Life Tables and Population Projections

Uitgebreide vaknaam	Life Tables and Population Projections
Leerdoelen	(a) describe and discuss the fundamental concepts and ideas behind the life table technique, the population projection methodology, and survival analysis. (b) independently perform analysis by means of these techniques, using Excel and SPSS. (c) interpret the most important outcomes of these techniques. (d) describe and discuss how these techniques can be applied to a whole range of research questions and topics within the social sciences.
Omschrijving	The life table technique - in its original application – is used to describe the mortality pattern of a population, and results in the life expectancy. The technique can be generalized and applied to many research topics, such as population health, multi-regional dynamics, labour market demography, etc. Survival analysis consists in applying the life table technique to individual-level data on life events, which can answer a wide range of questions on the occurrence, timing and likelihood of these events (e.g. marriage, childbearing, migration, labour market, disease career). Clear links with causal modelling exist. Population projections estimate future population size and structure. Key to population projections is the cohort component method which involves (a) the formulation of assumptions for each of the components, i.e. fertility, mortality and migration, and (b) the implementation of these assumptions using the Leslie model which implies a matrix formulation. In this course, first the life table technique will be taught, followed by the population projection methodology, and subsequently survival analysis.
Uren per week	variabel
Onderwijsvorm	Computer practicals, Lectures
Toetsvorm	Group assignments, Oral presentation (see remarks below)
Vaksoort	master
Coördinator	dr. A.P.P. Remund
Docent(en)	L. Bister, MSc. ,dr. M. Boissonneault, PhD. , O.E. Özer, MSc. ,dr. A.P.P. Remund ,prof. dr. L.J.G. van Wissen
Verplichte literatuur	Titel Auteur ISBN Prijs Demography: measuring and modelling population processes. Blackwell Publishers.* Preston S.H., P. Heuveline, M. Guillot (2000) 9781557864512 ca. €  35,00 Correcting a mistake in the Preston et al. book. Population Research Centre, Groningen Wissen, L. van (2006a) Making projection assumptions. Population Research Centre, Groningen. Wissen, L. van (2006d) Matrix formulation of population projection with migration. Population Research Centre, Groningen. Wissen, L. van (2006c) How to estimate net migration in the absence of reliable migration data. Population Research Centre, Groningen. Wissen, L. van (2006b)
Entreevoorwaarden	Prerequisites for the course are good command of Excel, and basic command of Stata. It is advised that students complete the Excel tutorials on Nestor (webclass) or provided by Microsoft.
Opmerkingen	*This book is also used within the course Working with Data on Population Research. Also on books.google.nl. Open for all Master students. The assessment is made of one done in groups of two students. The assignment constitutes of four sections that must be progressively submitted during the semester. Sections that are submitted late are bounded to 55% of their points. At the end of the semester, an individual oral exam is held in the form of a short defence of the assignment. The assignment and the oral exam both need to be graded as sufficient (min. 5.5). The final grade for the course is the weighted average of the assignment (75%) and the oral exam (25%). Computer practicals are organized to train the computations, but they do not enter the assessment. If they are submitted on time (i.e. the day after the computer lab), they will be checked, otherwise no feedback will be given.
Opgenomen in	Opleiding Jaar Periode Type MSc Economic Geography  (Optional courses Economic Geography) 1 semester I b keuze MSc Environmental and Infrastructure Planning  (Optional courses EIP) 1 semester I b keuze MSc Population Studies  (Basic programme Population Studies) 1 semester I b verplicht MSc Real Estate Studies  (Optional courses Real Estate Studies) 1 semester I b keuze MSc Society, Sustainability and Planning  (Optional courses Society, Sustainability and Planning) 1 semester I b keuze MSc Spatial Sciences (research)  (Optional methodological courses (GERMMETH) year 1 and 2 Spatial Sciences) - semester I b keuze