3.0

credits

Average Course Rating

Presents principles, methods, and applications in drawing cause-effect inferences with a focus on the health sciences. Building on the basis of 140.664, emphasizes statistical theory and design and addresses complications and extensions, aiming at cultivating students’ research skills in this area. Includes: detailed role of design for causal inference; role of models and likelihood perspective for ignorable treatment assignment; estimation of noncollapsible causal effects; statistical theory of propensity scores; use of propensity scores for estimating effect modification and for comparing multiple treatments while addressing regression to the mean; theory and methods of evaluating longitudinal treatments, including the role of sequentially ignorable designs and propensity scores; likelihood theory for instrumental variables and principal stratification designs and methods to deal with treatment noncompliance, direct and indirect effects, and censoring by death.