Overview

BUSN 5000E follows UGA’s Thru Term. Classes begin on Jun 4 and end on Jul 29. The exam period is Jul 30–Jul 31. Your exam will be accessible on Jul 31, between 600a and 800p EDT.

The deadline for submitting all homework and project-related assignments is 1159p on the due date. Late submissions will not be accepted.

Schedule entries

  • Reading lists recommended text readings for each module.
  • IRL lists recommended articles, podcasts, and videos that tie course content to real-world settings.
  • Due indicates the due dates for homework and project-related assignments in red. Mark them in your personal calendars.

Weekly Schedule

Week 0

Getting Started (Jun 4-8)

Reading: Healy, ch 2

IRL: “University Education as We Know It Is Over”, Inexact Science, 6 Nov 25. Comments on “University Education as We Know It Is Over”.

Mandatory live meeting – Thu, Jun 4, 530-630p (see eLC for the Zoom link)
Due: Homework 0 – Mon, Jun 8

Week 1

Data Fundamentals + Beginning to Learn (Jun 8-15)

Module 1 :: Data Fundamentals

Reading: Bekes and Kezdi, ch 1; Bueno de Mesquita and Fowler, ch 1

IRL: “How Bad Data Traps People in the US Justice System”, TED Talks, Apr 22.

Due: Homework 1 – Thu, Jun 11
Due: Pre-project Exercise – Fri, Jun 12

Module 2 :: Beginning to Learn

Reading: Bekes and Kezdi, chs 2-3

IRL: “What Can Uber Teach Us About the Gender Pay Gap?”, Freakonomics Radio, Episode 317.

Due: Homework 2 – Mon, Jun 15

Week 2

Models for Exploration + Making Inferences (Jun 15-22)

Module 3 :: Models for Exploration

Reading: Bekes and Kezdi, ch 4; Bueno de Mesquita and Fowler, chs 2, 4

IRL: Brynjolfsson et al., “Canaries in the Coal Mine? Six Facts about the Recent Employment Effects of Artificial Intelligence”, working paper, 13 Nov 25.

Due: Homework 3 – Thu, Jun 18

Module 4 :: Making Inferences

Reading: Bekes and Kezdi, chs 5-6; Bueno de Mesquita and Fowler, ch 6

IRL: “The Effects of Facebook and Instagram on the 2020 Election: A Deactivation Experiment”, PNAS, May 24.

Due: Homework 4 – Mon, Jun 22

Week 3

Measurement Error & Sample Selection + Confounding (Jun 22-29)

Module 5 :: Measurement Error & Sample Selection

Reading: Bueno de Mesquita and Fowler, ch 16

IRL: “Using Internal CPS Data to Reevaluate Trends in Labor Earnings Gaps”, Monthly Labor Review, Aug 09.

Due: Homework 5 – Thu, Jun 25

Module 6 :: Confounding

Reading: Bueno de Mesquita and Fowler, ch 9

IRL: “Testing Theories of Why: Four Keys to Interpreting US Student Achievement Trends”, AEI, Jan 25.

Week 4

The Bayesian Approach to Learning from Data + Regression Fundamentals (Jun 29-Jul 6)

Module 7 :: The Bayesian Approach to Learning from Data

Reading and watching: Bueno de Mesquita and Fowler, ch 15; “Bayes’ Theorem, the Geometry of Changing Beliefs”, 3Blue1Brown, 22 Dec 19.

IRL: “Using Bayesian Updating to Improve Decisions under Uncertainty”, California Management Review, 2020.

Module 8 :: Regression Fundamentals

Reading: Bueno de Mesquita and Fowler, chs 5, 7, 10; Angrist & Pischke, ch 2

IRL: “Anybody Can Win, but Everybody’s Gonna Lose”, Against the Rules, Season 4, Episode 10.

Due: Project Progress Check – Mon, Jul 6

Week 5

Regression Fundamentals (continued) + Potential Outcomes (Jul 6-13)

Module 8 :: Regression Fundamentals (continued)

Due: Homework 6 – Thu, Jul 9

Module 9 :: Potential Outcomes

Reading: Bekes and Kezdi, chs 19-20; Bueno de Mesquita and Fowler, chs 3, 11; Angrist & Pischke, ch 1

IRL: “The Cybernetic Teammate: A Field Experiment on Generative AI Reshaping Teamwork and Expertise”, Harvard Business School Strategy Unit Working Paper No. 25-043, 21 Mar 25.

Due: Homework 7 – Mon, Jul 13

Week 6

Regression Discontinuity + Difference in Differences (Jul 13-20)

WITHDRAWAL DEADLINE – Wed, Jul 15

Module 10 :: Regression Discontinuity

Reading: Bueno de Mesquita and Fowler, ch 12; Angrist & Pischke, ch 4

IRL: “Does Advertising Actually Work? Part I”, Freakonomics Radio, Episode 440.

Due: Homework 8 – Thu, Jul 16

Module 11 :: Difference in Differences

Reading: Bekes and Kezdi, ch 22; Bueno de Mesquita and Fowler, ch 13; Angrist & Pischke, ch 5

IRL: “Does Advertising Actually Work? Part II”, Freakonomics Radio, Episode 441.

Due: Homework 9 – Mon, Jul 20

Week 7

Machine Learning + Project Final Submission (Jul 20-27)

Module 12 :: Machine Learning

Reading: Bekes and Kezdi, chs 13-14; “Machine Learning: An Applied Econometric Approach”, Journal of Economic Perspectives, Spring 17.

IRL: “In Defense of Zillow’s Besieged Data Scientists”, Medium, 16 Nov 21.

Due: Project Final Submission – Thu, Jul 23
Due: Homework 10 – Mon, Jul 27

Week 8

Exam (Jul 27-31)

Due: Practice exam – Tue, Jul 28
EXAM – Fri, Jul 31, 600a-800p EDT