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Syllabus

EN IT

Learning Objectives

Learning outcomes: The aim of this course is to introduce the students to state-of-the-art techniques for the estimation of causal effects, for both cross-sectional and longitudinal data.

Knowledge and understanding: On successful completion of the course, students will be able to understand causal inference tools. Specifically, we will study the potential outcome model, discuss the main assumptions required for the identification of average causal effects, and focus on the main estimation approaches. Emphasis will be placed on identification and consistent estimation.

Applying knowledge and understanding: On successful completion of the course, students will be able to apply the discussed techniques using the Stata statistical software.

Making judgements: On successful completion of the course, students will be able to orient themselves between different techniques and choose the best for the case at hand.

Communication skills: Students will be able to present and effectively communicate the results of their own elaborations and analyses.

Prerequisites

Students should have completed Mathematics (8011190), Statistics (8010848) and Econometrics (8011571). A good knowledge of Stata is required.

Program

Potential outcomes model, treatment effects and selection bias
Regression adjustment
Propensity score estimators
Matching estimators
Regression discontinuity design
Panel data
Fixed- and random-effects
Tests of specification
Difference-in-differences
Synthetic controls
Interactive fixed-effects and generalized synthetic controls

Books

The main reference is Cunningham S., (2021) Causal Inference: The Mixtape. Yale University Press.

For some topics, Cunningham (2021) will be complemented by selected articles which will be made available on the material section of the course website and by some chapters from:

Wooldridge J.M., (2010), Econometric Analysis of Cross-Section and Panel Data, 2nd ed., MIT Press, Cambridge (MA);
Angrist J.D., and Pischke J.-S., (2009), Mostly Harmless Econometrics: An Empiricists’ Companion, Princeton University Press, Princeton.

Bibliography

Wooldridge J.M., (2010), Econometric Analysis of Cross-Section and Panel Data, 2nd ed., MIT Press, Cambridge (MA).

Cunningham S., (2021) Causal Inference: The Mixtape. Yale University Press;

Angrist J.D., and Pischke J.-S., (2009), Mostly Harmless Econometrics: An Empiricists’ Companion, Princeton University Press, Princeton.

Teaching notes and suggestions for further reading will be provided in class.

Teaching methods

The course consists of eighteen theoretical lectures, with applications based on economic micro-data.

Exam Rules

The final exam is a one and a half hours written test consisting of three exercises. Some exercises will report Stata’s output and will require their interpretation. To pass the exam, the student must get a mark of 18 in at least two exercises. The final mark will be computed as the average of the three exercises. For each exercise, the mark can range from 0 to 33, so students can obtain a final mark of 30 even without getting a mark of 30 to all exercises. The exam is aimed at assessing whether the student has acquired a solid knowledge of the topics covered during the course, both from a theoretical and a practical point of view.

Additionally, attending students, in groups of two, have to give a class presentation of a published academic paper that exploits one of the methods covered in the course. The mark of the presentation will range from 1 to 4 and will be added to the mark of the final exam (only in the exam session just after the course). Withdrawals from scheduled presentations will be marked with -2.

Students must book for the final exam on https://delphi.uniroma2.it. Students who fail or withdraw from the exam may take it again in the same session. Class presentations will take place in last 2 classes (30 min presentations, inclusing questions and discussion)