, but completing multiple projects helped me gain valuable experience in data exploration and analysis. With a strong foundation in place, I now feel more confident exploring additional packages independently to expand my knowledge and continue developing my skills.