Project 3 💉#
Instrumental Variables
In this project, we will implement instrumental variable estimators and explore violations of the IV assumptions. We will then follow the causal roadmap for an encouragement design study on the effect of flu vaccinations on influenza hospitalizations.
Like Project 2, this project is split into two notebooks to make it easier to manage the code:
Part 1 is focused on implementing the functions and the interactive plots.
Part 2 is focused on using the functions you implemented in Part 1 to analyze a real instrumental variables study.
Tip
I recommend that you test your functions in Part 1 both with your own assertions and with the autograder before moving on to Part 2. That way you’ll have more certainty that your functions are correct for the analysis you’ll do in Part 2.
Learning Objectives#
Gain experience with the instrumental variables (IV) study design through:
Exploring violations of IV assumptions
Implementing and comparing different IV estimators
Assessing different interpretations of the IV estimate
Note
Grading guidelines
The course projects offer an opportunity to practice the full causal inference workflow, from building estimators and formulating questions to conducting analyses and communicating your findings effectively. Here are some guidelines on how to approach the project:
Like the worksheets, a portion of points will be autograded – feel free to submit as many times as you want to check your code’s correctness!
For visualizations:
Help your reader understand your findings through visually clear figures
Label your axes, provide legends when appropriate, and add figure titles to provide context
For written responses:
Support your ideas with specific evidence from your analysis or prior knowledge
Write concisely but clearly – one-word/one-phrase answers usually don’t give enough space to show what you’ve learned
If you’re uncertain about any portion of the project, please do come to office hours, TA hours, or reach out on Ed!