[CORE][EC3303] Econometrics I (by Prof Zhang Bingyu)

Tutorial participation + attendance - 10%
Homework assignments - 20%
Midterm test - 30%
Final Exam - 40%

There is also a computer-based project in using a simple statistical software for this module. However, it was not done due to time constraint in Semester 1 AY2010/2011.

Prof Zhang encourages group work in both the project and the homework assignments, although individual work is allowed. There will be two homework assignments for the entire course.

In Econometrics I, you will be learning various forms of Regression Analysis, namely 5 of them, which are not covered in EC2303 Foundations for Econometrics. So it is good to perform a lot of practice questions to get familiar with identifying the differences of data and formulas used for different forms of regressions analysis. In my opinion, you do not have to have strong fundamentals in economic theories like profit maximization, Giffen goods and etc in order to do well for this course. All you need to have is strong fundamentals in statistical analysis and probabilities like the concepts of normal distribution, t-distribution, F-distribution, and so on.

Prof Zhang is a very approachable lecturer, he encourages feedback from students on the materials he teaches, so feel free to knock on his office door to get guidance as well. In the beginning, you might have trouble catching up with him because the notes are simplified from one of the main textbooks he uses, Introduction to Econometrics by Stock and Watson.

It is encouraged to have the textbook with you because majority of the tutorial questions and homework assignments are taken from the book, sometimes you might have to read the case facts from the textbook in order to do the questions.

As of Semester 1 AY2010/2011, all exams are closed-book.

Course Difficulty: 4/5

Tutorial participation + attendance - 10%
Homework assignments - 20%
Midterm test - 30%
Final Exam - 40%

I took this mod in 2011/12 sem 1 under Zhang Bingyu.

The first few lectures will revise materials from EC2303: probability, normal distribution, hypothesis testing. Following that, you will learn simple linear regression and go for mid term test. Following that, the lecturer will cover multiple regression, dummy variables and non linear regression.

For those who took Zhou Lingzhi's EC2303, you will find this mod under Zhang Bingyu much less time consuming and more relaxed. This is because tutorials are either odd or even week, though its stated to be a 2 hr tutorial, it usually ends in 1 hour or less. Furthermore, tutorial questions are more for enhancing concepts of econometrics, it also teaches you how to use microsoft excel to perform regression.


The textbook, I will say is not compulsory and does not help much in preparation for the midterms and finals but it will definitely enhance and strengthen your concepts on the lectures and topics of regression to be covered. I will say if you are someone interested in getting all your concepts and fundamentals right, get the textbook. However if you just want to do well for exams only, then it is not required.


However, to do well for his midterms and finals, the tutorials will not help much. Instead the focus should be doing and analyzing his 2 homework assignments seriously, as his examination questions are very similar to the homework assignments. Do go through his lecture slides in detail as well. He will give 1 homework assignment just one week before the midterms and 1 homework assignment just before the finals as well. The 1st submission was during the reading week itself so maybe you will find the submission timing absurd and strange but I can assure you by doing it seriously it will guarantee you to do at least okay for his midterms.

Some tips: Weighted least squares came out for his midterms with a high weightage of marks but alot students thought it was just a minor portion and skipped it. For the finals, do go through the linear probability model, it was tested but he did not put alot focus on it.

Cons: you may find his lectures boring, he tends to mumble alot thus making understanding what he wants to communicate a chore. Thus you may find him as an ineffective lecturer.

However, note that the materials he covers is rather simple to read up by yourself, his examination questions are very simple, standard and straightforward with no surprises. To do well for his MCQs just get all your concepts right, to do well for his short answer questions, make sure you can do his homework assignment and go through his lecture slides thoroughly, dont try to assume any slide is not important.

Overall, I will strongly recommend you to take EC3303 under him especially if you are quite an independent learner, if you are someone who prefer to sit for an easy examination and if you prefer to have slack tutorials. One extra bonus to take under him is that he does not test any proving questions at all unlike other lecturers that teach EC3303.