Basic Symbols
- Y: Dependent variable
- Meaning: The variable being predicted or explained.
- X: Independent variable
- Meaning: The variable used to predict or explain the dependent variable.
- β: Coefficient
- Meaning: Measures the change in the dependent variable for a one-unit change in the independent variable.
- α: Intercept
- Meaning: The expected value of the dependent variable when all independent variables are zero.
- ϵ: Error term
- Meaning: Captures the effect of all other variables not included in the model.
Model Specification
- Y=α+βX+ϵY : Simple linear regression model
- Meaning: Predicting YYY using XXX.
- Yi=α+βXi+ϵi: Index notation for the ith observation
- Meaning: Regression model for the ith observation.
- Y: Predicted value of the dependent variable
- Meaning: The estimated value of YYY from the regression model.
- β^: Estimated coefficient
- Meaning: The estimated value of the coefficient β\betaβ.
Statistical Concepts
- E(Y): Expected value of Y
- Meaning: The mean value of Y.
- Var(Y): Variance of Y
- Meaning: The dispersion of Y around its mean.
- Cov(X,Y): Covariance between X and Y
- Meaning: The degree to which X and Y vary together.
- ρ(X,Y): Correlation coefficient between X and Y
- Meaning: The strength and direction of the linear relationship between X and Y.
Econometrics Symbols in Hypothesis Testing
- H0: Null hypothesis
- Meaning: A statement that there is no effect or no difference.
- H1: Alternative hypothesis
- Meaning: A statement that there is an effect or a difference.
- t-statistic: Test statistic
- Meaning: Used to test hypotheses about coefficients.
- p-value: Probability value
- Meaning: The probability of observing the data if the null hypothesis is true.
- F-statistic: Test statistic
- Meaning: Used to test hypotheses about multiple coefficients simultaneously.
Matrices in Multiple Regression
- X: Matrix of independent variables
- Meaning: Contains all independent variables for multiple regression.
- Y: Vector of dependent variable
- Meaning: Contains all values of the dependent variable.
- β: Vector of coefficients
- Meaning: Contains all coefficients for multiple regression.
- e: Vector of error terms
- Meaning: Contains all error terms.
- X: Transpose of matrix X
- Meaning: The transpose of the matrix of independent variables.
Generalized Least Squares (GLS)
- Ω: Variance-covariance matrix of the error terms
- Meaning: The covariance structure of the error terms.
- βGLS: Coefficients estimated using GLS
- Meaning: The coefficients estimated using the Generalized Least Squares method.
Maximum Likelihood Estimation (MLE)
- L(θ): Likelihood function
- Meaning: A function of the parameters given the data.
- lnL(θ): Log-likelihood function
- Meaning: The natural logarithm of the likelihood function.
- θ^: Maximum likelihood estimator
- Meaning: The value of the parameter that maximizes the likelihood function.
Time Series Analysis
- yt: Value of the time series at time t
- Meaning: The value of the variable at time t.
- ϕ: Coefficient in an autoregressive model
- Meaning: The coefficient of the lagged value of the variable.
- θ: Coefficient in a moving average model
- Meaning: The coefficient of the lagged error term.
- Δyt: First difference of the time series yty_tyt
- Meaning: The change in the variable from time t−1 to time t.
- ρ: Autocorrelation coefficient
- Meaning: Measures the correlation of the time series with its past values.
Econometrics Symbols in More Advanced Concepts
- σ2: Variance of the error term
- Meaning: The variance of the errors in the regression model.
- R2: Coefficient of determination
- Meaning: The proportion of variance in the dependent variable explained by the independent variables.
- Yˉ: Mean of the dependent variable
- Meaning: The average value of the dependent variable.
- ϵ^: Residual
- Meaning: The difference between the observed value and the predicted value.
Dummy Variables
- D: Dummy variable
- Meaning: A binary variable that takes the value 0 or 1.
- δ: Coefficient for the dummy variable
- Meaning: The change in the dependent variable when the dummy variable is 1.
Interaction Terms
- X1×X2: Interaction term
- Meaning: The product of two independent variables, capturing their joint effect.
- β12: Coefficient for the interaction term
- Meaning: The change in the dependent variable due to the interaction between X1X_1X1 and X2X_2X2.
Panel Data
- i: Index for cross-sectional units
- Meaning: Identifies individual units (e.g., individuals, firms).
- t: Index for time periods
- Meaning: Identifies different time periods.
- Yit: Value of the dependent variable for unit i at time t
- Meaning: The value of the dependent variable for the ith unit at time t.
- Xit: Value of the independent variable for unit i at time t
- Meaning: The value of the independent variable for the ith unit at time t.
Instrumental Variables (IV)
- Z: Instrumental variable
- Meaning: A variable that is correlated with the independent variable but uncorrelated with the error term.
- X^: Predicted value of the endogenous variable using the instrument
- Meaning: The fitted value of the endogenous variable from the first-stage regression.
- βIV: IV estimate of the coefficient
- Meaning: The coefficient estimated using the instrumental variables method.
Heteroskedasticity and Autocorrelation
- σi2: Variance of the error term for the ith observation
- Meaning: Indicates heteroskedasticity when it varies across observations.
- ρ: Autocorrelation coefficient
- Meaning: Measures the correlation of the error terms across different observations.
Generalized Method of Moments (GMM)
- g(θ): Moment condition
- Meaning: A function of the parameters that equals zero at the true parameter values.
- W: Weighting matrix
- Meaning: A matrix used to weight the moment conditions in GMM estimation.
- θ^GMM: GMM estimator
- Meaning: The parameter value that satisfies the moment conditions weighted by W.
Logit and Probit Models
- Λ(⋅): Logistic function
- Meaning: Used in logit models to transform the linear combination of predictors to probabilities.
- Φ(⋅): Cumulative distribution function of the standard normal distribution
- Meaning: Used in probit models to transform the linear combination of predictors to probabilities.
- βlogit: Coefficient in a logit model
- Meaning: The effect of the independent variable on the log-odds of the dependent variable.
- βprobit: Coefficient in a probit model
- Meaning: The effect of the independent variable on the latent variable underlying the probit model.
Model Selection Criteria
- AIC: Akaike Information Criterion
- Meaning: A measure used to compare models, penalizing for the number of parameters.
- BIC: Bayesian Information Criterion
- Meaning: A measure used to compare models, with a stronger penalty for the number of parameters than AIC.
- logL: Log-likelihood value
- Meaning: The logarithm of the likelihood function, used in model comparison.
Multicollinearity
- VIF: Variance Inflation Factor
- Meaning: A measure of multicollinearity in a regression model, indicating how much the variance of a coefficient is inflated due to collinearity.
Time Series Concepts
- ACF: Autocorrelation function
- Meaning: Measures the correlation between a time series and its lagged values.
- PACF: Partial autocorrelation function
- Meaning: Measures the correlation between a time series and its lagged values, controlling for the values of the time series at all shorter lags.
- AR(p): Autoregressive model of order p
- Meaning: A model where the current value of the series is based on the past p values.
- MA(q): Moving average model of order q
- Meaning: A model where the current value of the series is based on past error terms.
- ARMA(p,q): Autoregressive moving average model
- Meaning: Combines AR(p) and MA(q) models.
- ARIMA(p,d,q): Autoregressive integrated moving average model
- Meaning: Extends ARMA by including differencing ddd to make the series stationary.
Cointegration
- βc: Cointegration vector
- Meaning: Indicates a long-term equilibrium relationship between time series.
- ξt: Error correction term
- Meaning: The term that corrects deviations from the long-term equilibrium.
Forecasting
- Y^t+h: Forecasted value of Y at time t+h
- Meaning: The predicted value of Y h periods ahead.
- RMSE: Root Mean Squared Error
- Meaning: A measure of the accuracy of a forecasting model.
Causality Testing
- γ: Coefficient in Granger causality test
- Meaning: Measures whether one time series can predict another.
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