Each final project is scored on four categories, OK (1) / Good (2) / Excellent (3), for a total of 12 points. Pick the section below that matches your chosen project format.


Option A: R Package

  • Upload a “Source Bundle” of the package (> Build > Build Source Package) to Blackboard. This will be an tar.gz file another person can install.

  • Aim for the function to contain at least three functions (with at least 2 arguments in each function).

  • Provide a detailed description of the package inside of the DESCRIPTION file. You can check that it works with: help(package = "mypackage").

Category OK (1) Good (2) Excellent (3)
Purpose & scope Unclear what the package does or why it exists. Purpose stated; scope unclear or too broad. Clear, focused purpose.
Custom functions (≥3 required) Fewer than three functions, or trivial wrappers. Three functions present but uneven in functionality. Three or more useful functions with sensible arguments and names.
Documentation Missing or incomplete roxygen2 comments; no README. Roxygen on each function; README present but sparse. Roxygen on each function with a working example; README explains purpose and how to install/use.
Package builds & runs Package does not install or load. Installs with minor fixes; functions work. Installs cleanly; functions work as documented.

Total: __ / 12


Option B: Shiny App

  • Upload an .R or .Rmd that runs a working Shiny App to Blackboard.

  • Provide a document – or, preferred, embed into a Markdown that includes the Shiny App – describing the context, purpose, data behind the app, focusing on why it was helpful / useful to create an interactive tool.

Category OK (1) Good (2) Excellent (3)
Purpose & problem Unclear purpose or audience. Purpose stated but motivation thin. Clear problem and clear reason for an interactive tool.
UI design Cluttered, unclear controls, no labels. Functional; layout could be improved. Clean layout, labeled inputs, appropriate widget choices.
App works as intended App crashes or inputs don’t update outputs correctly. Works; minor glitches or slow spots. Runs smoothly; all inputs produce the expected outputs.
Documentation & reproducibility No in-app explanation or README; won’t run elsewhere. Some in-app guidance or minimal README; runs with minor tweaks. In-app instructions plus README; instructor can runApp() without edits.

Total: __ / 12


Option C: Research Report

  • Upload a well-documented and organized reproducible report to Blackboard, both an Rmd file and a compiled pdf.

  • Make it clear what the purpose of the report is: is it moving research forward, it is exploratory, is it a summary of advanced R tools for data analysis.

  • Provide a clear scientific motivation for the inquiry.

Category OK (1) Good (2) Excellent (3)
Background & data Little description of the scientific question; no description of how data were collected. Some background and data description; missing references or reproducibility details. Thorough introduction with references; data collection described in enough detail for an outside group to reproduce.
Data summary No summary, or summary missing key elements. Summary present but incomplete. Thorough summary: dimensions, meaning of entries, missing-data reasoning.
Analysis & R code shown Methods not described; no R code visible in the report, or code is inefficient / non-reproducible. Methods described; some R code shown in the analysis section; could be tighter. Methods fully described; efficient, understandable R code embedded in the analysis section generates all results reproducibly.
Results, discussion & conclusions Incomplete results; no figures or tables; no discussion or inaccurate conclusions. Good results and some discussion of implications or caveats. Thorough results with well-chosen figures and tables; thorough discussion of implications, caveats, and future work; accurate conclusions.

Total: __ / 12