OPTION 1 : read from website site <- "http://www.users.muohio.edu/hughesmr/sta363/batterylife.txt" batterylife <- read.table(site, header=TRUE) rm(site) OPTION 2: read local from home dname <- read.table("C:/Documents and Settings/Mike/My Documents/STA363 material/"txtfname.txt", header=TRUE) or dname <- read.table("txtfname.txt", header=TRUE)