Data Analysis for Social Scientists: A Foundational Crash Course

Conceived as a companion text to the MOOC "Data Analysis for Social Scientists" by Esther Duflo and Sara Fisher Ellison, this book is a fast-paced, but foundational, introduction to the practice of data analysis. It starts with probability, as every course hoping to provide the foundations of statistics and data analysis must. It moves quickly to statistics and then onto linear models and regression analysis, the workhorses of econometric analysis. There is a special emphasis on causal inference, with discussions of randomized controlled trials, natural experiments, and instrumental variables. Topics of practical interest---useful software, places to find data, techniques for data visualization---also merit inclusion. This text can be used in conjunction with the MOOC or as a stand-alone resource. Note that this text does not include practice problems. A compendium of problems is sold separately in this series. Read more