- Department: Economics and Related Studies
- Credit value: 20 credits
- Credit level: C
- Academic year of delivery: 2023-24
- See module specification for other years: 2024-25
Why do we use data in economics? What data do we need to give sensible answers to our research questions and to evaluate policies? How can we describe, explore and communicate empirical evidence effectively?
Interactive lectures will help you grasp key concepts and methods of data analysis and encourage you to apply economic reasoning to policy issues.
You will also have the opportunity to use real-world data to investigate important policy problems: how to evaluate the effect of sugar taxes on health behaviours? Can we explain gender and racial gaps in education attainment? Can we improve access to credit for low-income households?
For economics students, Data, Evidence and Policy will illustrate key areas of data description and analysis in ways that complement the theoretical treatment in Probability and Statistics. It will also prepare students for further development in the Econometrics module in stage 2.
For students who are not taking economics as a major subject, Data, Evidence and Policy will provide insights and hands-on experience on how to use empirical evidence to understand and address major policy issues.
Occurrence | Teaching period |
---|---|
A | Semester 2 2023-24 |
To introduce students to the sources and content of economic data and evidence and develop their appreciation of what methods might be appropriately applied to the analysis of such data
To introduce students to the skills required for collection, description and interpretation of economic data and evidence
To develop students’ proficiency in computing techniques appropriate for the collection, management, description and visualisation of economic data
To provide hands-on experience, using real-world data, and apply economic reasoning to policy issues
To help students develop skills that are transferable to other modules and to the workplace
At the end of this module, you will:
Understand why data are important in economics and what kinds of data are used by economists
Be able to find or create data that is relevant for economic analysis
Understand how to manage data and assess its quality
Understand how to measure economic variables in a reliable way
Be able to describe and interpret data using statistical tools and exploratory data analysis
Be able to visualise data in a clear and meaningful way
Be proficient in Excel (data management, functions, pivot tables, graphical tools)
Understand how to interpret and critically assess empirical evidence and how it can be used to investigate important policy problems
Be able to communicate and present evidence to non-specialist audiences
Have developed experience of working in a team and meeting deadlines
Module organised around 5 blocks. Each block focuses on one policy issue and is structured in 4 parts (covered over 2 weeks):
Policy issue: reflection / discussion - explore the possible causes/determinants and implications; reflect on the type of empirical evidence needed to investigate the issue and provide recommendations
Focus on empirical methods - type of data needed, methods available
Review of the evidence - interpretation of evidence, critical appraisal / Application - group work on a similar issue with real-world data [Doing Economics projects]
Policy brief - review and critical appraisal of existing policy briefs (from IFS, ONS etc) / Application group work on writing a policy brief
Content (including opportunities for hands-on experience)
Health behaviours, obesity and sugar taxes
Application (DiD) - Doing Economics “Measuring the effect of a sugar tax”
Social mobility and education - gender and racial gaps
Writing a policy brief
Inequality
Application - Doing Economics “Measuring inequality”
Inflation, growth, wealth and wellbeing
Data collection, description, visualisation and policy brief
Banking systems and access to credit
Application - Doing Economics “Credit-excluded households in a developing country”
Running in parallel: York Strengths (Introduction in week 1 + online programme + development workshop led by career at the end).
Task | % of module mark |
---|---|
Essay/coursework | 10 |
Essay/coursework | 90 |
None
Task | % of module mark |
---|---|
Essay/coursework | 90 |
Feedback on both components of assessment
Qualitative individual feedback (marking grid) at the same time as the mark
Cohort feedback after the last submission
Textbooks
Doing Economics, Tipoe E, Becker R - CoreEcon
Economy, Society, and Public Policy - CoreEcon
Articles, books
Blundell, R. and Etheridge, B., 2010. Consumption, income and earnings inequality in Britain. Review of Economic Dynamics, 13(1), pp.76-102.
Beaman, L., Duflo, E., Pande, R. and Topalova, P., 2012. Female leadership raises aspirations and educational attainment for girls: A policy experiment in India. science, 335(6068), pp.582-586.
Harford, T., 2010. The undercover economist. Hachette UK.
Schwabish, J.A., 2014. An economist's guide to visualizing data. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 28(1), pp.209-34.
Tufte, E.R., McKay, S.R., Christian, W. and Matey, J.R., 1998. Visual explanations: Images and quantities, evidence and narrative.