Introduction to panel data methods using Understanding Society

Who is the course for? What will you learn?

This course is aimed at quantitative researchers and data analysts who are familiar with cross-sectional data analysis methods and would like to learn about longitudinal or panel data methods. At this in-person hands-on workshop you will learn about

• Panel or longitudinal surveys

• Key features of UK’s largest longitudinal survey, Understanding Society

• Data management for panel data methods

• Analysing research questions using key panel data methods

• How and why to use weights and account for complex survey design

The course is free to attend and includes lunch and refreshments.

Course content and format:

This is an intensive free five-day course that will run from 10am-12noon & 1-4pm each day during 20-24 June 2022. The course is a combination of lectures and hands-on sessions where participants will work through worked out examples aimed at helping them learn how to implement panel data methods taught in the lectures. The panel data used in these exercises will be Understanding Society and the statistical software used will be Stata. Further details about the course and the course schedule will be provided later.

The workshop will be in-person at the University of Essex. If face-to-face meetings are suspended, then the workshop will move online via Zoom. Participants will work on their own computers/laptops. The must ensure that Stata version 13 or later is installed on their laptops and they have downloaded the data (instructions will be provided on how to do this prior to the workshop).

Course tutors:

The course will be taught by Alita Nandi, Piotr Marzec, Cara Booker and Pablo Cabrera Alvarez.

Course materials:

Participants will be provided with the lecture slides, worksheets for the worked-out examples and the Stata syntax files accompanying the worked-out examples.

Course pre-requisites:

Participants are expected to have basic knowledge of cross-sectional linear regression (OLS) and a working knowledge of using Stata (via use of syntax files or dofiles) for data management and cross-sectional analysis.

Location and accommodation:

The course takes place at the University of Essex, Colchester campus. Accommodation is available in nearby Colchester or Wivenhoe. You will need to make your own arrangements to get here and for accommodation. After registration, you will receive information about the location and local accommodation.