  Using an approach that treats the Ricci scalar itself as a degree of freedom,
we analyze the cosmological evolution within an f(R) model that has been
proposed recently (exponential gravity) and that can be viable for explaining
the accelerated expansion and other features of the Universe. This approach
differs from the usual scalar-tensor method and, among other things, it spares
us from dealing with unnecessary discussions about frames. It also leads to a
simple system of equations which is particularly suited for a numerical
analysis.
