  In this paper we address important issues surrounding the choice of variables
when performing a dynamical systems analysis of alternative theories of
gravity. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of compactifying the state
space, and illustrate this using two examples. We first show how to define a
compact state space for the class of LRS Bianchi type I models in $R^n$-gravity
and compare to a non--compact expansion--normalised approach. In the second
example we consider the flat Friedmann matter subspace of the previous example,
and compare the compact analysis to studies where non-compact
non--expansion--normalised variables were used. In both examples we comment on
the existence of bouncing or recollapsing orbits as well as the existence of
static models.
