The course tours through a selection of basic econometric techniques designed to conduct applied research with cross-sections. Development of programming skills in Stata will be an essential part of the course. Several popular economic models, such as the model of human capital and Mincer regressions will be used to motivate different econometric methods. Throughout the course, other empirical applications will be referred to, highlighting how the techniques learnt in the course can be successfully applied to other research questions. This goal will be accomplished through classroom lectures, practical sessions, and problem sets. Specifically, by the end of the course the student should be able to:
-Apply linear regression methods in empirical analysis.
-Use appropriate software to implement quantitative microeconomics research.
Skills the student will be able to gain during the course are:
-Understanding data limitations and their consequences in empirical analysis.
-Understanding the merits of OLS versus IV and GMM.
-Interpreting results in terms of policy implications both at government and firm level.
-Programming skills in quantitative research.