🌾 PLS 120: Applied Statistics in Agriculture

Welcome to PLS 120! In this course, we use the R programming language for statistical analysis in agriculture. Instead of installing R and RStudio on your computer, we use Binder and Jupyter Notebooks to provide you with a ready-to-use environment. No software installation needed! 🎉

Step 1: Launch Binder Environment 🌐

Click the "Launch Binder" button above to start your R environment. This will take 2-5 minutes to load.

Step 2: Wait for Environment to Load ⏳

After clicking the link, Binder will show progress through several stages:

• Waiting 🕐
• Building 🔨
• Pushing 📤
• Launching 🚀

The green progress bar shows Binder is almost ready!

Step 3: Navigate to Class Activity 📚

Once Binder loads, you'll see the Jupyter Notebook interface. In the left panel, you'll see several folders:

• assignment/ - Your homework assignments
• class_activity/ - Lab tutorials and exercises
• Various files (README.md, runtime.txt, etc.)

Click on the class_activity folder to access this week's content.

Step 4: Open the Lab Notebook 📖

Inside the class_activity folder, double-click on Week1_Introduction.ipynb to open the interactive lab notebook.

Step 5: Explore the Data (Optional) 📊

We've already uploaded the data for this lab! The file LA_Data.csv contains the statistics data. You can double-click on it to explore the data if you're curious.

Download Your Notebook 📥

When you're done working, save your progress:

1. Go back to main folder - Click the folder icon in the left panel

2. Download your notebook - Right-click on your .ipynb file and select "Download"

Step 1: Access Assignment Folder 📋

From the main directory, click on the assignment folder to access your homework.

Step 2: Open Assignment Notebook 📄

Double-click on Assignment1.ipynb to open your assignment.

Step 3: Complete Your Work ✍️

Fill in all code boxes and text boxes carefully to answer all questions. Look for:

• ❓ Question mark emojis indicating questions to answer
• Code cells with hints in comments
• Raw text cells for your written responses

Step 4: Download Your Completed Work 💾

Download Code File (.ipynb)

Click File → Download to save your notebook code.

Export HTML/PDF Report 📄

For submission, you also need an HTML or PDF report:

Click File → Save and Export Notebook As → HTML (or PDF)

For each assignment, submit TWO files to UC Davis Canvas:

If you want to take a break and continue your activity or assignment later:

Save Your Work Before Closing 💾

Right-click on your code (.ipynb) file and click "Download" to make sure you have saved your code locally.

Continue Your Progress Later 🔄

When you open Binder again and want to continue your work:

1. Click the Upload button on the top ribbon
2. Find your saved code file locally on your computer
3. Upload your .ipynb file
4. Run your code cells again to see your previous outputs!

📧 Contact Information

🔧 Technical Issues

• Binder won't load? Try refreshing the page or clearing browser cache
• Lost your work? Always download files before closing Binder
• Code not working? Check for typos and make sure you've run all previous cells

📚 Learning Resources

• R Documentation: Use ?function_name in code cells for help
• Course Materials: All tutorials are in the class_activity folder
• Practice: Try modifying the example code to learn more!

💡 Best Practices

• 📖 Read instructions carefully before starting each exercise
• ▶️ Run code cells in order - later cells depend on earlier ones
• 💾 Save frequently - Download your work regularly
• 🤔 Experiment - Try modifying code to see what happens
• ❓ Ask questions - Don't hesitate to reach out for help

⚡ Keyboard Shortcuts

Click the Binder badge below to launch your first R programming session!

Happy coding! 🚀🌾

Last updated: October 2025 | PLS 120 - Applied Statistics in Agriculture | UC Davis