README.Rmd

---
title: rscorecard
output: md_document
---

# rscorecard <img src="man/figures/logo.png" align="right" />

```{r, include = FALSE}
options(width = 100)
```

[![R build
status](https://github.com/btskinner/rscorecard/workflows/R-CMD-check/badge.svg)](https://github.com/btskinner/rscorecard/actions)
[![GitHub
release](https://img.shields.io/github/release/btskinner/rscorecard.svg)](https://github.com/btskinner/rscorecard)
[![CRAN_Status_Badge](http://www.r-pkg.org/badges/version/rscorecard)](http://cran.r-project.org/package=rscorecard)

This package is an R wrapper for the [U.S. Department of Education
College Scorecard](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov) API. It allows
users to select and filter Scorecard variables with piped commands a
la [`dplyr`](http://github.com/hadley/dplyr).

## Installation

Install the latest released version from CRAN with

```r
install.packages("rscorecard")
```

Install the latest development version from Github with

```r
devtools::install_github("btskinner/rscorecard")
```

This package relies on the Scorecard data dictionary, so I will
attempt to update it in a timely fashion whenever new Scorecard data
are released. Because it sometimes takes a few days to get a package
on CRAN, you may want to download the developmental version in the
days immediately following a data update.

## Usage

### Set API key

Get your Data.gov API key at
[https://api.data.gov/signup/](https://api.data.gov/signup/).  Save
your key in your R environment at the start of your R session using
`sc_key()`:

```r
## use your real key in place of the Xs
sc_key('xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx')
```

### Request data

```{r}
library(rscorecard)

df <- sc_init() |> 
    sc_filter(region == 2, ccbasic == c(21,22,23), locale == 41:43) |> 
    sc_select(unitid, instnm, stabbr) |> 
    sc_year("latest") |> 
    sc_get()
df
```

For more example calls and information about other package commands,
see the [extended
vignette](https://www.btskinner.io/rscorecard/articles/introduction.html).

### Data dictionary

To look up information about data elements, use the `sc_dict()`
function.

```{r}
sc_dict("control")
```

## Further references

* [College Scorecard Website](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov)
* [Data
  documentation](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/assets/FullDataDocumentation.pdf)
* [Data dictionary
  [XLS]](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/assets/CollegeScorecardDataDictionary.xlsx)
* Reports
	* [Policy
      paper](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/assets/BetterInformationForBetterCollegeChoiceAndInstitutionalPerformance.pdf)
	* [Technical
      paper](https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/assets/UsingFederalDataToMeasureAndImprovePerformance.pdf)