Course content

This course teaches you practical skills necessary for the analysis of socioeconomic data, a core task of economists. It covers all steps of applied data analyses, that is, identification of relevant data sources for economic research questions, processing and analyzing data, presenting and interpreting results, and understanding the merits and limitations of data-based analyses. This course is recommended for students who consider using data-based analyses in their Master thesis.

Learning outcome

Knowledge

You learn

• how to identify relevant data sources for economic research questions

• how to store, handle, convert, and combine datasets from different sources

• how to assess data scope and data quality

• how to conduct basic econometric analyses

Skills

You should be able to

• handle datasets using a common programming language such as R

• summarize data in meaningful ways

• apply basic econometric methods to actual data

• present and interpret results from econometric analyses

General competence

You should be able to

• conduct data-based economic analyses using statistical software

• understand how the nature, scope and quality of datasets set limitations for the validity of empirical results

Learning methods and activities

2 hours of lectures every week. The course has compulsory activities. Specific requirements will be announced at the beginning of the term. The term papers can be written as a joint project. The course is not taught every semester. Check courses that are taught at https://www.ntnu.no/econ/valgfrie-masteremner.

Compulsory assignments

• Mandatory activity

Specific conditions

Recommended previous knowledge

Bachelor's degree in Economics

Required previous knowledge

None

Course materials

Announced at the beginning of the term.