Course 2017-2018 a.y.

Classes: 31 (II sem.)

Instructors:
Class 31: DIEGO JAVIER UBFAL

This course covers theoretical and empirical developments on Microeconometrics, with a focus on program evaluation. It provides students with basic skills to conduct rigorous estimation of the impact of governmental/aid agencies programs. Moreover, it conveys the theoretical background to test implications or assumptions of microeconomic models and to understand empirical applications in several applied fields, such as development, labor, health and education.
The course has an applied focus, but theoretical material is broadly covered. Estimation techniques and econometric theory are discussed during lecture; with each method being motivated by a series of empirical papers. The problem sets focus on helping students understand how these methods can be applied to real world data.

• The course begins with a discussion about reduced form and structural form analysis, the counterfactual notion of causality and the differences between estimation and identification.
• The main methodological part is devoted to the estimation of causal relationships, including experimental and non-experimental techniques (matching, instrumental variables, regression discontinuity and panel data).
  

• Problem sets (35%)

• 4 problem sets.
• All of them must be submitted.
• Can be prepared and submitted in groups of 4 or 5 students.
• They include theoretical questions similar to the ones in the final exam and applied questions with Real Data to solve in STATA.

• Presentation (15%)
• One presentation in Groups of 4/5 students. Students can choose one of the applied sections (Matching, IV, RDD, DID, Standard Errors) to present a paper of their choice (coordinated with teacher) that uses the discussed methodology.
  

• Final Exam (50%)

• Students are allowed to bring to the exam up to 3 sheets of paper (up to A4 size) written on the two sides with anything they want.

We discuss material from the following textbooks (most of the material in AP and IR is relevant for the course. We cover only selected chapters of CT and W).

• J. Angrist, J. Pischke, Mostly Harmless Econometrics. Princeton University Press, 2009, [AP].
• G. Imbens, D. Rubin, Causal Inference for Statistics, Social and Biomedical Sciences. An Introduction. Cambridge University Press, 2015 [IR].
• C.A. Cameron, P.K. Trivedi Microeconometrics. Methods and Applications, New York, Cambridge University Press, 2005, [CT].
• C.A. Cameron, P.K. Trivedi Microeconometrics Using Stata, Stata Press, 2009.
  
• J. Wooldridge, Econometric Analysis of Cross Section and Panel Data, MIT Press, 2010, 2nd Edition, [W].
  

For each topic, a list of recently published papers is provided.
Slides arebe provided for each topic and posted online.

A basic knowledge of econometrics is strongly recommended. Basic knowledge on the use of STATA or similar computer software is also recommended.