UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, LOS ANGELES
Department of Policy Studies

Policy Studies 208 - Policy Research and Analysis
Winter 1998, Professor Cameron

Lectures: T, Th, 9:30-10:50 Dodd 162
Final: Thursday, March 26, 1998, 3-6 p.m.(no exceptions)
Instructor's Office: Bunche Hall 9367
Phone: 825-3925 (or leave message at 825-1011)
e-mail: tcameron@econ.ucla.edu
Office Hours: Monday 10-11, 12-2; Wednesday 1-2.

Detailed Course Outline:
The course outline represents an ex ante course plan, to be revised and amended during the quarter as warranted. The pace may be adjusted if necessary, but the order of topics will probably remain as shown.
TA: Andres Lerner (Department of Economics)
Reader Office: TBA
Reader Office hours: TBA
e-mail: alerner@ucla.edu


Prerequisites: Reasonable degree of success with prior coursework in basic univariate statistics.

Course Objectives:

  • Regression is one of the most important statistical techniques used by social science researchers in their efforts to confront theories with real-life data.


  • We will emphasize the intuition behind the procedures involved in regression analysis and concentrate upon achievement of proficiency in the implementation and interpretation of regression models in a policy studies context.


  • Upon successful completion of this course, you should be familiar with regression fundamentals. You should understand the statistical underpinnings of this method, the assumptions that are required, ways in which these assumptions may be violated and remedial measures that can be employed when they are.


  • You should also appreciate some of the "art" of choosing among alternative regression models, but you will be aware of the dangers of "data mining."


  • You will have experienced considerable hands-on practice at implementing regression techniques using stylized and actual data and one type of computer software. A selection of applications will be explored in conjunction with the weekly problem sets.


    •  Computer Orientation: In the first lecture, you will be asked to sign up for a Bunche Microcomputer Lab ID.

    Review Opportunities: The subject matter of this course will have considerable overlap with that of my course in Applied Regression Analysis (Economics 143) which is also being offered this quarter. Depending upon seating availability in that course, you may find opportunities to review some relevant material by sitting in on selected lectures in that course.

    Textbooks and Other Useful Materials:

    Gujarati, Damodar Essentials of Econometrics (First Edition) New York: McGraw-Hill, 1992.
    White, Kenneth J., SHAZAM: The Econometrics Computer Program; User's Reference Manual, Version 8.0. (As implemented at Social Sciences Computing, UCLA.)
    Self-scoring Online Practice Quizzes
    Course Requirements: Course Conduct and Policies:
    Monitoring: daily usage statistics. 
    COURSE OUTLINE LECTURE OUTLINES PROBLEM SETS PROBLEM SOLUTIONS COMPUTER LABS
    SHAZAM EXAMPLES DATA SETS ONLINE QUIZZES GRAPHICS HANDOUTS
    Updated: January 12, 1998
    Prepared by: Trudy Ann Cameron