Learning From Data

Undergraduate / Graduate

This course considers important questions in the design and interpretation of quantitative empirical research in political science and other social science fields: What are estimands, and how do we learn about them? What do we learn from a statistical hypothesis test? What are theories and how do we test them? What is the value of prediction? Why do researchers sometimes state in advance what they will do and even what they expect to find? What does it mean to explain, and how do social scientists do it? Readings come primarily from statistics and philosophy. Some background in statistics and some exposure to social science research are essential.