Getting help

If you're starting with R you will regularly encounter Errors, Warnings, Messages and other problems. No one can do programming without errors. This section explains how you can get help through the R documentation.

R (and every package) comes with a comprehensive set of help files. Every function needs to have an accompanying help file. Unfortunately, these help-files are not always easy to read.

You can access the help for every function by preceding it with a ?:

?mean

or by using the search field in the help pane. This will open this file:

These help files always have the same structure (some parts can be missing):

• Description: A short description what the function does.

• Usage: Here you see all the function arguments (i.e. the information you need to give to the function).

• Arguments: A detailed description of the function arguments.

• Details: Usually, mathematical details about the implementation.

• Value: A description of what the function returns.

• Author(s): Who wrote the function. If you have a question or find a bug you may contact the author.

• References: More information about the methods and how to cite them.

• See Also: Links to other related functions.

• Examples: This is perhaps the most useful part for a beginner. Here you find examples how the function is used. Copy them into the console and inspect the objects that are passed, what arguments are used and what the output is.