recode_to: Recode variable categories into new values

Description

Recodes (or "renumbers") the categories of var into new category values, beginning with the lowest value specified by lowest. Useful if you want to recode dummy variables with 1/2 coding to 0/1 coding, or recoding scales from 1-4 to 0-3 etc.

Usage

recode_to(x, lowest = 0, highest = -1)

Arguments

Variable (vector), data.frame or list of variables that should be recoded.

lowest

Indicating the lowest category value for recoding. Default is 0, so the new variable starts with value 0.

highest

If specified and larger than lowest, all category values larger than highest will be set to NA. Default is -1, i.e. this argument is ignored and no NA's will be produced.

Value

A new variable with recoded category values, where lowest indicates the lowest value; or a data frame or list of variables where variables have been recoded as described.

Examples

Run this code

# recode 1-4 to 0-3
dummy <- sample(1:4, 10, replace = TRUE)
recode_to(dummy)

# recode 3-6 to 0-3
# note that numeric type is returned
dummy <- as.factor(3:6)
recode_to(dummy)

# lowest value starting with 1
dummy <- sample(11:15, 10, replace = TRUE)
recode_to(dummy, 1)

# lowest value starting with 1, highest with 3
# all others set to NA
dummy <- sample(11:15, 10, replace = TRUE)
recode_to(dummy, 1, 3)

# create list of variables
data(efc)
dummy <- list(efc$c82cop1, efc$c83cop2, efc$c84cop3)
# check original distribution of categories
lapply(dummy, table)
# renumber from 1 to 0
lapply(recode_to(dummy), table)

Run the code above in your browser using DataLab

Last chance! 50% off unlimited learning