HW 9 (due Wed May 2)
HW9 handout has 7 problems on partisan metrics for gerrymandering. Here’s some graph paper for your SV plots.
(Notes on partisan metrics are available under “Resources”)
HW 8, part 1 and 2 (due Fri Apr 13*)
HW8 has two parts. Part 1 is on compactness scores, especially Polsby-Popper.
Here’s printable graph paper to help you with the last two problems of Part 1.
Part 2 asks you to try your hand at gerrymandering this voter distribution.
*You are only required to do two agendas and two metrics, but you can do more for extra credit, in which case you can have until Tuesday Apr 20 to turn it in.
HW 7 (due Fri Mar 30)
HW7 handout is on Hamilton apportionment . (Recommended: do the same problems with other apportionment schemes!) Here are lecture notes to help you.
HW 6 (due Fri Mar 16)
HW6 handout has 3 problems relating to Chapters 9 and 10.
HW 5 (due Fri Mar 9)
HW5 handout has 6 problems relating to Chapters 7 and 9, plus extra credit relating to Chapter 8.
HW 4 (due Fri Mar 2)
6.1, 6.2, 6.5, 6.6, 7.1, 7.7
There’s no written HW due Feb 16 or 23
Midterm 1 is in class on Thursday (a Tufts Monday) Feb 22. The test will cover Ch 1-5 material as it has been covered in lectures.
Practice problems are posted on the resources page.
HW 3 (due Fri Feb 9)
3.2, 3.3, 3.5, 4.2, 4.4
3.2 – note you can just record the consolidations once and for all and use them for each of the parts of this problem.
Overall: note “retroactive qualification criterion” and “no-spoiler criterion” are the same thing— they just mean that the voting method is spoiler-proof (does not allow spoilers).
HW 2 (due Fri Feb 2)
Chapter 2, problems 1,2,6,7,9. I expect this assignment to take 2-4 hours to complete and write up well.
Note for #1: in this class, you always need to give justification in your written work, even if problems are T/F or multiple choice.
Note for #6: the “a priori order” just means whatever candidate order has been specified for the sequential tournament. Also note that you’re being asked to show an “if and only if.” That has two parts: you need to explain why a Condorcet candidate is guaranteed to win, and you need to explain why any non-Condorcet candidate is NOT guaranteed to win.
HW 1 (due Mon Jan 29)
First reading assignment: Jordan Ellenberg, “There is no such thing as public opinion.” Chapter 17 of How Not to Be Wrong. Read by Monday Jan 29.
First problem set: Börgers Chapter 1, problems 1,4,5,7,9. Several of these are partially answered in the back of the book, but try them yourself first and be sure to write them up with your own thinking and words. Due Monday Jan 29 at the beginning of class.