Quantitative Methods for Policy and Political Analysis

3 Credits.

Data-driven decisionmaking in public policy often investigates the causes of problems and the effects of policies. However, causal identi?cation is extremely dif?cult, and the application of statistical processes can often be misleading. This class focuses on assessing whether an observed relationship in data supports causal inference. The course provides a fast-paced survey of statistics, regression modeling, and research design. Speci?c topics include measures of ?t, generalized linear models, interaction terms, model speci?cation, and common econometric tools like instrumental variables or difference in difference designs. The goal of the course is to use quantitative data in an applied manner to address meaningful research questions. Prerequisites: 470.681, Introduction to Data Analytics and Policy.