ECON 2041
Introductory Econometrics
Get using Python
Plan for the semester
2 Basic mathematical tools
7 Flavors of OLS & OVB Quiz
10 Inference, continued PS due 16 Oct
12 Measurement error & IRL
Plan for today
- Why you should learn to code
- What is Python & why are we using it?
- Setting up Google Colab
- Python basics
The elephant
in the
(class)room
![]()
Image generated using Adobe Express (Premium)
Prompt: elephant in the classroom
What’s your background?
Quick survey on your background & interests
- Open your portal link
https://emiliatjernstrom.com/econ2041/portal.html
OR scan the QR code, then enter your code
- Answer the five questions and hit Submit
Portal answers are anonymous & ungraded
Why you should still learn to code
… even though AI can (sort of) do it for you
Coding builds core transferable skills
- teaches problem solving
- sharpens logic & structure
- trains you to check & debug
Why you should still learn to code
… even though AI can (sort of) do it for you
Coding builds core transferable skills
- teaches problem solving
- sharpens logic & structure
- trains you to check & debug
Coding makes you stand out
- signals technical fluency
- shows initiative & curiosity
- you will do more than peers who rely on AI
AI can’t replace understanding
- AI guesses but you still need to judge
- bad code may still run
- without knowing the basics you can’t fix errors
Why you should still learn to code
… even though AI can (sort of) do it for you
Coding builds core transferable skills
- teaches problem solving
- sharpens logic & structure
- trains you to check & debug
Coding makes you stand out
- signals technical fluency
- shows initiative & curiosity
- you will do more than peers who rely on AI
AI can’t replace understanding
- AI guesses but you still need to judge
- bad code may still run
- without knowing the basics you can’t fix errors
Python!
We’ll use Python & Jupyter notebooks for our econometric data work
Python is…
one of the most popular programming languages
Python!
We’ll use Python & Jupyter notebooks for our econometric data work
a free & open-source general-purpose programming language
used for
- AI
- scientific computing
- communication
- web development
- CGI and graphical user interfaces
- game development
- etc.
Python!
We’ll use Python & Jupyter notebooks for our econometric data work
a free & open-source general-purpose programming language
used by
- Google
- OpenAI
- Netflix
- Meta
- Dropbox
- Amazon
- Reddit
- etc.
Jupyter notebooks
We’ll use Python & Jupyter notebooks for our econometric data work
Jupyter notebooks: one of the many ways of interacting with Python
They let you use your browser to
- write & execute Python commands
- format output, including tables, figures, animations, etc.
- combine text, mathematical expressions, and code
Jupyter notebooks
We’ll use Python & Jupyter notebooks for our econometric data work
Jupyter notebooks: one of the many ways of interacting with Python
Jupyter isn’t the only way to code in Python, but it’s GREAT for
- getting started coding in Python
- testing new ideas
- interacting with small pieces of code
- using online interactive environments such as Google Colab
- sharing / collaborating on research
We work in Colab
Everything in this unit runs in Google Colab,
in your browser
- nothing to install
- works on any machine you sit at
- your work saves to your Google Drive
Google Colab
Colab allows you to run Python (in a Jupyter notebook)
on a Google-provided remote cloud computer
Amazingly, this is free but it does require a Google account
One cool feature of this is that you can run it from your smartphone
Over to the notebook
Open this week’s lecture notebook and follow along:
https://emiliatjernstrom.com/econ2041/lectures/w02
It will open directly in Colab
Click Copy to Drive first, so your edits save
-
How to open and run a Jupyter notebook
-
How to get Python to print something for you
-
How to use Python as a calculator
I hope you’re excited about applying these skills
and building on them!
