This course is an accelerated introduction to a variety of Public Policy research and analysis-related skills in the Microsoft Excel environment. This course is designed to familiarize students with core skills in data access, manipulation, analysis, and presentation using Excel (and Excel-like alternatives). Spreadsheet programs remain an important part of professional life, and this course will prepare students for basic and intermediate use of aspects of the program in that setting.
This course covers data import, formatting, and management. Analysis topics include: producing tables (including summarization), visualizations, varieties of statistical analysis (ANOVA, regression, etc.). The course is graded credit/no credit (pass/fail), with weekly review “tasks” in Excel. No prior knowledge of Excel is expected, but familiarity with basic concepts of statistics is recommended.
