Write a weekly log

assignment

Each week students are expected to write a 1-2 paragraph reflection the assigned readings and one to three questions related to the technical materials.

Each weekly log entry should be committed to the log folder as a Markdown (.md) file with a file name corresponding to the session date (e.g. 2022-08-31_log.md).

Weekly logs that are unrelated to the readings or do not include a question will be considered incomplete but may be revised and resubmitted. You are allowed to skip or miss up to four weekly log entries during the course—so each entry submitted beyond 10 entries is a bonus point.

Submitting a weekly log entry with GitHub

Weekly log entries are submitted using your personal GitHub repository in the course GitHub organization. I recommend installed GitHub Desktop to use during this course.

After you initially set up your GitHub account, use GitHub Desktop to clone your personal course repository to your own computer (see documentation for more information).

Here is a typical process for submitting a log entry using RStudio and GitHub:

  1. Open the logs.Rproj file in the logs folder in your repository with RStudio.
  2. Locate the template file (2022-MM-DD_log.md) using the files pane of RStudio (you can customize the pane layout using the options dialog for the RStudio IDE).
  3. Select the template file, make a copy (using the More > Copy drop-down menu option), and name the new file substituting the month and date of the related session for MM-DD in the file name. For example, a log due on September 21, 2022 should be named 2022-09-21_log.md.
  4. Add your own reflection and questions to the new Markdown document. Both a reflection and a question are expected for a complete log entry. Please keep the headings from the template in place. Use the RStudio visual editor to add formatting and links as needed.
  5. Use the Git tab to commit and push the new log file to your repository:
    • Click the Git tab
    • Check the “Staged” check box next to the new file
    • Click Commit
    • Type a message in Commit message, e.g. “Add weekly log for September 7”
    • Click Commit to confirm the addition
    • Click Push to sync the change with the remote repository on Github.com

You can also commit and push changes using GitHub Desktop. Review the documentation on Committing and reviewing changes to your project for more information.

Featured image: PHCS Ron Bayles, USN (1989)

References

PHCS Ron Bayles, USN. 1989. “PETTY Officer First Class (PO1) Roschi Fills Out a Log Book at His Desk Aboard the Amphibious Assault Ship USS BELLEAU WOOD (LHA 3),” January.