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Home > Degree Programs > Teaching & Courses > 2012-2013 Course Listing > Quantitative Analysis and Empirical Methods
API-201 A: Quantitative Analysis and Empirical Methods
Faculty: Kerrie Nelson
Schedule
| Day | Time | Location | |
|---|---|---|---|
| First Day | 9/6 | ||
| Meet Day | T/Th | 1:10 PM - 2:30 PM | L140 |
| Review | F | 10:10 AM - 11:30 AM | STARR |
Description
Introduces students to concepts and techniques essential to the analysis of public policy issues. Provides an introduction to probability, statistics, and decision analysis emphasizing the ways in which these tools are applied to practical policy questions. Topics include: descriptive statistics; basic probability; conditional probability; Bayes' rule; decision making under uncertainty; expected utility theory; sampling design; statistical inference; and hypothesis testing. The course also provides students an opportunity to become proficient in the use of computer software widely used in analyzing quantitative data.
This course is a prerequisite to API-202. The A section moves more quickly through the material, spends more time on advanced topics, and assumes a greater mathematical facility than is required for the other sections. The A section is recommended, but not required, for students who are planning to take API-302. This course may not be taken for credit with API-205 or API-209.