This page contains all the materials and schedule for POLS 209, section 902 in Spring 2020. Any adjustments to the schedule will appear here.
Key Course Materials
Meeting Time and Place
MWF 9:45 to 10:35 in Allen Building 1005. Online after March 23: See lectures folder on Ecampus.
Office Hours
Held online. To join, go to https://zoom.us/j/6752889417 and run Zoom either with the app or in your browser.
Monday 3:30 to 5pm and Thursday 1:30 to 3pm. Also by appointment.
Schedule
The schedule is broken up into three blocks. The first block deals with questions, models and the fundamental problems social scientists face. The second block describes how we can learn from data. The third and final block combines material from the first two— integrating question, model and evidence.
Tasks below the date should be completed before the next class (unless a due-date is listed).
All due-dates are marked in italics.
Questions, Models, and Research Challenges
January 13
- Read the syllabus carefully
- Install R and RStudio
- Order textbook (Have by January 31)
January 15: Overview of Social Science
January 17 and 20: No Class
January 22: Questions
- Review notes on questions
January 24: Models
- Review notes on models
January 27: Assessing Models & Model-Building Exercises
January 29: Research Design
- Review notes on research design
Learning from Data
January 31: Introduction to R
- Review notes on R.
February 3: Computing in R
February 5: Causal Inference
- Submit Computing Assignment 1
- Read chs. 1-2 of FPP. Complete assigned exercises
- Review notes
- Read ch. 3 of FPP. Complete assigned exercises.
February 7: More Histograms and R Implementation
- Review notes on histograms in R.
February 10: Average and Standard Deviation
- Read ch. 4 of FPP. Complete assigned exercises.
- Read “5 Steps toward Constructing a Better Sentence” web.
- Read “5 Steps toward Writing an Effective Paragraph” web.
February 12: Average and SD in R
- Submit Computing Assignment 2
- Review your notes from my Lecture on Average and SD in R.
- Review Notes on Average and SD in R. Complete exercises.
- Begin working on Computing Assignment 3.
February 14: Normal Approximations
- Read ch. 5 of FPP. Complete assigned exercises.
February 17: Measurement
- Read ch. 6 of FPP. Complete assigned exercises.
- Prepare for Exam 1. Focus on the review exercises from notes, slides, and textbook. Think about questions/points of difficulty.
- Begin working on Writing Assignment 1
February 19: Review for Exam 1
- Submit Computing Assignment 3.
- Study Guide Google Doc
February 21: Exam 1 (Bring your pocket calculator)
February 24: Scatterplots and Correlation
- Read chs. 7-8 of FPP. Complete assigned exercises.
- See this sheet for p. 137, #9(a) Google Sheet.
February 26: Scatterplots and Correlation in R
- Review Notes on Scatterplots and Correlation in R. Complete exercises.
- Read ch. 9 of FPP. Complete assigned exercises.
- Play this game web and track your performance.
February 28: Regression: Part 1
- Initial submission of Writing Assignment 1 due.
- Read ch. 10 of FPP. Complete assigned exercises.
- Begin Computing Assignment 4.
March 2: Regression: Part 2
- Read ch. 11 of FPP. Complete assigned exercises.
March 4: Regression: Part 3
- Read ch. 12 of FPP. Complete assigned exercises.
- Submit Computing Assignment 4.
March 6: Regression in R
- Review Notes on Regression in R. Complete exercises.
- Peer Review of Writing Assignment 1 Due.
- Use this example response memo when writing your own response memo to peer comments.
No Class March 9-13: Spring Break
No Class March 16-20: Class Canceled/Moving Course Online
March 23: Multiple Regression: Part 1
March 25: Multiple Regression: Part 2
- Review your notes on my lecture on econometric notation. Make sure you can explain the similarities and differences between FPP’s simple notation and the more complicated econometric notation. What are the two advantages of econometric notation?
- Review your notes on my lecture on regression for prediction.
- Read these notes on regression in R for more detail on prediction and BIC.
March 27: Review for Exam 2
- Final Submission of Writing Assignment 1 Due
- Exam 2 Study Guide
March 30: Exam 2
April 1: Probability: Part 1
- We’ll look at the Federalist papers in class.
- Read ch. 13 of FPP. Complete assigned exercises.
- Start Computing Assignment 5.
- By 5pm on April 1, contribute your Monty Hall Data here.
April 3: Probability: Part 2
- Read ch. 14 of FPP. Complete assigned exercises.
April 6: Law of Averages
- Read ch. 16 of FPP. Complete assigned exercises.
- Submit Computing Assignment 5.
- Begin Writing Assignment 2
- By 5pm on April 6, contribute your Box Model Data here.
April 8: Expected Value and Standard Error
- Read ch. 17 of FPP. Complete assigned exercises.
- Use these slides as needed Google Slides.
April 10: No Class: Reading Day
April 13 Normal Approximation of a Probability Histogram
- Read ch. 18 of FPP. Complete assigned exercises.
April 15: The Accuracy of Percentages
- Initial submission of Writing Assignment 2 due
- Read ch. 21 of FPP. Complete assigned exercises.
- By 5pm on April 15, contribute your confidence interval calculations here.
April 17: The Accuracy of Averages
- Read ch. 23 of FPP. Complete assigned exercises.
- By 3pm on April 17, contribute your coin-flipping data here.
April 20: Hypothesis Testing: Part 1
- Peer Review of Writing Assignment 2 Due
- Read ch. 26 of FPP. Complete assigned exercises.
April 22: Hypothesis Testing: Part 2
Question, Model and Data
April 24: Combining Question, Model and Evidence.
April 27: Review for Exam 3
- Final Submission of Writing Assignment 2 Due
April 30: Exam 3