Published Aug 15, 2022
Students are required to identify a research topic, conduct research independently, write a research paper, and attend class meetings. Each student is supervised by a member of the Economics faculty. Class meetings cover topics such as a general overview of research methods in economics, research ethics, finding reference material, citing practices, and effective writing and presentation.
Prereq: Level at least 4A Honours Economics or Honours Mathematical Economics (BA and BMATH) students
This course helps students learn the skills of scholarly research and communication needed for the workplace or graduate schools in social science disciplines. Unlike the traditional lecture format, this course provides students with an interactive classroom environment to develop critical thinking skills, research methodology, economic analysis, library tools, data handling, peer review, interpersonal communication, and a productive work ethic. Previous experience in writing term papers is not required. Students must find a faculty supervisor who agrees to work with them on a research topic of mutual interest.
The main course goal is research experience, signified by the completion of a senior honours essay, which is due on LEARN at the end of the term (December 6, 2022 at 11:59pm). The senior honours essay evolves out of research experience, fostered by a supervisor as the student works consistently over the term on a topic of mutual interest. Students have the rare opportunity to receive individualized guidance and assistance from their supervisor; additionally, students will receive feedback from other students and the course instructor as they complete and turn in work in progress over the term. An important related goal is effective project and self-management skills development, encompassing the skills of time management, collaboration and peer support. These latter aspects of the research process support and enhance the main goal over the course.
IMPORTANT: An essay submitted without regular and effective consultation with your individual faculty supervisor, regular participation in classroom activities, and regular submission of work in progress to the supervisor for feedback and to the instructor for grading (in the case of assignments) will not be accepted, and will result in a failing grade in the course.
| A: Carry a research experience to completion through: |
| i) Making effective and intelligent use of supervisor, instructor and peer feedback |
| ii) Using the rhetoric of economics to create knowledge about a research question of mutual interest to the student and the supervisor |
| B: Collaborate with an economist on a research project through: |
| i) Maintaining a consistent and mutually agreeable meeting schedule with a research supervisor outside of class |
| ii) Participating in the online environment in activities that hone the skills of collaboration |
| C: Write a research paper utilizing the rhetoric of economics through |
| i) Finding and critically appraising contributions to the literature around your topic area |
| ii) Integrating the scholarly literature into a review of what is known so far about your topic area, clearly indicating the limits of knowledge in the discipline and the contribution your project makes to that knowledge |
| D: Communicate the process of research to a diversity of audiences through |
| i) Reporting final results in a “4 Minute Thesis” video presentation |
| ii) Participating in all formal and informal conversations about your individual research process that happen from time to time over the term. |
Activities and Assignments | Due Date | Weight (%) |
|---|---|---|
| Introduce Yourself | Sept 10 | Participation |
| Professional Email modules (including email to instructor) | Sept 12 | Participation |
| Topic check-in | Sept 18 | Participation |
| Library Modules | Sept 20 | Participation |
| Supervisor Sign-up Form (via Qualtrics link) | Sept 26 | Required |
| Assignment 1 | Oct 3 | 3% |
| Assignment 2 | Oct 10 | 3% |
| Assignment 3 (draft): Literature review to Supervisor for comments/signoff | Oct 24 | Required |
| Assignment 3 (final): Literature review to Instructor for grading | Oct 31 | 10% |
| Assignment 4 | Nov 7 | 3% |
| Assignment 5 | Nov 14 | 3% |
| Assignment 6 | Nov 21 | 3% |
| Presentation (4MT) | Nov 28 | 15% |
Participation (comprising discussion posts, peer discussions and feedback, introduction to library worksheet, and other activities) | Throughout term | 10% |
| Individual Essay | Dec 6 | 25% + 25% (instructor & supervisor) |
NOTE: From time to time, changes may need to be made to this syllabus and these scheduled, graded activities. If that should happen, the change will be announced on LEARN.
| Title / Name | Notes / Comments | Required |
|---|---|---|
| Research notebook | You will be expected to purchase and maintain a notebook to keep weekly personal, reflective and generative writing. The W Store has a wide selection of notebooks but there are many other places to look. Expect to need 30 to 50 pages of at least 5”x7” lined paper of high enough quality to make writing a pleasure. | Yes |
There is no required text for this course; however, there are several required readings in the schedule posted on LEARN that you will be expected to complete. Your main resource for this course is the University Library. Required course readings are all accessible from the “Library Resources” link to library reserves at the bottom left-hand corner of the University of Waterloo LEARN home page. Additional readings and resources are posted from time to time through the LEARN classroom space.
Students are required to check into the classroom e-space on LEARN at least twice weekly in order to access and prepare the required activities, resources, and submissions that will be posted there for use to complete the course.
As you engage in academic writing, you will want to be sure that your approach to using information created by others conforms with academic integrity policies at the University of Waterloo. The Library has excellent resources on academic integrity available online.
Supports for Writing and Research
The Writing and Communications Centre is a great place to find resources and support for your assignments and writing for this course. The WCC works with students to help you consider your audience, clarify your ideas, develop your “voice” as a writer, and write in the style appropriate to your subject. They offer one-on-one support for writing papers, delivering presentations, integrating research, and revising for clarity and coherence. Group appointments for team-based projects, presentations, and papers are also available.
All WCC services are available virtually: booked appointments, drop-in sessions, resources, and writing groups. There are many ways to interact with the WCC, including open online forums and online Q&As. You can get one-on-one support in planning assignments, synthesizing and citing research, organizing papers and reports, designing presentations, and revising for clarity and coherence – all from writing and communication specialists. These are great skills to learn, and it’s never too late, or too early, get in touch or attend an e-writing café.
Please know that communication specialists will guide you to see your work as readers would. They can teach you writing skills and strategies, but they will not change or correct your work for you. Please bring your assignment instructions and any notes or drafts to your appointment.
The Dana Porter research library at UWaterloo has a large number of resources to help you with your research and writing for this course, including resources on how to practice academic integrity in writing. Keep informed at Library COVID-19: Updates on library services and operations.
| Component | Value |
|---|---|
| Written assignments | 25% |
| Presentation (4MT) | 15% |
| Participation | 10% |
| Senior Honours Essay | 50% |
Assignments must be submitted on time by 11: 59pm on the due date published here in the course syllabus. Up to 3 slip days will be available for you to use if needed to extend deadlines for any individual graded assignment in this course. Group or team graded assignments are not eligible for slip days. A slip day is a 24-hour grace period. One slip day is applied for an automatic extension of up to 24 hours; it cannot be divided into partial days. You decide how to best use your bank of three slip days (e.g., use all on the same assignment to extend the deadline three days at a particularly busy time, or use one slip day for each of three assignments, or use only some or none of the days in your bank). If you submit your assignment after the posted deadline, please indicate in the drop box submission comments if you are using slip days and if so, how many days.
Text matching software (Turnitin) will be used to screen assignments in this course. This is being done to verify that use of all material and sources in assignments is documented. In the first week of the term, details will be provided about the arrangements for the use of Turnitin and alternatives in this course. See Administrative Policy below for more information and links.
We acknowledge that we are living and working on the traditional territory of the Attawandaron (also known as Neutral), Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee peoples. The University of Waterloo is situated on the Haldimand Tract, the land promised and given to the Six Nations that includes ten kilometres on each side of the Grand River.
Students should be aware that this course contains the intellectual property of their instructor, TA, and/or the University of Waterloo.
Intellectual property includes items such as:
Course materials and the intellectual property contained therein, are used to enhance a student’s educational experience. However, sharing this intellectual property without the intellectual property owner’s permission is a violation of intellectual property rights. For this reason, it is necessary to ask the instructor, TA and/or the University of Waterloo for permission before uploading and sharing the intellectual property of others online (e.g., to an online repository).
Permission from an instructor, TA or the University is also necessary before sharing the intellectual property of others from completed courses with students taking the same/similar courses in subsequent terms/years. In many cases, instructors might be happy to allow distribution of certain materials. However, doing so without expressed permission is considered a violation of intellectual property rights.
Please alert the instructor if you become aware of intellectual property belonging to others (past or present) circulating, either through the student body or online. The intellectual property rights owner deserves to know (and may have already given their consent).
All of us need a support system, and everyone needs a bit of extra help from time to time. The faculty and staff in Arts encourage students to seek out mental health support if they are needed.
On Campus
Due to COVID-19 and campus closures, services are available only online or by phone.
Off campus, 24/7
Full details can be found online on the Faculty of Arts website
Download UWaterloo and regional mental health resources (PDF)
Download the WatSafe app to your phone to quickly access mental health support information.
Academic integrity: In order to maintain a culture of academic integrity, members of the University of Waterloo community are expected to promote honesty, trust, fairness, respect and responsibility. [Check the Office of Academic Integrity for more information.]
Grievance: A student who believes that a decision affecting some aspect of their university life has been unfair or unreasonable may have grounds for initiating a grievance. Read Policy 70, Student Petitions and Grievances, Section 4. When in doubt, please be certain to contact the department’s administrative assistant who will provide further assistance.
Discipline: A student is expected to know what constitutes academic integrity to avoid committing an academic offence, and to take responsibility for their actions. [Check the Office of Academic Integrity for more information.] A student who is unsure whether an action constitutes an offence, or who needs help in learning how to avoid offences (e.g., plagiarism, cheating) or about “rules” for group work/collaboration should seek guidance from the course instructor, academic advisor, or the undergraduate associate dean. For information on categories of offences and types of penalties, students should refer to Policy 71, Student Discipline. For typical penalties, check Guidelines for the Assessment of Penalties.
Appeals: A decision made or penalty imposed under Policy 70, Student Petitions and Grievances (other than a petition) or Policy 71, Student Discipline may be appealed if there is a ground. A student who believes they have a ground for an appeal should refer to Policy 72, Student Appeals.
Note for students with disabilities: AccessAbility Services, located in Needles Hall, Room 1401, collaborates with all academic departments to arrange appropriate accommodations for students with disabilities without compromising the academic integrity of the curriculum. If you require academic accommodations to lessen the impact of your disability, please register with AccessAbility Services at the beginning of each academic term.
Turnitin.com: Text matching software (Turnitin®) may be used to screen assignments in this course. Turnitin® is used to verify that all materials and sources in assignments are documented. Students' submissions are stored on a U.S. server, therefore students must be given an alternative (e.g., scaffolded assignment or annotated bibliography), if they are concerned about their privacy and/or security. Students will be given due notice, in the first week of the term and/or at the time assignment details are provided, about arrangements and alternatives for the use of Turnitin in this course.
It is the responsibility of the student to notify the instructor if they, in the first week of term or at the time assignment details are provided, wish to submit alternate assignment.