Module: Official Statistics
Programme: Population Studies
Number of Credits: 15
Period: 3rd term, 2011
Venue: PG Study room (Department of Statistics)
Time: Wednesday, 14h30-17h30
Lecturer: Gabriel TATI (Office 3.24)
Course outline
Aims and objectives of the course
This course provides a technical presentation of the components that
constitute the production and utilization of official statistics. The purpose of the
course is to describe the methods pertaining to the gathering, assessment,
analysis and publication of official statistics. A wide range of statistical data on
living conditions is available in many African countries including South Africa,
yet little is known on which of these constitute official statistics. This course
provides a useful account of the available official statistics in such areas as
demography, health, education, housing and basic amenities, employment,
social security and poverty. Topics include a detailed and critical assessment
of the data available from the population censuses and household surveys
and from the registration system of vital events. Underlying the course is a
detailed presentation of data collection, processing, analysis, presentation
and dissemination. The course should prove most to those students with
intention to work as demographers, statisticians, planners, policy makers, and
all the professionals interested in measurement and monitoring of social
progress.
1. Introductory notes
Official Statistics as a specific discipline in statistics or demography
Official statistics and demographics
Use of Official Statistics in development planning
Non-Official Statistics
2. Collection of Official Statistics
Population and Housing Census
National Household Surveys
Registration of Vital Events
Other types of Official Statistics
Complementary Official Statistics
Some applications to labour force measurement
3. Evaluation and assessment of the quality of Official Statistics
Whipple index
MYERS index
Combined index of United Nations
Splitting or merging age groups
Adjusting the age structure
Types of errors frequently made during enumeration and exploitation
Assessment of data
3. Use of Official Statistics in Population Change and Development
Planning
Economic and Demographic Change
Persistence of high levels of fertility in Africa
Health, Socio-economic change and demographic transition
Women, Reproductive Health and Gender-related issues
Migration and Development
Education
Employment
Social Security and Welfare
The demography of the Socially Excluded
Methods of assessment
Two written tests (50%)
Assignments (10%)
Written final exam (40%)
Consultation time: Wednesday from 11h0 to 12h30 (in Office 3.24)
Tutoring time:Tuesday and Friday during the time agreed upon with Mr
Lapah
Reading material
1) Course reader produced by the lecturer (separate components)
2) Principles and recommendations for popular and housing censuses.
Revision 1 published by the United Nations New York 1998
ST/ESA/STT/SER.M/67/Rev.1
3) Additional extracts from relevant published documents will be distributed
in class.
4) Specific books on the topics discussed are available in the UWC library
(level 11). Please refer to the list distributed by the lecturer.
Reading material
Course reader produced by the lecturer (separate components)
Additional extracts from relevant published documents
Specific books on the topics discussed are available in the UWC library
(level 11)