This unit is taught as a mix of tutorials and lectures. The lectures are designed to provide the tools which can then be applied in tutorials. Tutorials are based mainly on numerical problems as well as empirical applications which require the use of econometric software packages. How to use these packages is taught in tutorials which are held in the computer labs.

Lectures – large group learning (3 hour each teaching week)

Lectures are intended to provide an overview of statistical and econometrics techniques that are critical to the core themes of the unit. Students are expected to read the relevant material before each lecture. Additional reading material such as academic papers and research reports will be provided on the website.

Self-study activities – learning by doing (about 6 hours each teaching week and 9 hours each week during the 2-week mid-semester recess)

ECON634 relies heavily on independent learning where students read the relevant chapter, revise the lecture notes, prepare answers to the pre-set tutorial questions and extend themselves by doing additional reading, questions, exercises and problems.    

Useful references include:

1. Amemiya, T. (1994) Introduction to Statistics and Econometrics, Harvard University Press.
2. Gujarati, N. G. and Porter, D. C. (2009) Essentials of Econometrics, 4th Edistion, McGraw-Hill
3. Stock, J. H. and Watson, M. W. (2014) Introduction to Econometrics, 3rd Edition, Pearson 

Material such as lecture slides, examples, and tutorial questions will be available on the unit home page. The lecture notes, together with the lectures and additional references will provide students with a clear indication of the basic content of the unit.

It is recommended that students attend all lectures and tutorials for several reasons including:

1. Not all the material in the texts is included in the unit, and not all the material in the unit is covered in the texts. In some places the texts deals with issues in greater depth than is necessary for the unit, and in other places it doesn’t go far enough. The lectures contain all the unit material taught at the level required for the assessment tasks, and are your guide to the unit content.
2. The approaches to some problems that are recommended by the lecturer are different to those in the text.
3. The lectures will include guidance about the style and content of the final exam and recommendation about study technique.
4. It is difficult (and often impossible) for staff to provide meaningful assistance to students outside class times on topics for which they did not attend the relevant lectures and tutorials.