Spring 2018 - ECON 836 G100
Applied Econometrics (4)
Class Number: 7023
Delivery Method: In Person
Overview
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Course Times + Location:
Jan 3 – Apr 10, 2018: Wed, 10:30–11:20 a.m.
BurnabyJan 3 – Apr 10, 2018: Fri, 10:30 a.m.–12:20 p.m.
Burnaby
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Instructor:
Krishna Pendakur
pendakur@sfu.ca
1 778 782-5501
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Prerequisites:
ECON 835 or equivalent.
Description
CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:
A 'hands-on' course in implementing econometric techniques for empirical investigation of economic issues.
COURSE DETAILS:
The objective of this course is to produce students who are comfortable and competent doing empirical work, they have experience working with computers, they understand how econometrics software packages work, they are conversant with data problems, they know how to react when results don’t work out as expected, and they have a sense of how and when to compromise between textbook formulas and an uncooperative real world. Perhaps most important of all, they are not “afraid” of economics. The course is not designed to teach you a lot more econometrics than you already know; you will learn more econometrics, but that is a secondary feature of the course. One thing you will learn over and over - doing empirical work is not easy, it is very time consuming, and can be very frustrating.
The guts of the course are a series of six replications of published empirical studies. The replications will consist of one page critiques of the papers and replications of a subset of the empirical work in each paper. Collaboration is encouraged, but copying of replications is discouraged. That is, work together, but do the work. To reward those who have developed good skill with the econometrics software, the midterm and final exam will include technical questions relating to coding up the replications that you undertook.
Background: You will find this course very difficult if you have not taken graduate statistics (ECON 835).
Grading
- Reports/Replications 30%
- Midterm 20%
- Final Exam 50%
NOTES:
Critiques/Referee Reports:
Critiques should assess in 1-2 pages:
(1) What questions are the authors trying to answer?
(2) In what way do they do a good job?
(3) In what way do they do a bad job? Point form is fine as long as it is understandable. You will critique all six papers assigned for replication. These critiques must be typed, or handwritten extremely clearly.
Readings will be assigned at a rate of approximately one article per week. Five of the readings will be the replication papers – the other five will be related papers. The first five replications will be assigned; the last one is your choice.
Materials
RECOMMENDED READING:
Peter Kennedy’s Guide to Econometrics, MIT Press, 5th Ed, 2003, Joshua Angrist & Jörn-Steffen Pischke’s Mostly Harmless Econometrics: An Empiricist’s Companion, Princeton University Press, 2008, and William Greene’s Econometric Analysis, Pearson, 7th Ed, 2012 are recommended, but not required.
Graduate Studies Notes:
Important dates and deadlines for graduate students are found here: http://www.sfu.ca/dean-gradstudies/current/important_dates/guidelines.html. The deadline to drop a course with a 100% refund is the end of week 2. The deadline to drop with no notation on your transcript is the end of week 3.
Registrar Notes:
SFU’s Academic Integrity web site http://students.sfu.ca/academicintegrity.html is filled with information on what is meant by academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating. Check out the site for more information and videos that help explain the issues in plain English.
Each student is responsible for his or her conduct as it affects the University community. Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Furthermore, it is unfair and discouraging to the majority of students who pursue their studies honestly. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University. http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS