230235 SE Basic Methods of Demographic Analysis (2021W)

This course is designed to help students define, interpret and apply basic demographic concepts and analysis methods. It focuses on techniques of measuring and comparing changes in population size, composition, and growth. This includes key demographic rates and measures, direct and indirect standardizations, the lexis diagram, life tables, basic concepts of cohort component population projection, and other period and cohort concepts in demographic analysis.LEARNING OUTCOME: On completion of the course, students are expected to be able to (i) identify essential components of population changes, (ii) understand and compare different demographic measures and critically interpret them, (iii) construct and interpret lexis diagrams and single-decrement life tables, (iv) define and interpret key concepts used in demographic methods, (iv) know basic steps of cohort component population projections, (v) differentiate between cohort and period concepts in demographic analysis.METHODS: The lecturer will introduce students to basic concepts and techniques of demographic analysis with worked examples throughout the course. In addition, there will be take-home exercises and readings to revise and apply the learned demographic methods with data provided by the lecturer.