library(FreesearchR)
#>
#> Attaching package: 'FreesearchR'
#> The following object is masked from 'package:base':
#>
#> sort_byA clinical data class
Traditionally in R, data is identified by classes, like numeric, integer, double, logical, factor etc. These classes can be a little confusing from a clinical or operational standpoint. In the FreesearchR app, these classes has been simplified and modified to the following data types, that are assigned on a prioritised order like the following:
| Data type | Description | Data classes included |
|---|---|---|
| empty | Variable of all NAs | Any class |
| monotone | Variable with only one unique value | Any class |
| dichotomous | Variable with only two unique values | Any class |
| categorical | Factor variable | factor (ordered or unordered) |
| text | Character variable | character |
| datetime | Variable of time, date or datetime values | hms, Date, POSIXct and POSIXt |
| continuous | Numeric variable | numeric, integer or double |
| unknown | Anything not falling within the previous | Any other class |
Categorising data in this way makes sense when making choices on how to evaluate and analyse data. This is used throughout the FreesearchR app to simplify data handling.