This is a collection of actual problems / questions gleaned programming listservs, Stack Overflow, and workshops. It serves two purposes:
Each problem as an associated issue to discuss how instructors would demonstrate solving the problem, and how novices (usually those with only a Software Carpentry or Data Carpentry workshop behind them), would be able to reach the solution. Some relevant questions to answer for each problem are:
These were selected because they are at a relatively basic level - just beyond the material taught in workshops. They are zero-dependency in that they are issues encountered in base R/python/shell, not those having to do with use of specific packages, nor specific data sets. That does not mean that using a package isn't the right answer to the question, but discovering the appropriate package is part of the puzzle to solve.
(I note that the vast majority of questions I found in the first round of searching my local R-help listserv were package-specific, though, which might be important in thinking through how to teach problem solving.).
Also in this repo you'll find an analysis of R errors on Stack Overflow, which is a larger-scale exercise in identifying the types of (R) problems that beginners may encounter. Similar analyses may follow, and are welcome as contributions (especially for other langauges).
Input welcome!
A broader issue is how to classify the problems (by pathway to solution? Type of object/data being handled?). Thoughts on that welcome here.