my.datafile <- tempfile() cat(file=my.datafile, " Hardness Time 199.0 16.0 205.0 16.0 196.0 16.0 200.0 16.0 218.0 24.0 220.0 24.0 215.0 24.0 223.0 24.0 237.0 32.0 234.0 32.0 235.0 32.0 230.0 32.0 250.0 40.0 248.0 40.0 253.0 40.0 246.0 40.0 ", sep=" ") options(scipen=999) # suppressing scientific notation plastic<-read.table(my.datafile,header=T) attach(plastic) names(plastic)