ASSIGNMENT OBJECTIVE
The objective of this assignment is to give you an opportunity to:
- Apply analytical skills and economic concepts to examine whether a specific trade theory (i.e. Theory of Comparative Advantage, Heckscher-Ohlin Theory etc.) matches what is seen in data.
- Learn how to write a formal report underpinned by economic logic and evidence.
EXPECTATIONS FOR THE ASSIGNMENT:
Your report should include the economic analysis of a one of the trade theories we will discuss in the class, and your own insight. You should choose any pair of countries (US can be one of them) and a good. You should test whether your theory is supported by the data. Survey or descriptive papers (reporting other people’s work/ideas on issues, historical events) or hypothetical scenarios are not acceptable.
Your final report must be typed, double spaced, and between10 to 15 pages. The assignment is in four parts; each assignment must be turned in on the date indicated; and each will be graded separately. Your target audience for the report is educated college graduates.
ASSIGNMENT FORMAT
The assignment is in four parts, each will build on the material in the previous assignment.
- TOPIC of the report (due 9:00 a.m. on June 17, 2015)
You must submit a one-page paper carefully explaining the chosen topic. Explain why you selected the theory and the set of countries you intend to analyze.
Please start by writing a thesis statement – (one sentence (bold type) describing clearly the question or topic you want to analyze). The thesis statement (to be given in the introduction) should convey your main idea to the reader. Some helpful suggestions on thesis statements can be found on the websites below:
Definition and examples of thesis statements (St. Cloud State University): http://leo.stcloudstate.edu/acadwrite/thesistatement.html
How to write a thesis statement (Indiana University): http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/pamphlets/thesis_statement.shtml
Developing a thesis statement (University of Wisconsin) http://www.wisc.edu/writing/Handbook/thesis_complete.html
In this assignment, you should try to answer the following questions:
- What are the trade theory, countries, and good that I am trying to analyze? (analyze or examine or investigate or evaulate)
- Why is the question interesting? What is the empirical motivation?
- Is data available? Is it from a reliable source?
Be careful that your project is not too general/ambitious. Please narrow the topic to some specific aspect of a more general question. Remember that well-defined topics are easier to complete successfully. Make sure you can get 20 years of data to analyze.
You MUST turn in this assignment on the due date – or your Outline (next assignment) will not be accepted.
- OUTLINE of the report (due 9:00 a.m. on June 26, 2015)
This has two parts, A and B.
OUTLINE – PART A. You must submit a 2-3 page paper giving a clear outline of your project. It should contain:
* A title page that includes: title of the report, your name, I.D. number, and date.
* A clear introduction describing the trade theory you chose and the way you have decided to analyze it. Remember that your thesis statement should be included in your introduction and it should answer the question: what am I trying to prove/show?
* A summary of your essential ideas or arguments. Try to limit yourself to 3 main points. You could report the effects of the trade issue on different countries and agents. Feel free to make subsections where needed.
* Make sure you include a theoretical analysis where you discuss the theory you will use
* A conclusion in which you restate the thesis, summarize the main points you developed and present the results you drew from your analysis.
* A bibliography where you list the references and data used. You may add an appendix for graphs, data, or mathematical derivations.
You MUST have access to 20 years of data by this time.
OUTLINE – PART B.
For this assignment, each student is required to read and summarize one academic economic publication. The objective of this reading is for you to become familiar with the structure and format of writing in Economics. Each student must submit the complete reference of the article read, and its brief summary on a separate page. Do not quote the abstract!! This is worth 10 points. (Do not include the article).
Please use one of these academic economic publications: The American Economic Review, International Economic Review, Journal of Political Economy, Journal of International Economics, or Journal of International Money and Finance. None other is acceptable.
Other publications including “The Economist”, “The Wall Street Journal”, magazines, and newspapers do not qualify.
- FIRST DRAFT (due 9:00 a.m. on July 28, 2015)
You should submit a 10 – 15 page version of your paper containing all your main ideas/points. You MUST have all effects listed. If your first draft is good, you will only have to make minor revisions before turning it in as your final report and will not need to include new material.
The first draft should contain the same elements as the outline, but each main idea/point or effect should be fully developed and explained. You need to provide a complete list of references in your bibliography. Include only the sources you actually used in your paper and make sure your sources are credible.
- FINAL REPORT (due 9:00 a.m. on August 7, 2015)
You should submit a final, polished version of your paper, taking into account the comments made on previous assignments. You should not need to add new material at this stage, although you are allowed to if you have discovered elements that would substantially alter the logic or the conclusions of your paper. You will be asked to submit a few statements telling us the changes you made in the paper based on the TA’s (and instructor’s) comments and suggestions on your first draft.
Remember to keep one copy of the final paper for your records.
- PRESENTATIONS (July 29 and August 3, 2015)
All students will present a five-minute summary of their paper in class, focusing on the main ideas. This will also count toward your grade on the report. Feel free to write up a one-page abstract and read it out.
Make sure your topic is related to a focused question on international trade or trade issues. Please make sure you can obtain at least 17-20 years of data for the countries and issues involved. Remember that your paper must examine the trade issue from bilateral or multilateral viewpoints. You MUST undertake some statistical work (regressions) to show the cause and effects of certain events on the economies (sectoral and aggregate impacts). Most papers with good statistical work get better grades.
Students are not allowed to choose the same topic.
Below are examples of “UNACCEPTABLE” topics because they are either vague, not related to trade, or too broad :
- China/Russia and WTO
- Asian Financial Crisis or Trade and the Current World Recession
