FE341 - MICROECONOMICS
Library Project Research Assignment / Prof. Miller

Relevant Dates

Library Day:  Tuesday, January 26

Topics due: Tuesday, Feb 9

Source list due: Tuesday, March 2

Rough draft due and in-class peer editing: Tuesday, April 13

Final draft due: Tuesday, April 20

Revised Final draft due: Tuesday, April 27

Class presentations: TBD

Project Goal

As you advance within the economics major, your professors will require you to both research and write on economic topics.  Furthermore, they will likely assume that you already know how to do both of these things.  This library project will help prepare you to both research and write like an economist. 

This assignment requires you to complete a series of steps that will start with identifying a topic and end with a short research paper of 4 to 6 pages.  These steps are:

1. Identify your topic.

2. Research your topic using the library’s resources and the internet.

3.  Outline your paper.

4.  Write a first draft.

5.  Review other students’ rough draft.

6.  Edit your first draft until you have a second draft.

7.  Edit your second draft until you have your final draft.

8.  Present your finding to the class.

Below, each step is discussed in detail.  For each part of this project, you should use size 12 Times font.  Everything (excluding the bibliography) should be double-spaced.  Margins should be 1 inch.  Deviating from this format will likely result in lost points.

You should use the Chicago style for your citations.  Information on proper formatting is available at:

http://www.usna.edu/Library/reference/subjects/info-ethics/cite.html

1. Identify your topic

Your research should focus on a microeconomic question that is of interest to you.  It should include both a dependent variable (the outcome you are interested in) and explanatory variables (something that will affect the outcome of interest) and should be phrased as a question.  A template for your topic would look like:

How does X affect Y?

Your job is, in essence, to fill in “X” and “Y.”  An excellent topic might be, “How does an increase in the minimum wage affect the employment of low-skilled workers?” 

Your topic must concern MICROECONOMICS.  It cannot be about a macroeconomics.  If you are confused about the difference, you should review your FE210 notes or ask me.

You should also be careful not to make your topic so narrow that it ceases to be a microeconomic topic “How does an increase in the minimum wage affect the employment of low-skilled workers?”) and instead becomes a case study on a particular person or business (“How would an increase in the minimum wage affect my cousin Penelope?”). 

Before you begin researching your topic in depth, keep in mind that I must approve all paper topics.  Your paper topic must be submitted for approval to me by the start of class on

Tues. Feb 9

If you do not turn your topic in by the due date, you will lose 7 points from your final project grade.  Electronic submissions will not be accepted.

If your initial topic is not approved, you must meet with me on Friday, September 18 to decide on an alternative topic.

2. Research your topic using the library’s resources and the internet. <-- (link to FE341 Library Guide)

You should find articles, papers, and other sources of information about your topic using both the library’s resources and the internet.  In this section of the project, you will look for such sources in an organized, regimented fashion.  The steps you will follow are described below in depth.  When writing up this part of the assignment, your write up should follow the format below.  That is, you should first type “A. Britannica Online.”  Then, you should provide documentation described in each step.  To receive full credit for each step, you must do everything that is described in the step and document it.  Simply stating, “I could not find any articles,” or something similar will result in no points for that step.  Furthermore, you should fine a new and unique source for each step.  Simply finding the same journal article over and over again for each step will result in lost points.  This part of the project is due at the start of class on

Tues. March 2

Late submissions will lose 10 points per day late.  Additionally, you must turn in this part of the project in order to continue on with the rest of the project.

A. Britannica Online:  From the Nimitz Library Home Page select "Databases" and then choose "Britannica Online":  Begin your research by looking up at least two keywords or relevant subject terms in the online version of the encyclopedia. Write a paragraph (at least ½ page long) summarizing the kind of information you find.   Be sure to state your keywords or subject terms.  If you do not initially find any relevant information, use different keywords or terms until you do find some useful information.

B. New Palgrave: A Dictionary of Economics:  Look up keywords or concepts relevant to your research.  This set can be found in the Reference Collection under the call number REF HB 61 .N49.  It is also available online.  If your subject does not seem to be covered in this source, then choose another dictionary or reference source from the shelves to complete this section. Suggestions include Routledge Dictionary of Economics (REF HB61 .R924 1995) or McGraw-Hill Encyclopedia of Economics (REF HB61 .E65 1994). You can also find reference works listed on the "Economics" page under "Background Resources" and then "Economics Sources".  Do not use Britannica Online again.  Write a paragraph (at least ½ page long) summarizing what you find.  Be clear about which source you are using and what search terms you used.

C. Library Catalog:  Search the Nimitz online catalog from the Home Page.  Find at least 3 sources that are relevant to your topic.  Cite and describe each source here.  Your description for each source should be at least ¼ page long.

D. Sources of Data:  Consult a reference work in the library for data potentially relevant to your topic. You may browse the shelves in the H section or consult the list of "Statistics Sources" from the "Background Resources" of the "Economics" page used above. Describe and cite what you find.  Your description should be at least ½  page, describe what is included in the data source, and explicitly discuss how the data is related to your topic.

E. Business Source Premier:  Available under "Databases and Indexes" on the "Economics" page, this database also provides indexing and abstracting to many periodicals as well as full text or page image of others.  Cite one article that appears relevant. Indicate whether you could find the full text or page image as well. 

Note: "Choose Databases" option allows you to also search the following helpful databases: Academic Search Premier, Regional Business news, and others.

F.  Social Sciences Fulltext: Select from "Databases and Indexes" on the "Economics" page.  Properly cite an article and explain why it would be useful. Indicate whether it was available full text online.

G.  EconLit:  Located also on the "Databases and Indexes" list, this is a major index in the field and you should become very familiar with searching it. Spend some time becoming acquainted with its contents.  List the types of materials you will find indexed. Find & cite two articles relevant to your research.  Use the "Check Your Library" feature to see if they are in the Nimitz Library catalog. Indicate whether you would be able to find them here or full text online.  The search feature of EconLit can be very sensitive to how your phrase your search term.  There will be something in EconLit about your topic, so try different search terms if your do not initially fine a relevant source.

H.  PressDisplay:  Again choose this from “Databases and Indexes”.  Browse the “Business” section for worldwide coverage of newspapers in multiple languages. Choose an article of related to your topic and provide the citation.

I.  JSTOR:  Available under "Databases and Indexes", this is an archive of fulltext scholarly journals dating back to their very first issue.  Articles from the most recent 3-5 years are usually not available. Conduct a search on your topic, limiting it to the "Economics" journal category. You might also want to include the "Finance" category. Cite an article that appears to be relevant. 

J.  Electronic Journals: Consult this growing list of journals available electronically from the "Economics" page. Choose "Please select a subject category" and then from the drop-down menu choose "Business and Economics" to find specific the sub-category for your topic. Select one title to explore. Indicate which one you chose, what kind of coverage it provides in terms of years, and the ease of searching for articles. 

K.  Standard and Poor's Net Advantage:  This database (again on the "Databases and Indexes" list) provides the full text of many different publications from Standard and Poors.  Choose the category of Industry Surveys and search for an industry that interests you (not necessarily related to the topic of this paper). Explore the material available. Indicate the industry.

L.  NBER Working Papers: Go to www.nber.org to locate this paper series from the National Bureau of Economic Research. Browse the New Working Papers for one of interest or select “Publications” and then “Working Papers” to search for research on your topic. Find 2 papers related to your topic.  Cite the papers and print their abstracts.  The papers are available full-text at this site and are also linked in our online catalog.

M. Data Online:  From the "Economics" page under "Internet Resources", select "Statistics" and choose one site to explore.  Describe and cite what you find.  Your description should be at least ½  page, describe what is included in the data source, and explicitly discuss how the data is related to your topic.

N. Internet Search Engines:  Use a search engine (such as Google, Yahoo or Excite) to find sources of data or articles on your topic.  Describe two sources that you found.  Is the source useful and credible? Why or why not?  Also search Google Scholar (scholar.google.com/).  What did you find?  Is the data useful and credible? Why or why not?  Your response to the section you be at least ½ page long.

3.  Outline your paper.

After you have located and read a variety of sources on your topic, you are ready to begin writing your paper.  As a first step, you should plan what you would like to say in your paper and write an outline.  If you are unfamiliar with outline, the Online Writing Lab at Purdue discusses outlines at:

 http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/544/01/

4.  Write a first draft.

Use your outline to write a first draft of your paper.  Although the final version of your paper will be 5 to 7 pages, you can build up to that length by writing a 3.5 page first draft that focuses of the structure and arguments of your paper, but fills in the details later.  This draft is due at the start of class on

Tues. April 13

When writing, keep in mind that both the substance of what you write and the style of how you write will be graded in the final draft.  You should follow standard rules of grammar and writing.  You should follow the writing suggestions discussed in the McCloskey book.  For grammar help, see the section “Grammar and Mechanics” at the OWL website:

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/

This draft should include both a bibliography and properly formatted citations.  You should use the Chicago style.  Information in proper formatting is available at

http://www.usna.edu/Library/reference/subjects/info-ethics/cite.html

5.  Review other students’ rough drafts.

You should bring two copies of your first draft and outline to class on October 27 in order to participate in a peer-editing session.  More information about the peer-editing session will be provided as it nears.  You must participate in the peer-editing process.  If you miss class that day for any reason, you must let me know in advance to request permission to miss class that day and then arrange to take part in peer-editing at a different, approved manner.

6.  Edit your first draft until you have a final draft.

Use the comments you received from peer-editing to edit your first draft.  Make any additional changes that you feel are necessary.  If your first draft was less than 5 to 7 pages, include additional material that you initially omitted.  The final draft is due at the start of class on

Tues. April 20

This final draft should represent YOUR BEST POSSIBLE WORK and you should edit it until you are confident that it is it.  Your final draft is due at the start of class on

7.  (Optional) Revise and submit your paper again.

Using the comments I provided on your final draft, you have the option to again edit your paper.  If your paper shows great improvement (as determined by Prof. Miller), your grade for the paper may be raised up to one whole letter grade.  This last draft is due:

Tues. April 27

8.  Present your finding to the class.

You will each have an opportunity to present your findings to your class mates in a 10 minute presentation.  More details about the presentations will be provided at a later date.