Aims

A presentation of the methods and techniques used in evaluating quality and correcting imperfect or incomplete data. An estimate of the classic demographic parameters based on indirect questions.

Main themes

- The issue of ages, dates and durations: Illustrations, evaluation or quality, and techniques for adjusting and correcting.
- An introduction to demographic models useful in adjusting and studying quality (e.g. typical tables of mortality, stable and quasi-stable populations, and "logits").
- Child mortality: The importance and limitations of direct approaches (mainly the stories of examples of maternity), and the main indirect techniques.
- Adult mortality: The limitations of retrospective measurement, estimating on the basis of distributions of death by age, inter-census mortality, the survival of parents and close relatives, and elements of maternal mortality.
- Fertility: The importance and limitations of direct measurement (stories of examples of maternity, and the last 12 months), direct approaches (parity among mothers) and some specific problems.

Content and teaching methods

A theoretical, illustrated and applied presentation of the approaches. The lectures will be accompanied by practical work and applications.

Other information (prerequisite, evaluation (assessment methods), course materials recommended readings, ...)

Pre-requirement: Course DEMO 3426 ("Demographical analysis: mortality, fertility, migrations and structures").
Assessment: This will be based on two or three classroom examinations and individual work. There wil also be a syllabus.

Other credits in programs