Course outline
ECON 482: Applied Econometrics, Spring 2009
This is a seminar in applied econometrics. There are two parts to the course. The first eight weeks will
be devoted to reading, while the rest will be devoted to writing.
Contact information
Brian Krauth
WMC 3681
Email: bkrauth@sfu.ca
Course website: http://www.sfu.ca/~bkrauth/econ482 (most course material is on WebCT).
Telephone: 2-4438 (email is usually better)
Office hours: Wednesday 11:00-12:00, 1:30-2:20
Readings and quizzes
During the first 8 weeks of the term, we will be reading Inequality in America: What role for human
capital policies? by Alan Krueger and James Heckman (KH). We will have weekly reading assignments
from this book.
During the first 20 minutes of class each Wednesday, we will have a quiz on the week’s reading. Quiz
grades will account for 15% of your final grade. I will drop your lowest quiz grade.
Attendance and participation
This is a seminar course. Attendance and participation are both mandatory.
Attendance accounts for 10% of your final grade. You get two “free” absences over the course of the
term. You will lose 0.5 points (up to a maximum of 10) on your attendance grade for each class you miss
beyond your two free absences.
Participation is also mandatory and accounts for 10% of your final grade. I will take notes on your
participation, and if you don’t voluntarily participate I will call on you. You can lose up to 0.5
participation points per day (up to a maximum of 10) if you are regularly unprepared or nonresponsive.
Lectures and discussions
Class time will be devoted to a combination of lectures and discussions. On Wednesdays we will go over
the reading and determine what parts need further investigation. Sometimes this will involve me
preparing a short lecture, and sometimes this will involve me assigning a student to investigate. Lecture
notes will be posted on WebCT, though I cannot guarantee they will be available in advance of the
lecture.
Reports
During the reading portion of the term, I will assign each student to investigate 2 or 3 questions raised
by our reading. You will be asked to prepare a brief written report of your findings, and present the
report in class. These reports will be due on Friday of the next week, although for short questions I may
ask for the report earlier.
During the writing portion of the term (i.e., beginning the week of March 11), we will begin a schedule of
rotating progress reports on the term paper research.
The quality and timeliness of your reports will account for 20% of your grade.
Term paper
As a class we will be writing a “book” titled Inequality in Canada: What role for human capital policies?
Your term paper will be a section of the book. Topics will be assigned by me, in consultation with you,
on Friday, March 6.
A preliminary but serious draft of the term paper is due at noon on Friday, March 27. The quality and
timeliness of the preliminary draft will account for 5% of your grade.
The final draft is due at noon on Saturday, April 11 (this is the scheduled date for the final exam). The
quality and timeliness of the final draft will account for 40% of your grade.
Final exam
There is no final exam.
Online resources
Course material will be accessible through WebCT. I will also ask for written assignments to be
submitted through WebCT.
Tentative schedule
Date
Wed 1/7
Fri 1/9
Wed 1/14
Fri 1/16
Wed 1/21
Fri 1/23
Wed 1/28
Fri 1/30
Wed 2/4
Fri 2/6
Wed 2/11
Fri 2/13
Wed 2/18
Fri 2/20
Wed 2/25
Fri 2/27
Wed 3/4
Fri 3/6
Wed 3/11
Fri 3/13
Wed 3/18
Fri 3/20
Wed 3/25
Fri 3/27
Wed 4/1
Fri 4/3
Sat 4/11
Event
Quiz #1
Lecture on regression
Trends in inequality and skill growth
Reading: 1-21, 77-96
Quiz #2
Discuss reading
Credit constraints and the returns to schooling
Reading: 21-24, 40-42, 54-58, 96-128
Quiz #3
Discuss reading
Early childhood interventions
Reading: 24-30, 128-148, 163-174
Quiz #4
Discuss reading
Schooling and school quality
Reading: 30-39, 148-163, 252-269
Quiz #5
Discuss reading
Training
Reading: 42-53, 182-194, 279-284.
Quiz #6
Discuss reading
Public finance issues and immigration policy
Reading: 194-203, 241-251, 285-290
Quiz #7
Discuss reading
Summing up
Reading: 58-63, 203-208.
Quiz #8
Discuss reading
Talk about paper topics
Paper topics assigned
Presentations of work in progress
Presentations of work in progress
Presentations of work in progress
Presentations of work in progress
(I will be out of town on this day)
Presentations of work in progress
Preliminary draft of paper due
Presentations of work in progress
Presentations of work in progress
Final version of paper due