The R summer camp provides an introduction to R, a common programming language to analyze data used across many disciplines in research and teaching at 91Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ as well as to Quarto (a typesetting language useful for producing documents combining code, text, images and equations). These very useful and powerful tools for (social) scientific research have a somewhat steep learning curve, even in the advent of AI-assisted tools. This workshop is intended to help you getting you up a good part of that learning curve.

  • Day 1: Introduction to the basics of R and the graphical user interface RStudio
  • Day 2: Working with data (cleaning, pre-processing, dealing with missing values)
  • Day 3: Visualizing data and producing graphs
  • Day 4: Statistical prequel and more tips and tricks on working with R
  • Day 5: Typesetting using Quarto and RStudio Add-Ins 

Bring your own mug! Coffee will be provided.

Disclaimer: The Math and R summer camps are geared towards incoming graduate students in all sciences, including social sciences and the humanities to give you a head start for your research and learning experience at 91Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ. We invite other members of the 91Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ community to apply as well; however, preference will be given to incoming graduate students from sponsoring units.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there any prerequisites?

None at all! In fact, if you have no prior knowledge to the summer camps' subject matter, you are the perfect candidate to take them. The goal is to give you a basic overview of the material, as well as the resources and the confidence to learn more. These workshops are also useful for those who haven't used the material in a while and simply need a refresher.

Are the summer workshops offered in hybrid format?

Unfortunately, we do not offer the summer workshops in hybrid format. Students must attend in-person at the Downtown 91Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ campus. 

Will I receive credit?

The summer workshops are not for credit. Current 91Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ students (i.e. undergraduates, graduates, PhD) will receive Co-Curricular Record from MyInvolvement for completing each workshop.

Are the summer workshops free?

Yes! Our summer workshops are free thanks to our sponsors listed below.

Will there be an exam?

Although there will be no exams, attending these workshops will require a serious commitment from the student. Each session will involve a mix of lecture and hands-on practice. Remember: you cannot learn maths and computing by just watching. Just like any skill, you need to practice the work every day.

Do I need to attend every session of a summer camp?

If you register for our summer camps, you are expected to attend every session, complete the assigned readings, and participate in class. If for any reason who are unable to attend a session, it is important to inform us as soon as possible by emailing us at cdsi.science [at] mcgill.ca (cdsi[dot]science[at]mcgill[dot]ca) . Please write "Summer Camp" in the subject line for a quicker response.

Are the summer camps open to everyone?

The Math and R Summer Camps are geared towards 91Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ incoming graduate students and members of the CSDC. Other members of the 91Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ community are encouraged to apply, but please note that preference will be given to incoming graduate students from sponsoring units.

I registered for the summer workshops, but can no longer attend them. How do I cancel my registration?

When you first register, a confirmation email will be sent to you. In the confirmation email is a cancellation link that will allow you to cancel your registration at any time. You can also contact our team at CDSI by email at cdsi.science [at] mcgill.ca (cdsi[dot]science[at]mcgill[dot]ca) . Please write "Summer Camp - Cancellation" in the subject line for a quicker response. 
Because of high demand and limited space for our summer workshops, we tend to have long waiting lists. It is important to cancel your registration as soon as possible in order to give your space to the next person on the waiting list. 

Can I sign up for both the Math and the R summer camps?

Yes, you absolutely can! In fact, we encourage you to attend both summer camps, as mathematics and R programming are important skills to learn, especially for graduate students in the Social Sciences.