Organisation: This module of the Prelims Economics sequence is structured rather differently from the other modules. The course material consists entirely of pre-recorded lectures and demonstration classes, which are being released progressively throughout this term and the text. There is no assigned textbook and no additional reading list.
Content: Since they are the main reference for this course, you should study the lecture slides closely. It is also essential that you attempt the questions set for the demonstration classes (and then subsequently attend or watch the recordings of those classes), in order to consolidate your knowledge of the material.
Scheduling: Since this is the first time that this course has been taught as part of the Prelims sequence -- and I do not have sight of any of the material in advance of it being released to you on canvas -- I am going to stick fairly close to the schedule set out by the course convenor. We will therefore hold classes in MT7, HT5 and TT1, based around the quizzes provided by the convenor. I will also hold two additional classes, based around longer exam-style questions, in TT3 and TT5.
Classes in Trinity Term will be held online, via Zoom (using the link provided to you by email), at the following times:
Wed, 14:00--15:50: Ananya, Rhidian, Matias
Wed, 16:00--17:50: Michal, Peter, Maya, Mipham
Thu, 9:00--10:50: Sze Ann, Justin, Rani, Max
Thu, 11:00--12:50: Johannes, Ayesha, Abigail
Should in-person teaching become possible at some point during Trinity term, I will arrange to provide some of these classes in person.
Format: The first three classes will be structured around a quiz supplied by the course convenor, consisting of a series of short answer questions on the lecture material. The quiz questions will be released to you on the Monday before the classes are held, but you are not expected to submit answers to these in advance of the class.
Exam: The material in this module will contribute 1/3 of the questions in your Prelims Economics exam.
Review the lecture material on: 1. Probability Theory; and 2. Data, Variables and Moments.
Supplementary notes on bivariate distributions and conditional expectations
Review the lecture material on: 3. Statistics
Supplementary notes on hypothesis testing and confidence intervals
Review the lecture material on: 4. Time Series and 5. Causal inference
We will cover longer form questions on topics 1--3, drawn from the 2021 collection and some past QE exams (as a single pdf).
Submit your solutions to the following questions from the collection: Q1, Q2, and Q4(a)+(b). Also attempt, but do not submit, the first 3 questions in the pdf of past QE exams, if time permits. We will go through the solutions to some of these; I will supply written solutions for those that we do not get to cover in class.
We will cover longer form questions on topics 3--5.
Submit your solutions to the following questions from the collection: Q3, and Q4(c)-(e). Also attempt, but do not submit, the remaining 4 questions in the pdf of past QE exams, if time permits.