Module Code - Title:
EC6041
-
DATA MANAGEMENT FOR POLICY ANALYSIS AND EVALUATION
Year Last Offered:
2018/9
Hours Per Week:
Grading Type:
Prerequisite Modules:
Rationale and Purpose of the Module:
This module aims to give students the tools required to conduct economic analysis and draw conclusions based on sound economic reasoning. While the module will cover a broad range of statistical concepts and tools, the emphasis will be on accessing official data and the application and interpretation of results. Data sources to be covered included those provided by the CSO, EUROSTAT and the OECD. Students will be required to familiarise themselves with basic calculations and computing but they will also have to analyse and interpret the results. There is therefore a stronger emphasis on writing and explanation than would be the case in a standard statistical methods module.
Syllabus:
Data handling - types of economic data for policy analysis, obtaining data, working with data (graphical methods and descriptive statistics, measures of centre and spread); Effective Application of Statistical sources - identifying relevant economic data, accessing data using sources such as CSO, OECD, EUROSTAT; cleaning data; Application of statistical software for economic analysis - Using SPSS, Stata, Microfit for: Inferential Statistics, Regression analysis (Single and multiple OLS, interpreting OLS estimates, Statistical Aspects of Regression); Analysis of Data Driven Bias within estimates (e.g. outliers, missing data, endogeneity). Effective Descriptive Skills - Detailing the effective use of language and statistics within data analysis.
Learning Outcomes:
Cognitive (Knowledge, Understanding, Application, Analysis, Evaluation, Synthesis)
Access data sources for economic analysis;
Familiarise oneself with basic calculations and computing;
Analyse economic data;
Interpret the results of statistical analysis;
Affective (Attitudes and Values)
Appreciate the range of available economic data sources;
Organise economic data for the purpose of analysis;
Understand the principal methods of analysing economic data;
Report the results of the analysis of economic data.
Psychomotor (Physical Skills)
N/A
How the Module will be Taught and what will be the Learning Experiences of the Students:
N/A
Research Findings Incorporated in to the Syllabus (If Relevant):
Students will be equipped with the tools of economic analysis of data for the purpose of undertaking research into economic issues.
Prime Texts:
Koop, G. (2009)
Analysis of Economic Data
, West Sussex: John Wiley and Sons.
Other Relevant Texts:
Weiss, N. (2010)
Introductory Statistics
, Essex: Pearson.
Lind, D. A., Marchal W. G, and Wathen, S. (2011)
Statistical Techniques in Business and
Economics
, Singapore: McGraw Hill
Anderson, D., Sweeney, D. and Williams, T. (2011)
Essentials of Statistics for Business and
Economics
, South Western: London.
Programme(s) in which this Module is Offered:
Semester - Year to be First Offered:
Module Leader:
marta.zieba@ul.ie