Abstract
Empirical Economics research is usually carried out using econometric techniques. The origins of econometrics are quite diverse. Roughly speaking the ingredients of this melting potare mathematical economics, probability and statistics and economic data. Econometrics studies appeared at the end of the XIX century although its official start can be placed in the 30s. Over these years, the discipline has undergone a number of silent –and not so silent revolutions. Its main purpose remains unchanged: provide economists with tools so they can study economic phenomena thru statistical data. This paper makes a brief review of the history of econometrics and provides an explanation of its usefulness in social studies.
