Survey of Data Analysis Techniques in Public Policy.

Catalog description

Semester course; 3 lecture hours. 3 credits. Prerequisites: PADM 624 or equivalent; and PPAD 721 . Enrollment is restricted to doctoral students. This is a second-level course in statistical data analysis for public policy and administration. It is a study of the levels of measurement and selection of appropriate analytical tools and the analysis of data. Focus will be kept on integrating data and analysis into decisions regarding research design and on understanding the application of a wide range of modern techniques to specific decision-making situations, rather than on mastering the theoretical underpinnings of the techniques. Upon successful completion of the course, students should possess valuable practical analytical skills that will equip them with a competitive edge in their research. The course covers methods that are aimed at description, inference, prediction, classification, clustering, visualization and data-reduction techniques.