Published Jul 21, 2022
This course focuses on increasing students' understanding of the roles of economic theory and empirical methods and on the development of skills in the critical analyses of economic research. Through reading a variety of research papers and attending seminars, students will gain exposure to different research methodologies used in economics. Students will learn how to synthesize and critique research on a particular topic by writing reviews of academic papers and/or research reports from government and non-governmental agencies, as well as by writing a paper such as literature survey on an assigned topic. Students will enhance their writing skills and will also gain practice in presenting a research paper.
The class will be divided in 5 groups and each group assigned a topic: Employment, Education, Immigration, Discrimination and Environment. You will develop your research skills within your area of expertise and enrich your set of skills (and that of your classmates) by providing and receiving feedback across groups.
| Perform an in-depth economic literature review on a chosen topic in the area assigned to the student. |
| Present information - orally and in writing - to a variety of audiences |
| State an original research question |
| Critically evaluate information concerning the research topic |
| Outline a research plan involving quantitative and theoretical methods of analysis |
The first part of the course - up to the end of October - will be devoted to a) identifying resources for research and b) learning how to communicate with non-professional audiences
The second part of the course will be devoted to presentations and writing of a research proposal aimed to communicate with academic/professional audiences
A more detailed schedule will be provided at the beginning of term
| Title / Name | Notes / Comments | Required |
|---|---|---|
| Angrist, J. and J. Pichske (2014) “Mastering metrics. The path from cause to effect”, Princeton University Press | On occasion we will refer to analytical and statistical methods. This is a convenient reference guide | No |
Additional reading materials will be made available during the term
| Component | Value |
|---|---|
| A.1. Individual. One annotated bibliography of at least 5 papers | 5% |
| A.2. Collective. Group annotated bibliography, including how they will cover the line(s) of inquiry for the group. the narrative linking your individual research, resources identified, resources missing… (2 paragraphs min.) | 5% |
| P.1. Individual. Summarize and present one paper from your annotated bibliography in five minutes. Record the presentation and upload to LEARN | 10% |
| A.3. Individual. One opinion piece (1 pager) as an expert economist on a current issue of your choice within your topic. Check the news to find items related to your topic and write a short commentary from the point of view of an expert economist in the area for the general public. The purpose is to provide accessible, economic rationale as background for the news item | 5% |
| A.4. Individual. One policy brief within your topic (2-3 pages). The policy brief should (i) describe the issue, providing enough background/context for readers to follow your arguments, (ii) describe the policy debate, what policies/changes are people discussing; (iii) Reference theory and report data relevant to the issue; (iv) make a supported policy recommendation regarding the policy issue. | 10% |
| A.5. Collective (with another group member). One draft research project proposal (8-10 pages). The proposal should concern original academic research or a cost benefit- type of analysis. The proposal should: (i) formulate the research question in detail (about 2-3 pages), framing it with reference to available literature; (ii) describe the proposed method for analysis as well as the data to be used, (iii) suggest expected outcomes and outline issues that may require further work | 15% |
| P.2. Collective (with another group member). Present your research proposal in a research workshop. You will have ten minutes to complete the presentation of your research proposal. The recommended format is a PowerPoint presentation. | 10% |
| A.6. Collective. A final research project proposal that updates your research proposal with the evaluation and the comments received is due on the day of the final exam. The report should be handed in electronically by December 8th | 20% |
| Voluntary participation through in-class discussion | 10% |
| Mandatory participation. There will be mandatory feedback assigned for the presentations of research proposals. Failure to provide this mandatory feedback will result in a 50% penalty on your own presentation grade. There is no make up for this penalty | 10% |
(0) In group assignments all members of the group receive the same grade
(1) Evaluation of the final research proposal will consider whether you have incorporated feedback from the draft and the workshop in your final report
(2) Class participation will be evaluated for economic content. That means that your questions or contributions should be based on economic arguments or content, rather than simply expressing a general opinion.
(3) Failure to deliver any of the above will result in a mark of 0 for the particular component, unless supportive evidence of the reasons for the delay is provided, in which case an extension of 3 days for written work and virtual presentations will be granted
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 the alternate assignment.
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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).
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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.