Reshape wide format, to multi-column long format

Question

I want to reshape a wide format dataset that has multiple tests which are measured at 3 time points:

   ID   Test Year   Fall Spring Winter
    1   1   2008          


        

Answer 1

Base reshape function alternative method is below. Though this required using reshape twice, there might be a simpler way.

Assuming your dataset is called df1

tmp <- reshape(df1,idvar=c("ID","Year"),timevar="Test",direction="wide")
result <- reshape(
   tmp,
   idvar=c("ID","Year"),
   varying=list(3:5,6:8),
   v.names=c("Test1","Test2"),
   times=c("Fall","Spring","Winter"),
   direction="long"
)

Which gives:

> result
              ID Year   time Test1 Test2
1.2008.Fall    1 2008   Fall    15    22
1.2009.Fall    1 2009   Fall    12    10
2.2008.Fall    2 2008   Fall    12    13
2.2009.Fall    2 2009   Fall    16    23
3.2008.Fall    3 2008   Fall    11    17
3.2009.Fall    3 2009   Fall    13    14
1.2008.Spring  1 2008 Spring    16    22
1.2009.Spring  1 2009 Spring    13    14
2.2008.Spring  2 2008 Spring    13    11
2.2009.Spring  2 2009 Spring    14    20
3.2008.Spring  3 2008 Spring    12    12
3.2009.Spring  3 2009 Spring    11     9
1.2008.Winter  1 2008 Winter    19    24
1.2009.Winter  1 2009 Winter    27    20
2.2008.Winter  2 2008 Winter    25    29
2.2009.Winter  2 2009 Winter    21    26
3.2008.Winter  3 2008 Winter    22    23
3.2009.Winter  3 2009 Winter    27    31