Load all packages in the setup chunk?

[rpruim]

Advantages:

• provides a manifest for the document (what do I need for this file?)
• hides start up messaging elsewhere.

[bonnfire]

Do you have a preference for require() or library()?

[nicholasjhorton]

I'd suggest library(), to ensure that the compilation will fail if the packages aren't available.

My comments on the hardcopies include this, along with other suggestions.

[rpruim]

Since this won't be seen, I'd say go with library() -- that way things will error out if a package is missing.