Michael J. Hilmer

　　While many software packages are potentially available to readers, we focus on Microsoft Excel and Stata. We do so because Microsoft Excel (1) is relatively easy to use; (2) is available on almost every computer to which a student will have access, including those of their future employers; and (3) helps solidify the intuition underlying the econometric tools being introduced through the manner by which many calculations are performed. While true, because Microsoft Excel is limited in its ability to perform more advanced econometric analysis, in the concluding chapters of the text, we rely on calculations performed in Stata because it is not only the most user-friendly more advanced statistical package but because it also offers a reasonably priced version that is available to students. To steepen the learning curve associated with learning to work with what is likely a new statistical package, we provide a comprehensive description of Stata commands in Appendix B that includes the commands necessary to perform all of the calculations introduced in the text.

作者簡介

Christiana E. Hilmer

　　現職：San Diego State University

Michael J. Hilmer

　　現職：San Diego State University