Working with EViews

Working with EViews
 
EViews is a standard statistical computer program very much suited for regression analysis with time-series data (other programs are for example TSP, RATS, PCGive, Shazam). In contrast, SPSS is a program optimised for statistical analysis of cross-section or panel data, for example survey results (another program is for example SAS). In macroeconomics we usually work with time series. Therefore, it is important to learn to use EViews rather than SPSS. 
 

Basic introduction to EViews

Most internet 'help' sites I have seen make extensive use of the Windows ('point-and-click') capabilities of EViews. Although very easy to use and very convenient during interactive computer sessions, it is absolutely necessary for evaluating and grading empirical assignments that all computer commands used during these sessions are at some stage converted into computer program statements. In general, a program provides an accurate catalogue of how results were obtained for any researcher, whether student or professional. This conversion into program statements must be done sooner or later, and I suggest sooner rather than later. Learn to program in EViews as soon as possible. In my seminars I consider every empirical assignment turned in without a correct EViews program as highly suspect in its results and grade the assignments accordingly.

 
On a subpage (see the link in the menu, left) I provide a basic introduction to the main components of EViews programming. You may want to check commands against the command and reference guide with your current EViews version.
The internet references provided further down below will link you to some other EViews guides.

 

Examples of EViews programs

I prepared some examples of programming and econometrics in EViews. Some of these examples are based on 'real' empirical studies published in academic economic journals. The examples attempt to replicate the published results. Note that for a number of reasons, it is almost impossible to replicate exact results published in the journals (for example, due to data changes/revisions, insufficient details, programming errors, etc.). The examples do, however, provide enough useful insights into EViews programming and actual empirical, econometric research.

The subpages with examples (see the links in the menu, left) each have links to datasets (ASCII, spreadsheet, EViews workfiles) and EViews program files (.prg) that need to be downloaded. The pages provide the general content of the relevant journal articles, their goal and key results. There is enough information to replicate the empirical research and to understand its conclusions. For additional information you will want to read the original articles.  

  • Example #1: Introduction to EViews- Exchange Rate Purchasing Power Parity
  • Example #2: Stationary White Noise and Nonstationary Random Walks - Background on Unit Roots and Spurious Regression
  • Example #3: Estimation and Simulation of Small Macro Models - Evaluating Monetary Policy Rules 
  • Example #4: This example is based on data for the UK financial markets supplied by T.C. Mills home page and used in his book The Econometric Modelling of Financial Time Series. It applies unit root tests, random walk test, cointegration and vector autoregression methods to a dataset for the UK stock market.
 
 

Other EViews websites

EViews Homepage, http://www.eviews.com

Official Download Area with example programs in EViews and additional documentation (.zip files). For EViews 5, 4 and 3.1. http://www.eviews.com/download/download.html

The Users Guide and Command and Programming Reference are VERY LARGE PDF files. If you check out the first three chapters of the user's guide you should be in good shape to start using EViews. Use the Command and Programming Reference to look up correct specification of commands and functions and their options.

Basic EViews introductions

Introduction EViews for Orientatie Econometrie, by Marius Ooms, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. http://www.feweb.vu.nl/econometriclinks/orientatie/Eviews4introduction.pdf Introduction to main features of EViews. Entirely focused on "Point and Click" applications, no programming.

EViews User Guide, http://www.sba.muohio.edu/noblenr/EViews31/default.htm

Somewhat less extensive and less beautiful graphically illustrated introduction to EViews 2.0. Entirely focused on "Point and Click" applications, no programming.

Learning EViews, An interactive self-paced tutorial for students in Economics, http://www.wesleyan.edu/its/acs/tutorials/EViews/

Step-by-step online tutorial for EViews. 

Basic EViews introductions plus some introductory econometrics

A Guide to Using EViews with Using Econometrics: A Practical Guide [by A.H. Studenmund] by R. R. Johnson, http://wps.aw.com/aw_studenmund_useecon_5/0,10708,2281679-,00.html PDF files with step-by-step application in EViews of example problems used in the book. Entirely focused on "Point and Click" applications, no programming.

ECON2170 Applied Econometrics Supplementary Tutorial, Bill Wan Sing Hung, Hong Kong Baptist University,  http://www.hkbu.edu.hk/~billhung/econ2170/ A simple step-by-step solution demonstration of econometric problems supplementary to the textbook Basic Econometrics by Damodar N. Gujarati.