ECON 306: Introduction to Econometrics

Syllabus
Credits:

Prerequisites:

ECON 106 (Note: STAT 200 does not count as a satisfactory

alternative course

Delivery:

Web (ANGEL, http://cms.psu.edu)

Dates:

See the Calendar tab in ANGEL.

Instructor:

See the Orientation folder in ANGEL.

Course Outline
Description
This course teaches the implementation of the statistical techniques (namely, linear regression)
needed to empirically evaluate many economic questions. Basic theoretical principles of
econometrics will be introduced, implemented, and assessed.

Objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
1. Analyze the relationships between multiple variables
2. Calculate and interpret both single and multiple regression analysis
3. Determine when the assumptions for that analysis are violated, and how to make some
basic corrections to the analysis when necessary
4. Read and evaluate the work of other researchers who utilize the techniques of multiple
regression
5. Use a popular statistical computation program: Stata

Organization
This course is made up of 12 lessons.
For each lesson, you will complete the following activities and assignments:

Explore online course content.

Read a few assigned readings.

In addition, you will complete six quizzes and six sets of homework problems, offered on an
alternating weekly cycle. You will also take two midterm exams and one final exam.

Online Learning & Attendance

This course has been developed to promote asynchronous learning. The instructor and students
do NOT meet on a designated day and time each week. For each lesson, there is a timeframe to
complete all activities and assignments, and you may work at your own pace within that
timeframe. However, you must adhere to the deadlines outlined on the calendar. (Click the
Calendar tab in ANGEL. Or check the Orientation folder under the Lessons tab.) You should
log into the course daily to check for updates, review lessons, and participate in activities.

Texts & Other Materials

There is one required text.
1. Studenmund, A.H. Using Econometrics, a Practical Guide [6th edition]. Addison-Wesley
Longman, Inc. (ISBN: 978-0131367739).
Video lectures are hosted on Vimeo and the Liberal Arts Outreach server.
You will need to have access to a scanner for the final exam. You will submit this by
completing your work on paper (such as drawing graphs) and then scanning your papers to create
an electronic file and submitting the electronic file to the appropriate dropbox on the course
website. Please make sure to familiarize yourself with the submission procedure.
You will also need access to STATA, a statistical program. If you do not have free access to
STATA through a university computer, you will need to acquire your own copy immediately.
The university offers discounted rates to purchase licenses of STATA. Please go to the website:
http://www.stata.com/order/new/edu/gradplans/direct-ship-pricing/ for more details. Small
STATA 12 is robust enough to handle all required work for this course.

Grading
Final letter grades will be assigned based on the scale below.

Scale
GRADE
A
AB+
B
BC+
C

PERCENT
93-100
90-92.9
87-89.9
83-86.9
80-82.9
75-79.9
70-74.9

3
D
F

60-69.9
0-59.9

Deadlines
All assignments are due by 11:55 PM EST on the assigned date. Please refer to the calendar in
ANGEL for detailed information. As a general rule, you will NOT be able to go back and make
up missed assignments, and late assignments are not accepted without a valid excuse. It is your
responsibility to keep up with your assignments. Note that the times are in U.S. Eastern Time.
System Service Hours: ANGEL maintenance will be conducted 4:00 to 6:00 a.m. U.S. Eastern
Time daily, during which time ANGEL will be unavailable.
Students with an excused absence (hospitalization, jury duty, or family emergency) may be
asked to produce proper documentation in order to make up graded work. All make-up work is
at the discretion of the instructor.

Valid Excuses
A major advantage of an online course is the flexibility it affords students for doing assignments.
All assignments are intended to be accessed and completed within a window of several days
duration, and can be done from anywhere in the world. (The necessary technology, even if you
are not at home, will frequently be available at internet cafes, copy shops, or libraries.) The dates
of these assignments have been provided to you well ahead of time in the course calendar. Given
this flexibility, an unexpected event that makes it impossible for a student to complete an
assignment on time should be very rare. It is expected that students plan ahead and allocate their
time accordingly.
A student must inform the instructor as early as possible if they anticipate it will be impossible
for them to execute an assignment on time. If a student does not notify the instructor, and fails to
submit the assignment on time, that student will receive zero credit. If a student only notifies the
instructor of a valid conflict after the assignment window has opened (or, for homework, less
than 48 hours before the assignment is due), the instructor may arrange to have the deadline
changed for that student, but the penalty will be 20% of the available credit per 24 hours late.
These penalties are not negotiable.
If a student anticipates a valid conflict and informs the instructor before the assignment window
opens (or more than 48 hours before the homework is due), the instructor may allow the student
to submit the work at a later (or earlier) time without penalty. Valid conflicts are items that make
it impossible for a student to complete the assignment at the scheduled time, primarily including
illness, or family emergencies. Travel plans (except as required by university-sponsored
activities) DO NOT constitute valid conflict. Students should plan to be available online until
they finish the assignment. Encountering technical problems at the last minute is not a valid
conflict. For more information on valid excuses, please see the Department of Economics policy
on valid excuses, which is available at the Department website.

Assignments
An overview of assignment categories is provided below. More specific instructions about each
individual assignment can be found in the appropriate area online.
ASSIGNMENT PERCENT
Quizzes
10
Homework
35
Midterm Exams
35
Final Exam
20
Total
100%

Quizzes
Value: 6 x 10 PTS, 60 PTS total
Weeks: 1, 3, 6, 8, 11, and 13

There are six quizzes made up of multiple choice questions. Each quiz will be based on the
topics covered in the lesson(s) that week.

Homework
Value: 5 x 100 PTS + 1 x 300, 800 PTS total
Weeks: 2, 4, 7, 9, 12, and 14

There are six sets of homework problems. The homework will be based on the topics covered in
the lesson(s) that week.

Midterm Exams
Value: 2 x 100 PTS, 200 PTS total
Weeks: 5 and 10

There are two midterm exams made up of multiple choice questions and questions using
STATA. When you complete the STATA portion, you will need to submit certain data output
files to obtain full credit.

Final Exam
Value: 1 x 100 PTS, 100 PTS total
Week: 16

At the end of the session, you will take a cumulative final exam. The exam covers all lessons
from the course, but with an emphasis on the lessons after the second midterm exam. The exam
is made up of multiple choice questions and questions using STATA. When you complete the
STATA portion, you will need to submit certain data output files to obtain full credit

University Policies
Academic Integrity
Penn State defines academic integrity as the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open, honest and
responsible manner. All students should act with personal integrity, respect other students
dignity, rights and property, and help create and maintain an environment in which all can
succeed through the fruits of their efforts.
Dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated in this course. Dishonesty includes, but is not
limited to, cheating, plagiarizing, fabricating information or citations, facilitating acts of
academic dishonesty by others, having unauthorized possession of examinations, submitting
work of another person or work previously used without informing the instructor, or tampering
with the academic work of other students. Students who are found to be dishonest will receive
academic sanctions and will be reported to the Universitys Judicial Affairs office for possible
further disciplinary sanction. For further information, please read University Faculty Senate
Policy 49-20 at http://www.psu.edu/ufs/policies/47-00.html#49-20.

Disability Access
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. If you
have a disability-related need for reasonable academic adjustments in this course, contact the
Office for Disability Services (ODS) at 814-863-1807 (V/TTY). For further information
regarding ODS, please visit the Office for Disability Services Website at
http://equity.psu.edu/ods/.
In order to receive consideration for course accommodations, you must contact ODS and provide
documentation. (See the documentation guidelines at http://equity.psu.edu/ods/guidelines/.) If the
documentation supports the need for academic adjustments, ODS will provide a letter identifying
appropriate academic adjustments. Please share this letter and discuss the adjustments with your
instructor as early in the course as possible. You must contact ODS and request academic
adjustment letters at the beginning of each semester.

Nondiscrimination
Penn State is committed to equal access to programs, facilities, admission and employment for
all persons. It is the policy of the University to maintain an environment free of harassment and
free of discrimination against any person because of age, race, color, ancestry, national origin,
religion, creed, service in the uniformed services (as defined in state and federal law), veteran
status, sex, sexual orientation, marital or family status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions,
physical or mental disability, gender, perceived gender, gender identity, genetic information or
political ideas. Discriminatory conduct and harassment, as well as sexual misconduct and
relationship violence, violates the dignity of individuals, impedes the realization of the
Universitys educational mission, and will not be tolerated. For further information, please visit
the Affirmative Action Office Website at http://www.psu.edu/dept/aaoffice/.

TEACH Act
The materials on the course Website are only for the use of students enrolled in this course for
purposes associated with this course and may not be retained or further disseminated.

University Emergency Procedure

In the event of a University-wide emergency, the course may be subject to changes. Exigent
circumstances may require alternative delivery methods, class materials, and interactions with
the instructor and/or classmates. In addition, there may be revisions to grading policies,
attendance policies, and the course calendar, including assignments and their deadlines.
In the event of a University-wide emergency, please refer to the ANGEL Website at
http://cms.psu.edu for specific information related to the course. For more general information
about the emergency situation, please refer to the Penn State Website at http://www.psu.edu or
Penn State News at http://news.psu.edu.
To register with PSUAlert, a service designed to alert the Penn State community when situations
arise that affects the ability of a campus to function normally, please go to
https://psualert.psu.edu/psualert/. Subscribers can receive alerts by text message to cell phones,
and also can elect to have alerts sent to an email address.

Syllabus Subject to Change

The class will likely adhere to the information outlined in the syllabus and calendar, but
adjustments may be made based on what actually transpires during the term. Be sure to check
with a classmate after an absence to see if activities and assignments have changed. Remaining
in the course after reading this syllabus will signal that you accept the possibility of changes and
responsibility for being aware of them.