Certificate in Economic Research Methods

About Course

  1. Foundations of Economic Research
    • Meaning, purpose and importance of economic research
    • Types and approaches to research
    • Variables and economic concepts
    • Theory, evidence and causality
    • The economic research process
  2. Research Problems, Questions, Objectives and Literature Review
    • Identifying and defining research problems
    • Research questions and objectives
    • Research hypotheses
    • Literature searching and review
    • Theoretical and conceptual frameworks
  3. Research Design and Methodology
    • Research designs
    • Experimental and quasi-experimental research
    • Surveys and questionnaires
    • Case studies and field research
    • Mixed-methods research
  4. Data Sources, Sampling and Measurement
    • Primary and secondary data
    • Population and sampling
    • Sampling techniques
    • Sample size and sampling errors
    • Measurement, reliability and validity
  5. Descriptive Statistics and Data Presentation
    • Data organisation and cleaning
    • Measures of central tendency
    • Measures of dispersion
    • Tables, charts and graphs
    • Probability and statistical inference
  6. Econometrics and Regression Analysis
    • Introduction to econometrics
    • Simple linear regression
    • Multiple linear regression
    • Regression assumptions and diagnostics
    • Time-series and panel-data concepts
  7. Research Ethics, Data Management and Privacy
    • Principles of research ethics
    • Informed consent
    • Confidentiality and data protection
    • Research misconduct and conflicts of interest
    • Data management and reproducible research
  8. Qualitative Economic and Policy Research
    • Foundations of qualitative research
    • Interviews and focus groups
    • Observation and document analysis
    • Coding and thematic analysis
    • Writing qualitative findings
  9. Policy Analysis, Programme Evaluation and Impact Assessment
    • Public policy analysis
    • Cost-benefit and cost-effectiveness analysis
    • Monitoring and evaluation
    • Impact evaluation
    • Communicating policy evidence
  10. Research Proposal, Report Writing and Dissemination
  • Structure of a research proposal
  • Research report writing
  • Academic writing and referencing
  • Research presentation and defence
  • Research findings, recommendations and dissemination
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Course Content

Foundations of Economic Research

  • LESSON 1: MEANING AND PURPOSE OF ECONOMIC RESEARCH
  • Lesson 1 quiz
  • LESSON 2: TYPES AND APPROACHES TO ECONOMIC RESEARCH
  • Lesson 2 quiz
  • LESSON 3: VARIABLES AND ECONOMIC CONCEPTS
  • Lesson 3 quiz
  • LESSON 4: THEORY, EVIDENCE AND CAUSALITY
  • Lesson 4 quiz
  • LESSON 5: THE ECONOMIC RESEARCH PROCESS AND QUALITY STANDARDS
  • Lesson 5 quiz

Research Problems, Questions, Objectives and Literature Review

Research Design and Methodology

Data Sources, Sampling and Measurement

Descriptive Statistics and Data Presentation

Econometrics and Regression Analysis

Research Ethics, Data Management and Privacy

Qualitative Economic and Policy Research

Policy Analysis, Programme Evaluation and Impact Assessment

Research Proposal, Report Writing and Dissemination