In this course, students will delve into the realm of modern econometric analysis. The curriculum is designed to equip learners with tools for conducting both descriptive and regression analysis, turning raw data into meaningful insights. As the semester progresses, participants are expected to gain proficiency in using the R and RStudio platforms, managing basic data operations, extracting sample statistics, and executing regression analysis.
A key learning outcome is distinguishing between correlation and causation, and recognizing instances where correlation implies causation. The concept of randomization in establishing causality will be a central topic of discussion. We will explore the intricacies of designing experimental research, validating methodologies, and laying the groundwork for establishing causal relationships. Additionally, the course will shed light on the limitations inherent in empirical research, focusing especially on the role of randomization in causal inference.
Please go to my calendar and book a virtual office hour to meet me (20 minutes maximum). Email me if you need to talk to me urgently or there is no availability on my calendar.
A pivotal skill in mastering R is the ability to articulate your programming challenges clearly. Virtually every question you might encounter has likely been addressed on Stack Overflow. Additionally, ChatGPT serves as an invaluable resource for refining and debugging your code, and for understanding unfamiliar code segments. A significant objective of this course is to teach you how to harness the power of AI in a productive manner.
You MUST create an account on MindTap. This is a digital learning platform that hosts all the required course materials: the e-book of Wooldridge's Introductory Econometrics a Modern Approach, your homework assignments, practice questions, and your course videos. You can additionally purchase the hard copy of the textbook but it is not required. When you create an account on MindTap, please use your Bentley email. Please find more detailed information below about the registration on MindTap.
Course: EC282 Spring 2024 - 1
Instructor: Onur Altindag
This course requires an online learning platform called MindTap. Follow the instructions below to get started.
Register for your MindTap Course
Need help? Visit the Cengage Start Strong Website (https://startstrong.cengage.com) for step-by-step instructions.
*Temporary Access: You can access your MindTap course until 5:00 AM (UTC) on 1/29/2024 for free. At the end of the temporary access period, you will be prompted to purchase access. Your work will be saved and will be available to you again once you’ve completed your purchase.
NOTE: If the cost of your course materials is included in your tuition, you will not need to purchase access.
MindTap Tips & Training Tools
Learn more about navigating your MindTap course: (https://help.cengage.com/mindtap/mt-student/introduction.html)
Technical Support & Troubleshooting
Our US-based support team delivers answers and advice via 24/7 online chat, Twitter, live phone support (1-800-354-9706) and through support.cengage.com, which includes helpful articles, and tutorials.
If you are having trouble loading MindTap, run the MindTap browser check (https://ng.cengage.com/static/browsercheck/index.html) to make sure your browser is compatible or refer to the MindTap System Requirements (https://help.cengage.com/mindtap/MindTap-System-Requirements.pdf). If MindTap isn’t loading, be sure to visit Techcheck (https://techcheck.cengage.com) to see if there is an outage.
You MUST attend all the midterms and the final as there will be no make-up exams in this course. The midterms are NOT cumulative. If you miss or are likely to miss a midterm due to an emergency, please contact me as soon as possible. You will need to provide supporting documentation/verification of your absence. I will re-weight your final exam accordingly if you have a valid excuse. Please note that family vacations or missing the school shuttle are not valid excuses.
The final exam is cumulative. If you miss the final exam due to an emergency, you will receive an incomplete for this course. Do not take this class if you know that you will not be able to attend the final exam.
You have 12 homework assignments in total, and you are allowed to miss up to 2 without any penalty. The submission process is automated, and late submissions will not be accepted after the deadline, not even by 5 minutes. No exceptions will be made if you fail to complete an assignment. You will receive full credit for an assignment if you submit it and correctly answer at least 70% of the questions. Each question can be attempted up to three times, and the highest score from these attempts will be counted. Collaboration on homework tasks is encouraged, as is seeking assistance from campus resources.
Learning is a privilege that demands responsibility. At Bentley, students and faculty are members of an academic community that supports integrity both inside and outside the classroom. The expectation at Bentley is that students will take advantage of the opportunity for intellectual development and, in doing so, will conduct themselves in a manner consistent with the standards of academic integrity. When these standards are violated or compromised, individuals and the entire Bentley community suffer. Students who engage in acts of academic dishonesty not only face university censure but also may harm their future educational and employment opportunities. In other words, don’t bring unauthorized materials into exams, don’t plagiarize someone else’s work, and make sure that your collaborations are conducted in accordance with university and course policy.
All students have access to Bentley’s academic integrity policy on school's web page and the Undergraduate Student Handbook/Graduate Catalog. The best way to avoid a problem is to consult with your instructor before taking any action that might constitute a violation.
Statement of Diversity and Inclusion
My goal in this class is to create a teaching environment that is inclusive for all of the members of our community independent of their race, gender, age, disability status, and political or religious views. Our differences strengthen our ability for perspective taking, being critical about our default believes,and enhance learning.
I will try to reach this goal within my best capacity by respect and professionalism in our class-related engagements and I anticipate students to do the same. These standards of appropriate conduct are well summarized by Bentley's Core Values in our institution's mission statement.
If you feel that I or anyone in this class has acted outside these values, please come to me so that we may discuss your experience. If you do not feel comfortable coming to me with your concerns, I encourage you to speak with someone in the Office of Academic Advising: 781.891.2803, academic_services@bentley.edu, Jennison 336.
My class roster has your preferred name, but I will happily address you by an alternate name and/or pronoun. Just let me know your preference early in the semester.
Bias Incident Response
The Bias Incident Response Team (BIRT) provides students affected by bias or bias-related incidents with access to appropriate resources. Where appropriate, BIRT assists the University in its response to situations that may impact the overall campus climate related to diversity and inclusion. Working closely with appropriate students, faculty, committees, organizations, and staff, BIRT plays an educational role in fostering an inclusive campus community and supporting targeted individuals when bias or bias-related incidents occur. More information about BIRT and how to file a bias incident report can be found at: https://www.bentley.edu/offices/student-affairs/birt
Disability Services
Bentley University abides by Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 which stipulate no student shall be denied the benefits of an education solely by reason of a disability. If you have a hidden or visible disability which may require classroom accommodations, please call (if you are a residential student or on online student) Disability Services within the first 4 weeks of the semester to schedule an appointment. Disability Services is located in the Office of Academic Services (JEN 336, 781.891.2004). Disability Services is responsible for managing accommodations and services for all students with disabilities.
The Undergraduate Academic Services (UAS) Peer Tutoring program offers online one-on-one and small group tutoring services for students who have worked with their instructors and made use of the Learning Centers, but still require additional academic support. The program goal is to help those students in true need who are willing to take responsibility for their own learning. Please reach out to me if you need more information.
The Howard A. Winer ‘58 Lab for Economics, Accounting and Finance (LEAF)
Please visit https://www.bentley.edu/centers/leaf for more information.
All students must attend the in-person classes. If you join the class online due to an exception, please follow the guidelines indicated below:
Zoom Protocol and Online Attendance
Students must join classes through their Bentley Zoom account. Go to bentley.zoom.us and enter the course meeting number to join the session. The zoom link is included on Brightspace course page.
I expect you to attend class with a functioning microphone and camera. Cameras should be on to effectively engage in class and participate throughout the course. If you have an impediment to keeping your camera on, please let me know so that we can work to arrive at a mutually agreeable solution.
You are expected to be able to access all electronic course materials. It is your responsibility to review the course syllabus as soon as possible to determine what resources or materials I expect you to use in the course. If you are a student in an international location that may limit access to certain internet resources, please let me know immediately so you can find a solution.
Students are expected to attend classes synchronously despite potential time zone hurdles. Solely watching recorded classes is not deemed to be acceptable course participation or completion. Course recordings are for the benefit of students who miss an occasional class or would like to watch the recording for further edification of materials. Class recordings that are posted to BB are for the sole purpose of this course. Disseminating any portion of this video in any manner is strictly prohibited.
Introduction to the course, logistics, syllabus, expectations and pap-talk.
Introduction to R.
The Nature of Econometrics and Economic Data (Chapter 1)
The Simple Regression Model (Chapter 2)
Readings:
Multiple Regression Analysis: Estimation (Chapter 3)
Readings
Multiple Regression Analysis: Inference (Chapter 4)
Readings
Multiple Regression Analysis with Qualitative Information (Chapter 7)
Note: Depending on our pace, we may or may not have time to cover these topics.
Readings