Agent-Based Modelling for the Social Scientist -
A Practical Guide to Model Building and NetLogo

28th - 31st October 2014, Centre for Research in Social Simulation, School of Social Science, University of Surrey, Guildford, UK

Computational methods have revolutionised the sciences, including the social sciences. By being able to investigate dynamics in silico, model complex, interdependent systems and experiment with different hypotheses, computer modelling has become a research tool as important as the survey.

Course Summary

This course will guide you through the research process of agent-based modelling in the social sciences: formulating a research question, specifying a model, creating a simulation and interpreting the output. During the course you will be helped to build a model using NetLogo, acquiring basic and intermediate programming skills.

Course Objectives

The syllabus includes:
• conceptualising agent-based models
• operationalising and calibrating from data
• experimenting and analysing
• interpreting models
• verifying and validating

Each step of the research process will be complemented by:

a.  Hands-on sessions of model building in NetLogo, a widely used and powerful language for social science modelling. The sessions are designed in such a way that you will understand the structure of a model and learn to write the program code yourself.
b.  Model development sessions. These sessions will facilitate the development of a model relevant to your research, from conception through specification to first steps of implementation.

At the end of this course you will be able to see the world through modeller’s eyes and start programming your own agent-based models.

Fees
Students/PhD £200, higher education staff £400, others £800. Some bursaries for students and PhDs will be available.

To register and for further information please email: abm-course@soc.surrey.ac.uk.