This course will introduce students to some basic methods for conducting quantitative analyses in political science, with a focus on statistics and econometrics. The central theme of the course consists in applying quantitative methods to explore and evaluate political science theories. Statistical analysis has become a standard elements of the political science “tool kit,” and basic familiarity with it is valuable for students in all sub-fields of the discipline. My goal in this class is provide basic familiarity with statistics and econometrics for studying politics, and to lay a solid foundation for further coursework for those who choose to pursue quantitative analysis in more depth. Thus, we will begin at the beginning—with basic probability theory—then move through basic statistical analysis, and conclude with regression analysis. The lectures and problem sets will include a moderate amount of statistical theory, because I believe strongly that familiarity with the underlying theory is critical to the smart application of statistical techniques. The later problem sets will shift the emphasis toward application and data analysis. There are no prerequisites for the course. The course will include some mathematical content; however, no math beyond high school algebra is assumed before you begin.
plad7100.syllabus.2018.fall.pdf
plad7100.syllabus.2017.fall.pdf
plad7100.syllabus.2016.fall.pdf
plad7100.syllabus.2015.fall.pdf
plad7100.syllabus.2014.fall.pdf
plad7100.syllabus.2013.fall.pdf
plad7100.syllabus.2012.fall.pdf
plad7100.syllabus.2011.spring.pdf
plad7100.syllabus.2011.fall.pdf
plad7100.syllabus.2010.spring.pdf