Description: Write a paper on one of the natural resource economics and management topics listed in the “Topics” section of this document.
Paper Format: The paper should be typed using 12 point Times New Roman font. The left margin should be 1.5 inches and the right margin 1 inch. The body of the paper should be double spaced including the spacing between headings and paragraphs. All headings should be Bold Twelve Point Times New Roman font. All references and citations should be listed on a separate page (not counted in the total page count) and cited using a standard citation format—either APA or MLA. The heading of the list page is: Reference List.
Policy on Preliminary Reviews: It is common for students to ask for a preliminary review of their paper prior to its official submission. I will not be able to do this due to the size of the class. However, I will gladly discuss your topic, the structure of your paper, and answer general questions as you progress. I just won’t be able to do a full review or give complete preliminary editorial feedback.
Suggested Outline:
I. Introduction: One or two paragraphs describing the general resource topic, its importance, and how you plan to address the topic in your paper.
II. Historical context and evolution of the problem/topic related to the resource.
a. What is the history of the problem in a modern context?
III. Users and property rights issues
a. What groups of people have an interest in the resource?
b. How have these interests been structured to produce governing institutions, policies, and/or laws related to the resource?
i. You should specifically address:
1. What dominant property rights regimes are associated with the use and maintenance of the resource?
2. What specific organizations have been created to govern the resource? What was the role of government, industry, and individual citizens or citizen groups in these organizations?
3. Who has a voice in the governance system, and who doesn’t?
4. What payment and fees systems are associated with the resource?
c. What are the impact/results of these institutional arrangements?
d. Will the institutions likely change? How?
IV. Review of economic work already done on the situation. Produce a summary review of the economic research already done on the subject. Try to categorize the work based on whether it is a valuation study, impact study, or some other type of research.
a. What economic studies or research has been done on the problem you are describing?
b. What were the results of these studies and did they lead to any policy changes?
V. Your consulting opinion.
a. What is your economic perspective on this problem?
b. Assume you have been hired to consult on the resource topic you are studying.
i. What tools and methods would you use to help policy makers make informed decisions about the resource?
ii. What are the challenges and limitations of the economic tools you might draw on to help in this process?
c. What is your general opinion on the topic/resource issue you are studying?
Energy related topics—electricity markets, natural gas, oil, renewable energy (hydro). This is a general list intended to stimulate your thinking. I encourage you to think of other topics and discuss them with me.
