Introduction to Applied Bayesian Modeling for the Social Sciences

Instructor(s):

• Ryan Bakker, Political Science, University of Georgia

This course introduces the basic theoretical and applied principles of Bayesian statistical analysis in a manner geared toward students in the social sciences. The Bayesian paradigm is particularly useful for the type of data that social scientists encounter given its recognition of the mobility of population parameters, its ability to incorporate information from prior research, and its ability to update estimates as new data are observed. The course will begin with a discussion of the strengths of the Bayesian approach for social science data and the philosophical differences between Bayesian and frequentist analyses. Next, the course will cover the theoretical underpinnings of Bayesian modeling and provide a brief introduction to the primary estimation algorithms. The bulk of the course will focus on estimating and interpreting Bayesian models from an applied perspective. Students will be introduced to the Bayesian forms of the standard statistical models taught in regression and MLE courses (i.e., normal, logit/probit, Poisson, etc.). This course assumes a solid understanding of the linear model and matrix algebra and some exposure to models with limited dependent variables. The course will rely heavily on R and WinBUGS for estimation. Prior experience with these software packages is not assumed.

Dates:  June 22-July 17 

Fee:  consult the fee structure