But the large part of the course is all about: 

Don't need to understand everything in the course

Pick up whatever you think is useful for your research

how to use ArcGIS and Python 

to generate datasets from spatial data

Your grade will be based on term paper

You're asked to write a research proposal

You don't have to use spatial data

But you have to convince me that your proposed research is

Original

Important

Feasible

Each week we pick up a piece of research and discuss why it's original, important, and feasible

See the guideline for more detail on how to write a proposal

Chapter 2: Regression

for Lectures 2, 3, 5, and 8

Chapter 3: Instrumental Variables

for Lectures 4 and 6

Chapter 4: Regression Discontinuity

for Lecture 7

(in Japanese)