Economics 371 Home Page

Spring 2008

Contact Information

Bomb Scares

In the event of a bomb scare, I will try to arrange an alternate classroom. If you come to lecture only to discover the building wrapped in yellow plastic tape, please consult the message board. I will post instructions there.

Data Sets

The data sets for the xerox problems can be downloaded by clicking here. The file you download is an executable zip file: all the data sets are compressed and stored inside the one file. The file data.exe is actually a program. When you have finished downloading, run the program. (From windows, click on file, run, and give the file name.) The file will expand into all the data sets.

Handouts in pdf

• The "xerox" or "additional" problems assigned for homework.
• Answers to the paper-and-pencil xerox problems.
• The formula sheet you will have for exams.

Sample Quizzes

• Quiz 1 is a practice version of the first quiz, Quiz 2 is a practice version of the second quiz, etc. Click here. For Quiz 3, I have provided a copy of the quiz, and a copy of the answers.

Review Questions to Prepare for Final

• Questions
• Answers

Additional Readings

Those in boldface are especially important, and are required reading.

• Chapter 2 -- Lecture notes explaining how to make certain graphs in Minitab
• Chapter 4 -- Mammography's costs and benefits / Bayes Law
• Chapter 5 -- Famous pundit, silly mistake
• Chapter 5 -- Computing the chance of winning Pick 6 Virginia Lotto.
• Chapter 5 -- Formulas neglected by A, S, & W: a finance application. 
• Chapter 7 -- Two "tricky" central limit theorem questions
• Chapter 7 -- Simulation of the properties of estimators
• Chapter 14 -- A thorough regression example worked entirely by hand.
• Chapter 14 -- The same Regression example done on the computer.
• Chapter 14 -- How econometric (regression) models are used by macro policymakers.
• Chapter 16 -- A note on logarithms and why they are useful to economists.

You will need Acrobat Reader to view these documents.  It is installed on most computers nowadays, but if you need to install it on yours, click here for a free download.

Solutions Manual for Anderson, Sweeny, and Williams

These solutions are provided by the publisher.  My experience has been that the solutions manual, while usually correct, contains a few errors.  If you disagree with a solution presented here, bring it to my attention.

• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5
• Chapter 6
• Chapter 7
• Chapter 8
• Chapter 9
• Chapter 10
• Chapter 11
• Chapter 14
• Chapter 15

PowerPoint Presentations

• Click here to download the Power Point presentation of my introductory comments.
• Click here to download the Chapter 3 Power Point presentation.
• Click here to download the Chapter 9 PowerPoint presentation. (To avoid font problems, this has been printed as a pdf file.)

Visit the Message Board

• Click here to go to the message board.

Syllabus

• Click here to see the class syllabus.

Schedule

• Click here to see the class schedule.

Assignments

• Click here to see the assigned homework problems.

Troubleshooting

• For advice on using Minitab commands or paper and pencil problems, ask me. The easiest way to do so is to use the Message Board.
• One exception to this rule is if Minitab will not start or will not run correctly in the labs.  In that case, you should contact ITC.

Links

• The Data and Story Library is an online library of data files and stories that illustrate basic statistical methods.
• Visit Statistics Job Announcements and see what kinds of jobs professional statisticians are hired to do.
• Read about Minitab on their web page.
• Get Minitab from ITC for use on your personal computer, or consult this list of ITC labs where Minitab is available.
• HyperStat Online is an introductory-level hypertext statistics book. Did you leave A, S, &W at home and need to look something up? It is probably here.  HyperStat Online also has links to several web pages of jokes regarding statistics.
• The Rice Virtual Lab in Statistics includes simulations, demonstrations, and case studies. The case studies are particularly interesting. The site is still under development.
• In the class discussion of regression analysis, one interesting example is the controversy concerning butterfly ballots used in West Palm Beach County, Florida during the 2000 presidential election.  For those who may not be aware of this particular aspect of the election controversy, here is some background information.

Nothing Whatever to do with Statistics

• Pictures of our children, Thomas and Annamarie.  I am contemplating giving extra credit to anyone who spots them around Charlottesville and goes up to my wife and says "What adorable children you have!"

This page last updated on January 24, 2008.

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