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THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WEST INDIES ST. AUGUSTINE

Faculty of Social Sciences

DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS

Course Outline

COURSE TITLE: METHODS OF ECONOMIC INVESTIGATION

COURSE CODE: ECON 6003

LEVEL: Graduate

SEMESTER: 1

NO. OF CREDITS: 3

PRE-REQUISITE(S): COURSE DESCRIPTION/RATIONALE ECON 6003 consists of two modules, the aim of which is to provide students with the

theoretical, practical and technical foundations for undertaking survey-based data-driven

research that addresses social and economic problems. The course seeks to impart an

appreciation for a seamless process in the conduct of economic research; from inception

and data gathering design through to econometric modeling and estimation. The focus of

Module 1 is on survey research. Module 2 is based in microeconometrics.

CONTENT

MODULE 1: SURVEY RESEARCH AND SURVEY SAMPLING

Lecturer: Ms. Linda Hewitt

Objectives

1. To create appreciation of the importance of the philosophy of science in the context

of research designs.

2. To raise an awareness of the importance of ethical considerations in research

processes and reinforce adherence to such standards

3. To enable students to distinguish between quantitative and qualitative research

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designs and have an appreciation for their relevance and utility in addressing the

requirements of research problems

4. To reinforce the logic of experimentation and the relevance of experimental designs

in the analysis of economic problems

5. To empower students in their quest to undertake survey research focusing on the

analysis of economic problems and facilitating economic decision-making.

6. To introduce students to the elements of survey sampling, its rationale, its

applications and issues surrounding the interpretation of results.

Content

Topic 1: The Nature and Essence of Research as a Process

Topic 2: Qualitative versus Quantitative Research Traditions

Topic 3: Research Design and Options associated with Qualitative and Quantitative

Traditions

Topic 4: Conceptualization and Measurement

Topic 5: Issues and Challenges in Experimentation

Topic 6: Issues and Challenges in Data Collection in Survey Research

Topic 7: Survey Sampling: Concepts, Design and Estimation

Topic 8: Data Preparation and Evaluation of Quality

Topic 9: Ethical Issues, Proposal and Report Writing

Main Texts

Babbie, Earl (2001) The Practice of Social Research, Eleventh Edition, Wadsworth

Publishing Company

Berg, Bruce, L (1998) Quanlitative Research Methods for the Social Sciences – Third

Edition, Allyn and Bacon

Bernard, H. Russell (2000) Social Research Methods – Qualitative and Quantitative

Approaches, Sage Publications Inc.

Bryman, Alan (1988) Quantity and Quality in Social Research, Routledge

Creswell, John, W (1998) Qualitative Inquiry and Research Design – Choosing Among

Five Traditions, Sage Publications

Patton,Michael Quinn (1990) Qualitative Evaluation and Research Methods, Second

Edition, Sage Publications

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Saunders, Mark, Philip Lewis and Adrian Thornhill (2003) Research Methods for

Business Students, Third Edition, Prentice Hall

Supplementary Texts

Bryman, Alan and Duncan Cramer (1999) Quantitative Data Analysis – A Guide for

Social Scientists, Routledge

Miller, Delbert, C and Neil J. Salkind (editors) (2002) Handbook of Research Design and

Social Measurement, Sixth Edition, Sage Publications (Chapter by John Creswell and

Raymond Maietta)

Neuman, W. Lawrence (1997) Social Research Methods, Third Edition, Allyn and Bacon

Shively, W. Phillips (1980) The Craft of Political Research, Second Edition, Prentice

Hall

Singleton, Royce, A, Bruce C. Straits and Margaret Miller Straits (1993) Approaches to

Social Research, Second Edition, Oxford University Press

Sommer, Barbara and Robert Sommer (1997) A Practical Guide to Behavioural Research:

Tools and Techniques - Fourth Edition, Oxford University Press

Welch, Susan and John Cramer (2001) Quantitative Methods for Public Administration:

Techniques and Applications, 3rd

Edition, Harcourt Inc.

Note: Additional articles and other reading material may be recommended

Readings

Topic 1: The Nature and Essence of Research as a Process

Readings - Bernard: Chapters 1 and 3; Babbie: Chapters 1 to 3

Topic 2: Qualitative versus Quantitative Research Traditions

Readings – Bernard: Chapter 11, Creswell: Chapter 4 and Bryman:

Chapters 2 and 3; Berg: Chapter 1

Topic 3: Research Design and Options associated with Qualitative and

Quantitative Traditions

Readings - Bernard: Chapter 2; Babbie: Chapters 4 and 5; Creswell:

Chapter 2 and Chapter 3; Berg: Chapter 2

Topic 4: Conceptualization and Measurement

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Readings - Babbie: Chapters on “Conceptualization and Measurement”

and “Operationalization”

Topic 5: Issues and Challenges: Experimentation

Readings - Bernard: Chapters 4; Babbie: Chapters 8 and 9

Topic 6: Issues and Challenges: Data Collection Issues in Survey Research

Readings – Bernard: Chapters 6 - 8; Babbie: Chapters 6, 7, 10 and 11

Topic 7: Survey Sampling: Concepts, Design and Estimation

Readings – Bernard: Chapters 5; See Readings below

Topic 8: Data Preparation and Evaluation of Quality

Readings – Singleton et al: Chapter 14, Babbie: Chapter 14 – Quantifying

Data

Topic 9: Ethical Issues, Proposal and Report Writing

Readings - Babbie: Chapter 18 and Appendix C; Saunders, Lewis and

Thornhill: Chapters 2 (Section 2.5), 5 and 13

Topic 7 Readings:

Babbie, Earl (2001) The Practice of Social Research, Eleventh Edition, Wadsworth

Publishing Company (Chapter 7 – The Logic of Sampling)

Kalton, Graham (1983) Introduction to Survey Sampling, Sage Publication

Kish, Leslie (1965) Survey Sampling, John Wiley and Sons

Lansing, John, B and James N. Morgan (1971) Economic Survey Methods, Survey

Research Centre, University of Michigan (Chapter 3)

Moser C. A. (1971) Survey Methods in Social Investigation, Second Edition, Heinmann

Educational Books (Chapters 4-8)

Neuman, W. Lawrence (1997) Social Research Methods, Third Edition, Allyn and Bacon

(Chapter 9)

Rossi, Peter, James D. Wright and Andy B. Anderson (1983) Handbook of Survey

Research, Academic Press (Chapters 2 and 5)

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Singleton, Royce A., Bruce C. Straits and Margaret Miller Straits (1993) Approaches to

Social Research, Second Edition, Oxford University Press (Chapter 6)

Stuart, Alan (1984) The Ideas of Sampling, Charles Griffin and Company Ltd.

Levy, Paul S and Stanley Lemeshow (1991) Sampling of Populations: Methods and

Applications, John Wiley and Sons (Selected Parts + Chapters 15 and 16)

Lohr, Sharon L (1999) Sampling: Design and Analysis, Duxbury Press (Selected Parts)

Macro International (1996) Sampling Manual, Demographic and Health Surveys

(Selected Parts)

MODULE 2: MICROECONOMETRIC MODELS AND METHODS

Lecturer: Dr. Ewan Scott

Objectives

This module will provide graduate students with a sound foundation in the application of

advanced statistical methods to problems in microeconomics. As such, it will build on the

students’ knowledge of probability and distribution theory and basic econometrics.

Students are expected to have some basic competence with some econometric/statistical

software packages such as Eviews, SPSS or TSP.

Recommended Texts

Greene, William H. 1997. Econometric Analysis. 3rd

Ed. Upper Saddle River: Prentice-

Hall Inc.

Maddala, G. 1983. Limited Dependent and Qualitative Variables in Econometrics. New

York: Cambridge University Press.

Amemiya, Takeshi 1985. Advanced Econometrics. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.

Note: Reading packs for this module are available in the Lecturer’s Box, Library.

Syllabus:

Week 1:

Review

1. Probability and Distribution Theory

2. Basic Econometric Theory

Greene, chpt. 3,4,6; Any good Introductory Statistics/Econometric text

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Week 2, 3: Models with Discrete Dependent Variables

1. Introduction: Discrete Choice Models

2. Estimation and Inference in Binary Choice Models

3. Multiple Choice Models

Greene, chpt. 19; Maddala, chpt. 2

Week 4, 5: Limited Dependent Variable Models

1. Introduction

2. Truncated Regression Models

3. Censored Regression Models

4. Sample Selection

Greene, chpt. 20; Maddala, chpt. 6

Week 6, 7: Estimation of Demand and Production Functions

1. Demand Systems – Functional forms and Estimation

2. Production Functions - Functional forms and Estimation

3. Flexible functional forms

Deaton, Angus. “Demand Analysis” in Handbook of Econometrics, Vol.3.

Z. Griliches and M.D. Intriligator, eds. Amsterdam: North-Holland, 1986.

Deaton, A. and J. Muellbauer “An Almost Ideal Demand System”

American Economic Review 70 (1980):

Buse, Adolf. “Evaluating the Linearized Almost Ideal Demand System”

American Journal of Agricultural Economics 70 (1994): 781-793.

Hahn, W. “Elasticities in AIDS Models: Comment.” American Journal of

Agricultural Economics 76 (1994): 972-997

Ching, C.T.K. and John F. Yanagida. 1985. “Production Economics:

Mathematical Development and Applications” Transaction Books, Inc.,

New Brunswick, New Jersey.

Fuss, M. and D. McFadden (editors). 1979. “Production Economics: A dual

Approach to Theory and Applications. Vol. 1” North-Holland Publishing

Co., Amsterdam

ASSESSMENT Coursework // Final Exam :: 25% // 75%

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Overall assessment of the course will be split evenly between the 2 modules.

Coursework assessment for Module 1 will be on the basis of in-class group presentations

worth 13% of the overall course assessment. Groups shall consist of a maximum of three

persons though in exceptional cases, individuals can present subject to the approval of the

lecturer. All members of the group are awarded the score obtained by the group.

The coursework for Module 2 will account for 12% of the overall course assessment and

will take the form of assignments requiring the use of Eviews or another software

package.

The final exam will be 3 hours in duration and usually requires completion of 4 equally

valued questions, two from each module.