ULMS Electronic Module Catalogue

The information contained in this module specification was correct at the time of publication but may be subject to change, either during the session because of unforeseen circumstances, or following review of the module at the end of the session. Queries about the module should be directed to the member of staff with responsibility for the module.
Title Applied Microeconometrics
Code ECON826
Coordinator Dr IC Burn
Economics
Ian.Burn@liverpool.ac.uk
Year CATS Level Semester CATS Value
Session 2021-22 Level 7 FHEQ Second Semester 15

Pre-requisites before taking this module (other modules and/or general educational/academic requirements):

 

Modules for which this module is a pre-requisite:

 

Programme(s) (including Year of Study) to which this module is available on a required basis:

 

Programme(s) (including Year of Study) to which this module is available on an optional basis:

 

Teaching Schedule

  Lectures Seminars Tutorials Lab Practicals Fieldwork Placement Other TOTAL
Study Hours 12

6

      12

6

36
Timetable (if known) 60 mins X 1 totaling 12
 
60 mins X 1 totaling 6
 
      60 mins X 1 totaling 12
60 mins X 1 totaling 6
 
 
Private Study 114
TOTAL HOURS 150

Assessment

EXAM Duration Timing
(Semester)
% of
final
mark
Resit/resubmission
opportunity
Penalty for late
submission
Notes
Examination. There is a resit opportunity. Standard UoL penalty applies for late submission. This is an anonymous assessment. Assessment schedule: semester 2  24 hours    75       
CONTINUOUS Duration Timing
(Semester)
% of
final
mark
Resit/resubmission
opportunity
Penalty for late
submission
Notes
Group analysis of case study or open problem. There is a resit opportunity. Standard UoL penalty applies for late submission. This is an anonymous assessment. Assessment schedule: semester 2  -2500 words    25       

Aims

This module seeks to teach students to become a critical consumer of the empirical work in existing literature. The goal is for students to learn to discuss, critique, and analyse applied economics research. The material in this course will provide students with the techniques needed to conduct their own original research in microeconomics.


Learning Outcomes

(LO1) Students will be able to discuss the methods economists use to obtain causal identification.

(LO2) Students will be able to code basic statistical analyses in STATA.

(LO3) Students will be able to critique various research methods.

(LO4) Students will be able to assess the validity and plausibility of assumptions needed for results to be causal.

(S1) Problem solving.
Lectures and coursework provide problem sets designed to teach problem solving.

(S2) IT skills.
Coursework requires students to learn to code in STATA.

(S3) Numeracy.
Lectures, coursework, and the exam teach students the mathematics of causal identification.

(S4) International awareness.
Lectures and coursework teach students to analyse research and assess the efficacy of policies.


Teaching and Learning Strategies

Hybrid delivery, with social distancing on campus.

1 hour online asynchronous learning per week x 12 weeks
1 hour face-to-face synchronous lecture per week x 12 weeks
1 hour face-to-face seminar every other week x 6 weeks
1 hour face-to-face peer-to-peer learning every other week (unscheduled) x 6 weeks
Self-directed learning x 114 hours

Self-directed learning hours will be used for course readings and for learning how to code.


Syllabus

 

1. Empirical methods:

Experimental methods;
Regression discontinuity ;
Instrumental variables;
Differences in Differences and fixed effects;
Matching and synthetic control.

2. Data Issues:

Clustering;
Weighting;
Measurement error;
Bootstrapping.

3. Non-linear models:

Censored and truncated data;
Binary data;
Machine learning.


Recommended Texts

Reading lists are managed at readinglists.liverpool.ac.uk. Click here to access the reading lists for this module.