杏吧论坛

Prof Jonathan Jackson COL.8.05 (LT) and Dr Indraneel Sircar COL.7.04 (MT)

This course is available on the Global MSc in Management, Global MSc in Management (CEMS MiM), Global MSc in Management (MBA Exchange), MPhil/PhD in Demography/Population Studies, MSc in Applied Social Data Science, MSc in Comparative Politics, MSc in Conflict Studies, MSc in European and International Public Policy, MSc in European and International Public Policy (杏吧论坛 and Bocconi), MSc in European and International Public Policy (杏吧论坛 and Sciences Po), MSc in Gender (Research), MSc in Inequalities and Social Science, MSc in International Migration and Public Policy, MSc in International Social and Public Policy (Research), MSc in Public Administration and Government (杏吧论坛 and Peking University), MSc in Public Policy and Administration and MSc in Social Research Methods. This course is available with permission as an outside option to students on other programmes where regulations permit.

The course is also available to research students as MY551.

An intensive introduction to quantitative data analysis in the social sciences. The course is intended for students with no previous experience of quantitative methods or statistics. It covers the foundations of descriptive statistics and statistical estimation and inference. At the end of the course students should be able to carry out univariate and bivariate data analysis and have an appreciation of multiple linear regression. The computer exercises give 'hands-on' training in the application of statistical techniques to real social science research problems. No prior knowledge of any statistical software is necessary.

This course is delivered through a combination of classes and lectures totalling a minimum of 20 hours per term. This year, some or all of this teaching will be delivered through a combination of virtual classes and flipped-lectures delivered as short online videos.

This course is given twice per session, starting in the first week of each of the MT and LT. Students must either register for MY451M which is taught in Michaelmas Term, or MY451L which is taught in Lent Term.

This course has a Reading Week in Week 6 of MT and LT.

Self-guided computer exercises to be completed before weekly classes for discussion.

A course pack will be available for download online. Additional reading: many introductory statistics books are available. But we particularly recommend Alan Agresti and Christine Franklin (2009) Statistics: The Art and Science of Learning from Data. Pearson Education. Or Alan Agresti and Barbara Finlay (2009, 4th edition) Statistical Methods for the Social Sciences. Pearson Education (note that the second book is more advanced and is particularly useful if you are planning to take MY451 and MY452.

Take-home assessment (80%) in the ST.
Continuous assessment (20%) in the MT and LT.

(Homework and participation will constitute 20% of the final overall mark).