What is EViews?

EViews provides sophisticated data analysis, regression, and forecasting tools on Windows-
based computers. With EViews you can quickly develop a statistical relation from your data and
then use the relation to forecast future values of the data. Areas where EViews has proven to be
useful include: scientific data analysis and evaluation, financial analysis, macroeconomic
forecasting, simulation, sales forecasting, and cost analysis.

EViews is a new version of a set of tools for manipulating time series data originally developed
in the Time Series Processor software for large computers. The predecessor of EViews was
MicroTSP, first released in 1981. Though EViews was developed by economists with an
emphasis on time series analysis, there is nothing in its design that limits its usefulness to
economic time series.

EViews provides convenient visual ways to enter data series from the keyboard or from files, to
create new series from existing ones, to display and print series, and to carry out statistical
analysis of the relationships among series.
EViews takes advantage of the visual features of modern Windows software. You can use your
mouse to guide the operation with standard Windows menus and dialogs, and capture those
operations for later use. Results appear in windows and can be manipulated with standard
techniques.

Alternatively, you may use EViews’ powerful command and batch processing language. You can
enter and edit commands in the command window. You can create and store the commands in
programs that document your research project for later execution.

Where to Go For Help

Technical Support

Technical support on the operation of EViews is available by phone or (preferably) email. Email
support inquiries should be addressed to support@eviews.com. Please include your your serial
number.

The EViews Forum

To supplement the information provided in the manuals and the help system, we encourage you
to visit the EViews Forum where you can find answers to common questions about installing,
using, and getting the most out of EViews. The Forum is an ideal place to ask questions of and
share information with other EViews users. The forum address is:
http://forums.eviews.com.
 Date Series
A date series is a standard EViews numeric series that contains valid date values (see “Dates”).
There is nothing that distinguishes a date series from any other numeric series, except for the fact
that the values it contains may be interpreted as dates.

Creating a Date Series

There is nothing special about creating a date series. Any method of creating an EViews series
may be used to create a numeric series that will be used as a date series.

Displaying a Date Series

The numeric values in a date series are generally of interest only when performing calendar
operations. For most purposes, you will wish to see the values of your date series as date strings.

Basic Data Analysis

The following sections describe the EViews objects and tools that you will use to perform basic
data analysis.

“Series” describes the series object. Series are the basic unit of numeric data in EViews and are
the basis for most univariate analysis. This chapter documents the basic data analysis and
display features associated with series.
•
“Groups” documents the views and procedures for the group object. Groups are collections of
series (and series equivalent objects) which form the basis for a variety of multivariate graphical
display and data analyses.
•
•“Graphing Data” describes the display of graph views of data in series and group objects.
“Categorical Graphs” describes the construction of categorical graphs formed using subsets of
•the data in series or groups.

Basic Single Equation Analysis

The following sections describe the EViews features for basic single equation and single series
analysis.
•“Basic Regression Analysis” outlines the basics of ordinary least squares estimation in EViews.
“Additional Regression Tools” discusses special equation terms such as PDLs and automatically
generated dummy variables, robust standard errors, weighted least squares, and nonlinear least
square estimation techniques.
•
“Instrumental Variables and GMM” describes estimation of single equation Two-stage Least
Squares (TSLS), Limited Information Maximum Likelihood (LIML) and K-Class Estimation,
•and Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) models.
 “Time Series Regression” describes a number of basic tools for analyzing and working with
time series regression models: testing for serial correlation, estimation of ARMAX and
•ARIMAX models, and diagnostics for equations estimated using ARMA terms.
“Forecasting from an Equation” outlines the fundamentals of using EViews to forecast from
estimated equations.
•
•“Specification and Diagnostic Tests” describes specification testing in EViews.
The sections describing advanced single equation techniques for autoregressive conditional
heteroscedasticity, and discrete and limited dependent variable models are listed in “Advanced
Single Equation Analysis”.

Multiple equation estimation is described in the chapters listed in “Multiple Equation Analysis”.
“Panel and Pooled Data” describes estimation in pooled data settings and panel structured
workfiles.
Advanced Univariate Analysis

The following section describes EViews tools for advanced univariate analysis:
“Univariate Time Series Analysis” describes advanced tools for univariate time series analysis,
including unit root tests in both conventional and panel data settings, variance ratio tests, and
•the BDS test for independence.

Panel and Pooled Data

Panel and pool data involve observations that possess both cross-section, and within-cross-
section identifiers.

Generally speaking, we distinguish between the two by noting that pooled time-series, cross-
section data refer to data with relatively few cross-sections, where variables are held in cross-
section specific individual series, while panel data correspond to data with large numbers of
cross-sections, with variables held in single series in stacked form.

The discussion of these data is divided into parts. Pooled data structures are discussed first:
“Pooled Time Series, Cross-Section Data” outlines tools for working with pooled time series,
cross-section data, and estimating standard equation specifications which account for the pooled
•structure of the data.

Data where the panel cross-sections are stacked are described separately:
In “Advanced Workfiles” , we describe the basics of structuring a workfile for use with panel
data. Once a workfile is structured as a panel workfile, EViews provides you with different tools
for working with data in the workfile, and for estimating equation specifications using both the
data and the panel structure.
•
 “Working with Panel Data”, outlines the basics of working with panel workfiles.
•
“Panel Estimation” describes least squares, instrumental variables, and GMM estimation in
panel structured workfiles.
•
“Panel Cointegration Estimation” documents tools for panel cointegrating regression estimation
in EViews.
•
•“Panel Statistics” outlines the computation of other “panel workfile aware” statistics and tests.