PECOS4022 – Applied Statistics for Peace and Conflict Studies
Course description
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Choose semester
Course content
The course introduces students to various statistical techniques widely used in the peace and conflict literature. The main focus is on:
- Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression.
- Logit regression.
- Panel Data models.
The course is mandatory for the PECOS-students that follow the political science track and will provide them with tools to read and critically evaluate existing statistical research on peace and conflict topics, as well as conducting their own statistical studies.
Learning outcome
Knowledge
Students will
- obtain a good grasp of various statistical concepts and measures;
- be well acquainted with various criteria for "good" estimators;
- know the ordinary least squares estimator, and under which conditions it functions properly;
- be well acquainted with various transformations of variables, such as logarithmic transformations;
- know the logit model and its underlying logic, and have cursory knowledge of alternative methods for analysing binary dependent variables, such as probit;
- understand what a variable's level of measurement is, and have knowledge of multinomial logit models (for analysing nominal dependent variables) and ordered logit models (for analysing ordinal dependent variables);
- be well acquainted with different types of data structures and the differences between them, including cross-sectional data, time-series data, and panel data;
- learn how to interpret interaction terms and discuss interaction effects;
- obtain some standard types of robustness checks for statistical analysis;
- learn how to read and present statistical material visually in tables and figures.
Skills
Students will
- be able to critically read and evaluate existing statistical studies on peace and conflict topics;
- be able to handle large data sets using STATA, including coding new variables and transforming existing variables in the data set;
- be able to apply the various statistical models mentioned above to large data sets, and learn how to properly test hypotheses, interpret results, and draw careful conclusions;
- be able to replicate statistical studies in peace and conflict research, and to conduct independent statistical studies on peace and conflict topics.
Competences
Students will
- enhance their capabilities in carrying out thorough, independent and critical analysis of complex questions;
- enhance their capabilities in critically evaluating empirical research;
- enhance their understanding of various elements of the scientific process, including aspects of the relation between theory and empirical evidence and between concepts and measures.
Admission
Students who are admitted to study programmes at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in Studentweb.
Students enrolled in other Master's Degree Programmes can, on application, be admitted to the course if this is cleared by their own study programme.
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures.
Apply for guest student status if you are admitted to another Master's programme.
For incoming students
All Master's courses in Political Science must be registered manually by the Department, they will not appear in Studentweb. Contact your international coordinator at UiO.
Prerequisites
Formal prerequisite knowledge
Basic concepts in descriptive statistics related to:
- measures of central tendency (e.g. mean and median),
- dispersion (e.g. standard deviation, rage),
- and measures of association and correlation (e.g. percentage difference and Pearson's r correlation coefficient).
Furthermore, basic knowledge of inferential statistics and of OLS regression (bivariate and multivariate) is required.
Recommended previous knowledge
Teaching
Lectures and seminars.
The lectures are not compulsory, but we recommend you to follow them.
Seminars which are compulsory. The seminars will take place in a computer lab.
Absence from compulsory activities
If you are absent from a seminar, you must notify the Department of Political Science within three workdays after the seminar. Contact your seminar leader immediately in order to organise a new time for the activity.
Access to teaching
A student who has completed compulsory instruction and coursework and has had these approved, is not entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework. A student who has been admitted to a course, but who has not completed compulsory instruction and coursework or had these approved, is entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework, depending on available capacity.
Examination
3-hour written examination and term paper.
The term paper must:
- be between 3500-5000 words.
- be an empirical analysis, either in the form of an original study or a replication study.
- meet the formal requirements for submission of written assignments
The written examination and the term paper each counts for approximately 50 percent of the final grade. You receive one overall grade. You must pass the term paper and the written examination in the same semester.
Written examination
The written examination is conducted in the digital examination system Inspera. You will need to familiarize yourself with the digital examination arrangements in Inspera.
Read more about written examinations using Inspera.
Submit assignments in Inspera
You submit your assignment in the digital examination system Inspera. Read more about how to submit assignments in Inspera.
Use of sources and citation
You should familiarize yourself with the rules that apply to the use of sources and citations. If you violate the rules, you may be suspected of cheating/attempted cheating.
Examination support material
Students may use dictionaries at this exam. Dictionaries must be handed in before the examination. Please read regulations for dictionaries permitted at the examination.
Calculators are permitted. It is not allowed to add new functions/information/software to a calculator, and it is not allowed to use calculators for communication during the exam.
Language of examination
The examination text is given in English, and you submit your response in English.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
Explanations and appeals
It is recommended to request an explanation of your grade before you decide to appeal.
Appeal
Explanation
The deadline to request an explanation is one week after the grade is published. For oral and practical examinations, the deadline is immediately after you have received your grade.
The explanation should normally be given within two weeks after you have asked for it. The examiner decides whether the explanation is to be given in writing or verbally.
Ask for explanation of your grade in this course
Resit an examination
If you are sick or have another valid reason for not attending the regular exam, we offer a postponed exam later in the same semester.
See also our information about resitting an exam.
Withdrawal from an examination
It is possible to take the exam up to 3 times. If you withdraw from the exam after the deadline or during the exam, this will be counted as an examination attempt.
Special examination arrangements
Application form, deadline and requirements for special examination arrangements.
Evaluation
The course is subject to continuous evaluation. At regular intervals we also ask students to participate in a more comprehensive evaluation.