文档介绍：Gujarati: Basic Front Matter Preface © The McGraw−Hill
Econometrics, panies, 2004
Edition
PREFACE
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
As in the previous three editions, the primary objective of the fourth edition
of Basic Econometrics is to provide an elementary prehensive intro-
duction to econometrics without resorting to matrix algebra, calculus, or
statistics beyond the elementary level.
In this edition I have attempted to incorporate some of the developments
in the theory and practice of econometrics that have taken place since the
publication of the third edition in 1995. With the availability of sophisti-
cated and user-friendly statistical packages, such as Eviews, Limdep,
Microfit, Minitab, PcGive, SAS, Shazam, and Stata, it is now possible to dis-
cuss several econometric techniques that could not be included in the pre-
vious editions of the book. I have taken full advantage of these statistical
packages in illustrating several examples and exercises in this edition.
I was pleasantly surprised to find that my book is used not only by eco-
nomics and business students but also by students and researchers in sev-
eral other disciplines, such as politics, international relations, agriculture,
and health sciences. Students in these disciplines will find the expanded dis-
cussion of several topics very useful.
THE FOURTH EDITION
The major changes in this edition are as follows:
1. In the introductory chapter, after discussing the steps involved in tra-
ditional econometric methodology, I discuss the very important question of
how one chooses peting econometric models.
2. In Chapter 1, I discuss very briefly the measurement scale of eco-
nomic variables. It is important to know whether the variables are ratio
xxv
Gujarati: Basic Front Matter Preface © The McGraw−Hill
Econometrics, panies, 2004
Edition
xxvi PREFACE
scale, interval scale, ordinal scale, or nominal scale, for that will determine
the econometric te