Module 1: Introduction to Surveys
Module 2: Getting Started with STATA
Module 3: Understanding Distributions
Module 4: Measures of Central Tendency
Module 5: Bivariate Analysis
Module 6: Simple Regression Analysis
Module 7: Multiple Regression Analysis
Module 8: Discrete Outcome Analysis
Graphing with STATA 8

UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN SUMMER WORKSHOP

 

Social Science Research Using Household Surveys

January 15th - 26th, 2007, University of Cape Town
(Dates above are tentative until schedule is finalized)
Presented by:

Southern African Labour and Development Unit (SALDRU), University of Cape Town,
in collaboration with the School of Public Policy, University of Michigan, USA

This workshop is designed for university students or graduates seeking further training in statistics and survey analysis in the social sciences. It will be especially useful for those who are entering an honors or masters program in the social sciences or those employed in a government or private sector position that requires frequent interaction with social statistics. Participants should be comfortable with microcomputers. Some prior training in statistics is desirable, but not required.

The workshop has three major goals:

1. Introduction to household surveys:
how and why they are collected, the logic of sampling, overviews of the major household surveys available in South Africa, and how these surveys can be used to address policy issues with special attention to South Africa.
2. Overview of basic descriptive statistics:
frequency distributions, measures of central tendency, measures of dispersion and inequality, issues in generating statistics from survey data, and an introduction to regression analysis.
3. Hands-on Instruction:
in the analysis of survey data using statistical software (Stata) on microcomputers, reading and exploring data; creating graphs and tables; basic statistical analysis.
The workshop will focus on analysis of the 1993 “Project for Statistics on Living Standards and Development Survey”(PSLSD), a nationally representative survey of South African households directed by SALDRU. The workshop will be built around daily lectures and hands-on computer labs. In addition, the workshop will include presentations by researchers from the University of Cape Town and the University of Michigan demonstrating how the techniques learned in lecture and lab can be used to address substantive social science research questions related to economic and social change in South Africa. By the end of the workshop, participants should feel comfortable using data sets such as the PSLSD, the October Household Survey, and the South African Census, to answer questions such as: Instructors for the workshop:

Jim Levinsohn, Professor of Economics and Public Policy, University of Michigan

E-mail: JamesL@umich.edu

Professor Levinsohn teaches courses in microeconomics with special attention to empirical research. His research focuses on the impacts of globalization on firms and households.

Justin Thomas, Ph.D. Candidate, Population Studies Center and Department of Sociology, University of Michigan

E-mail: thomasjL@umich.edu

Mr. Thomas’s research is focused on race, ethnicity, and social stratification in the U.S. and South Africa.

Matthew Welch, Researcher, Southern African Labour and Development Research Unit, School of Economics, UCT

E-mail: mwelch@hiddingh.uct.ac.za

Mr. Welch's research is focused on the conducting and analysis of household surveys dealing largely with poverty, labour, health, and education issues.

For further information and to book your place on the course please contact Matthew Welch:

Tel: 021- 4807175
Fax: 021- 4232456