Department of Economics, Unit Catalogue 2011/12 |
|
 Credits:
| 6 |
| Level:
| Certificate (FHEQ level 4) |
| Period: |
Semester 1 |
| Assessment:
| CW 50%, EX 50% |
| Supplementary Assessment: | ES10009 Resit Exam (where allowed by programme regulations) |
| Requisites:
| |
| Description:
| Aims: To familiarise students with University computing facilities and to explore the application of these facilities to empirical economic and political data. Students should develop the computing skills necessary to facilitate their research, analysis and presentation. Learning Outcomes: * Make effective use of University computing and library resources for purposes of communication, research and presentation. * Be able to perform a rigorous literature search. * Students will be familiar with all common usage software programs such as Word, PowerPoint and Excel. * Students will have knowledge of more specific data analysis software packages such as Microfit and Minitab. * Students will be able to search, locate, analyse and present data in an effective manner in any chosen research area. * Use IT and economic theory to build models in order to facilitate research. Skills: * Competence in MS Office products and other more specific econometric and data analysis packages. * Search and find empirical data via the WWW and library subscription databases. * Discern patterns, trends and relationships in data. * Organise complex data and make that data meaningful by appropriate descriptive statistics. * Apply economic theory to appropriate empirical data. * Problem solving skills. * Work effectively in groups. * Produce effective, stylish and substantive pieces of group related research. Content: Students will be shown how to make full use of the IT facilities within the University to enable them to perform an effective literature search. MS Word, PowerPoint and Excel will be introduced and the students will be encouraged to make full use of these packages. In MS Word they will be introduced to more advanced features such as equation editor, comments, security and general presentation options. In PowerPoint students will be taught how to free draw and import various video and audio file for more effective presentations. Excel will be used extensively to collate, analyse and present data. Correlation, regression and financial functions will be taught within Excel and other econometric software. Indicative Reading: Judge, Guy (2000) Computing Skills for Economists. Lind, Marchal and Wathen (2005) 12th Ed. Statistical Techniques in Business and Economics. Walkenback (2004) Excel Bible. |
| Programme availability: |
ES10009 is Compulsory on the following programmes:Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies
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