Professor: Rob Wassmer, Ph.D.

E-Mail: rwassme@csus.edu

Home Page: http://www.csus.edu/indiv/w/wassmerr

Office: Room 3037, Tahoe (Business) Building

Office Phone: 278 - 6304

Office Hours: Wednesday and Thursday, 4:00 - 6:00 p.m.; and by appointment if necessary.

Required Texts:

(1) Using Econometrics: A Practical Guide, 3rd Edition, A.H. Studenmund, Addison Wesley;

(2) The Data Game: Controversies in Social Science Statistics, 3rd Edition, Mark H. Maier, Sharpe;

(3) SPSS Base 8.0: Applications Guide and CD-ROM, 1998; (must be purchased at CSUS Bookstore in computer department);

(4) PPA 207 Coursepack, (must be purchased at Hornet Bookstore).

We are fortunate to have final year MPPA student Deborah Franklin as a teaching assistant. She produced the paper that is contained in your coursepack. We have her because of a grant from the Office of Community Collaboration at CSUS. In exchange for her services, I have agreed to institute community-based learning into this course. This will consist of you interacting with a community stakeholder in the production of the paper that is required for this course. Specific details will be given in class. She will hold office hours in Room 3038, Tahoe (Business) Building from 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday. There is a computer in her office so she will be able to help with SPSS and internet assignments. The best advice I can give is to use her and my office hours if there is something you do not understand.

Internet:

The way I have structured this course such that you must have an Internet account that allows them access to the World Wide Web. If you do not have one at home or work, you can get one through CSUS. At my homepage I will post an outline of each meeting and a description of the homework that is due at the following meeting. These will be available at 2 p.m. the day of class. There will also be other handouts and web links posted at this site.

Objective:

To expose the graduate student of public policy to some of the empirical methods used in the analysis and formulation of government policies. These include descriptive statistics, types data, distributions of data, regression analysis and interpretation, and some of the basic problems that can arise in regression analysis. My goal is not to turn you into an expert on statistical and econometric theory; instead, I desire provide you with a working knowledge of the most basic techniques. Even if one expects to never apply these techniques directly in their anticipated career path, it is very likely that they will be required to interpret and comment on reports that contain policy analysis based on these techniques.

Method:

Pedagogy will be equally focused on in-class meetings and discussions, required assignments out of the Studenmond book, and assignments using SPSS and a data set that corresponds to the Wassmer and Fisher paper in the coursepack. There will also be Internet based assignments corresponding to chapters in The Data Game. Each class meeting will begin with discussion and collection of the previous week’s assignments. Only the student who completed the assignment can turn it in (my method of attendance). After 90 minutes we will take a 15-minute break and then return for an additional 65 minutes of meeting. In-class time will also be devoted to covering the use of the SPSS computer package. It is most important that you use this package to get hands-on experience with the methods discussed in this class. Computer assignments will be due nearly every class period. If possible, the optimal situation is to install the purchased software on a home, work, or friend’s IBM compatible personal computer (this package requires a system running a minimum of Windows 95).

Schedule:

This class will meet a total of 15 times throughout the semester. The midterm exam (90 minutes) will be held in the first two hours of class on Wednesday, April 14(a short meeting will follow). There will be no final exam, but we will use the assigned time (Wednesday, May 26, 6:00-8:00 p.m.) to turn in your paper and a classroom discussion of your research experience. The readings out of Maier (M), Studenmund (STUD), and SPSS Applications Guide (SPSS) are given below:

An Overview of Regression Analysis (STUD), Chapter 1

Introduction (M), Chapter 1

Ordinary Least Squares (STUD), pp. 34-49

Overview of Data Analysis in SPSS (SPSS), pp. 1-7

Wassmer and Fisher's Paper in Coursepack

Ordinary Least Squares (STUD), pp. 50-58

Over view of Data Analysis in SPSS (SPSS), pp. 8-14.

Learning to Use Regression Analysis (STUD), Chapter 3

Demography (M), Chapter 2

The Classical Model (STUD), Chapter 4

Housing (M), Chapter 3

Basic Statistics and Hypothesis Testing (STUD), pp. 123-143,

Health (M), Chapter 4

Using Frequencies to Obtain Detailed Data Descriptions (SPSS), pp. 15-20

Basic Statistics and Hypothesis Testing (STUD), pp. 144-161,

Education (M), Chapter 5

Using Frequencies to Obtain Detailed Data Descriptions (SPSS), pp. 21-28

Specification: Choosing the Independent Variables (STUD), Chapter 6

Crime (M), Chapter 6

Using Descriptive to Obtain Basic Statistics and Z Scores (SPSS), Chapter 3

Specification: Choosing a Functional Form (STUD), Chapter 7

National Economy (M), Chapter 7

Simple and Multiple Linear Regression (SPSS), pp. 189-204

Wealth, Income, and Poverty (M), Chapter 8

Multicolinearity (STUD), Chapter 8

Simple and Multiple Linear Regression (SPSS), pp. 205-214

Heteroskedasticity (STUD), Chapter 10

Labor Statistics (M), Chapter 9

A Regression User's Handbook (STUD), Chapter 11

Business Statistics, Chapter 10

Dummy Dependent Variable Techniques (STUD), Chapter 13

Government (M), Chapter 11

Simultaneous Equations (STUD), Chapter 14

Franklin Paper in Coursepack

Paper:

In order to receive a grade in this course, each student will be required to complete a short (15-20 double-spaced pages) empirical paper on the topic of his or her choice. This will involve the gathering and analysis of original data. Details on the paper will be given in class. The paper must follow the format prescribed in the handout that I provide. The Franklin paper, contained in the coursepack, is an excellent example to look at.

Grades:

You will be required each week to complete a one to two-page, double-spaced, written summary no more) of each reading assignment out of Studenmond or Maier. This is not required for the first meeting's assigned readings. These summaries will be due on the Meeting that they are scheduled to be covered. In addition, a total of 14 homework assignments will be given and collected. These will come out of the questions at the end of Studenmond and Maier chapters, work with the SPSS package, and Internet assignments.

The written summaries and assignments will be looked over and assigned grades ranging from A+ to D, and F (for not completing on time). A separate grade for each will be given and a total average derived. You may drop your two lowest total averages (this also allows for the possibility of missing a class meeting). This grade is weighted as 30 percent of your final course grade.

The midterm test grade accounts for 30 percent of your final course grade. The paper you are required to complete accounts for 30 percent of your final grade. The average of all homework assignments account for 30 percent of your final grade. The remaining 10 percent of your grade is based on classroom participation and the completion of the additional required session. 

Additional Required Session -- Choice of Times:

The Public Policy and Administration Graduate Program, along with the College of Social Science and Interdisciplinary Studies, sponsors a seminar series. Since a goal of this class is for you to learn how to complete a research project, seeing and understanding research that others have done should assist in the learning process. It is suggested, if at all possible, that you attend all seminars. It is required that you attend at least one seminar and by May 26 turn in a two-page, double-spaced, typed description and critique of the seminar you attended.

Scoring for Midterm:

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