2 Getting Started

We recommend reading the online version of this template rather than the source files while you are getting started.

2.1 With Git (Recommended)

The best way to get started with with this template is through forking the bookdown-thesis-template on GitHub:

1. Install R, RStudio, bookdown, and the other R packages on your computer.

2. Create a GitHub account.

3. Set up Git on your computer using RStudio (recommended) or GitHub Desktop.

4. Fork the GitHub repository https://github.com/mccarthy-m-g/bookdown-thesis-template, then clone it to your computer using RStudio (recommended) or GitHub Desktop.

5. Open the bookdown-thesis-template repository you cloned in RStudio by double-clicking bookdown-thesis-template.Rproj.

6. Open the R Markdown file index.Rmd and click the button Build Book on the Build tab of RStudio to render the template.

2.2 Without Git

The easiest way for beginners to get started with this template is through downloading the bookdown-thesis-template on GitHub:

1. Install R, RStudio, bookdown, and the other R packages on your computer.

2. Download the GitHub repository https://github.com/mccarthy-m-g/bookdown-thesis-template as a Zip file, then unzip it locally.

3. Open the bookdown-thesis-template repository you downloaded in RStudio by double-clicking bookdown-thesis-template.Rproj.

4. Open the R Markdown file index.Rmd and click the button Build Book on the Build tab of RStudio to render the template.