Applied Quantitative Analysis

This course starts students on the path to asking and answering their own research questions for political science and public policy. We will think carefully about causal claims, and how to assess them with real world data. We will learn how to use regression, quasi-experiments and machine learning for inference and prediction. This includes knowing the limits - practical and ethical - in working with such techniques. The course is aimed particularly at those writing quantitative Junior Papers/Senior Theses, and others seeking to consume, produce and communicate empirical research. We will use the R language and statistical environment.