87155 - Statistics For The Social Sciences

Academic Year 2019/2020

  • Docente: Carolina Plescia
  • Credits: 8
  • SSD: SECS-S/05
  • Language: English

Learning outcomes

The course aims to provide the basic ideas of descriptive and inferential statistics for the social sciences. At the end of the course, the student will acquire the required skills to collect and analyse quantitative data, interpret results and select the most appropriate statistical models and techniques for the research questions at hand.

Course contents

IMPORTANT: the course starts on February 27, 2020!

The aim of the course is to provide students with the necessary skills to carry out quantitative research in the social sciences. The empirical analyses are carried out using the statistical software Stata.

Readings/Bibliography

Mandatory texts:

  • Kellstedt, P. M. and Whitten, G. D. (2013) The Fundamentals of Political Science Research, Cambridge University Press.
  • Kohler, U. and Kreuter U. (2012) Data Analysis Using Stata, Third Edition, College Station: Stata Press.
  • Agresti, A. and Finlay, B. (2013) Statistical Methods for the Social Sciences. Harlow: Pearson.

Teaching methods

Lectures including theory and exercises.

Assessment methods

For those attending the course, the evaluation will be based on a final paper to be written in the form of a 'journal article' of about 4000 words (excluding the bibliography, tables and figures) that discusses in depth a topic of choice in the field of Political Science that can be investigated using quantitative methods. Further details will be provided at the beginning of the course. For non-attendants the exam will consist of a written test including problems, exercises and multiple choice questions. Full information on the written final exam see here

Teaching tools

Lecture slides available in the online material.

Links to further information

https://www.dropbox.com/s/osys10v2hlb02wt/Sample%20questions_87155%20STATISTICS%20FOR%20THE%20SOCIAL%20SCIENCES.pdf?dl=0

Office hours

See the website of Carolina Plescia