Goals and Values#
Learning goals#
Our goal is that by the end of this course, you will be able to:
Formulate causal questions across a range of domains, and understand when they are answerable.
Translate causal questions into quantities that can be estimated from data.
Implement causal inference methods to estimate and interpret causal effects.
Choose appropriate methods for answering causal questions.
Use modern data science tools to visualize and communicate your findings.
You matter in this course#
Mount Holyoke College and this course embrace a notion of intellectual community that fundamentally depends on diversity along a number of dimensions, including race, ethnicity and national origins, gender and gender identity, sexuality, class, and religion. We all have a shared responsibility to cultivate a climate where everyone in this course is valued and where both they and their ideas are treated with respect. Each voice in the classroom has something of value to contribute and your suggestions for cultivating this environment are highly encouraged.
Your success in this class is important to me. If there are aspects of this course that prevent you from learning or exclude you, please let me know as soon as possible. Together we’ll develop strategies to meet both your needs and the requirements of the course.
Names and pronouns#
Everyone has the right to be addressed by the name and pronouns that they use for themselves.
You may indicate your preferred name and pronouns in my.mtholyoke, which appear on class rosters.
Please let me know what name and pronouns we should use for you if they are not on the roster or if they change during the course of the semester.
If I or your peers happen to slip up, please give a gentle reminder.
Every student’s name and pronouns are to be respected at all times.
Mental health#
Your mental health takes first priority above your academics. If you are feeling overwhelmed, or find yourself facing mental health challenges, please come talk to me. As an instructor and academic, I have had to work through my own share of mental health challenges. I am more than happy to find the support you need on campus – I am always here to help!
How to succeed in this course#
Attend class and be an active participant. The course readings and assignments out-of-class will intertwine with the material we cover in class. The assigned material is thus not a replacement for lecture. I expect you to attend every class – unless you have an extenuating circumstance – and engage with me and your peers through the lecture material and in-class activities. Active participation also extends to our Ed Discussion board, which is where I will post announcements and where you can ask questions as well as get help from your peers.
Come to office hours – it is an expected and normal part of the learning process. Office hours are an opportunity for you to take ownership of your own learning experience – to ask questions that will help you better understand the material, and to connect it topics you are personally interested in. I expect to see you at office hours regularly, engaging with the material, clarifying any gaps in your understanding, and supporting your peers.
Embrace uncertainty for growth. This course spans a range of disciplines and exercises a diverse skillset, from math to programming to scientific reading and communication. You along with your peers bring a diverse set of experiences and perspectives. You may find that certain aspects of the course come naturally to you, while others are more challenging. Uncertainty may be uncomfortable, but it is also a natural part of the learning process and an opportunity for you to grow your own skills and understanding. My goal is to help you embrace this uncertainty productively and harness it for your own learning.
Stay on top of the material. Every class will build on the previous class, and the assignments in the course are designed to layer on top of each other. It is important that you stay on top of the material, and that you ask questions when you are unsure about anything. To facilitate this, I will build in time for you to start the larger assignments together with your peers – if something confuses you, this is will be the time to ask questions!