forecasting

Basic Information

Duquesne Writing Center (Appointment required. I strongly advise that you take each draft of your semester paper to the writing center before handing it in.)

Required Materials

Wall Street Journal

At the least, you must read the last three pages of section A daily.

Recommended Materials

A Rulebook for Arguments, ISBN 0-872-20954-7

Keys for Writers: A Brief Handbook, ISBN 0-618-19207-7

The Nuts and Bolts of College Writing, ISBN 0-872-20573-8

Purchase these books and work through the exercises on your own. I make no allowances in this course for weak writing skills.

From a different author, there are 43 on-line videos and summaries on writing topics. Regardless of whether or not you purchase the book above, I strongly advise that you review each of the videos and summaries.

Communicating via Email

In this course, you will regularly communicate with me via email regarding your research paper. I typically receive from 200 to 300 emails each week. To avoid delays, attach all relevant documents to your email (e.g., data sets, draft papers, reference papers). When responding to a question from me, hit REPLY and *do not* delete the sequence of communications that leads up to my question. While you are communicating only with me and can remember the background to our conversation, I am communicating with at least twenty other students and do not remember the background.

Computer Use Policy

This class meets in the computer lab. Use of e-mail, or IM, and web surfing (with the exception of when you are directed to do so) is prohibited. You may think that you are good at multi-tasking. Experimental evidence strongly suggests otherwise. Each instance in which I observe you misusing computers during class will cost you 10% points from your final course grade.

Exams and Homework Assignments

Assignment #5: Assigned 1/20, Due 1/23.

This data file contains a dependent variable and five independent variables. Write a gauss program to run all the OLS models that can be constructed from these five regressors.

Assignment #4: Assigned 1/1.

Commit the contents of this document to memory. I will give each of you an oral exam on this document. Your possible scores are binary: 100% if you answer all of my questions correctly, completely, and without hesitation; 0% otherwise.

Assignment #3

Beginning 1/12, I expect you to read the Wall Street Journal each day. At a minimum, you should read (1) the front page of section A, (2) the opinion and editorial sections (usually the last three pages of section A), and (3) the front page of Marketplace (usually section B). I expect you to be up to date on these readings at all times as I will ask you pop questions from time to time as part of your participation grade. To obtain a subscription, go here and click on the link on the right side of the page that says, “Professor/student subscriptions”.

Assignment #2: Assigned 1/1, Due 4/20.

You must obtain Bloomberg certification in four Bloomberg market sector videos. This is the description of the Bloomberg certification program.

Assignment #1: Assigned 1/1, Due 1/12.

Read the following articles for interesting ideas for your semester paper. Article 1, Article 2, Article 3, Article 4 (page 1), Article 4 (page 2), Article 5, Article 6, Article 7, Article 8, Article 9, Video 1.