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Research Project

Learning objectives of your project 

  • Learning to use economic models to explain social and economic  issues. 
  • Exposure to research processes in international economics. 
  • Learning to write for a a planning office, a research department,  a business, or a newspaper or publication.

Choosing a subject for the paper:

Suggested topics for the research project: 

  • Topics about international economics (notice that the given country is just an example. You can choose another country and commodity).
    • The importance of international trade expansion on Indonesia's economic growth. 
    • The USA demand for wine imports. 
    • The USA supply of apple exports. 
    • Sources of comparative advantages in India's production of software. 
    • The impact of out-migrations on the Salvador's economy.
    • The USA demand for organic imports.
  • Topics about the North Bay Area 
    • Globalization of wine production: integration of California growers-wineries with South American growers-wineries. 
    • Immigrant workers' conditions in the garment sector.
  • For other kind of subjects talk with the instructor. 

Steps of the research project

  • Choose a question or problem for research. 
    • Prepare a one page research proposal or outline 
    • Narrow down your question 
  • Identify and review existing bibliography about your question 
    • Computer search in SSU library 
    • At least, four of your major sources shall be books or professional journals in the field of economic development. Weekly magazines, newspapers, and encyclopedias shall be used in limited ways. 
  • Choose a relevant conceptual framework within the field of international economics. 
  • Look for data 
    • Time series 
    • Cross-section 
    • Maps 
    • Case studies
  • Choose a handy methodology
    • Choosing an approach
      • Time series analysis
      • Cross section analysis
      • Case studies
    • Choosing a data processing method
      • Graphic method
      • Statistical methods like regression or variance analysis
      • Accounting method like budgeting .
    • Choosing a computational tool
      • Spreadsheet (Excel, QuatroPro, Lotus, others)
      • Statistical Program
      • Simulation Model
  • Interpreting your findings.
  • Writing the paper 
    • look at a book on style writing and visit the SSU English Writing Center.
  • Presentation of Research Report 
    • Teacher's evaluation of the Term Paper 
    • Revision and rewriting of the Term Paper 
    • Presentation of Revised Research Report 

Paper format 

  • Text: Between 4 and 6 pages, double space. 
  • You can add to the text appendixes and supporting data like statistical tables. 
  • Typed or word processed. 

Approaches for writing 

SSU Writing Center
Grammar Hotline: 664-4401


Outline Model
  

Econ 303: International Economics 

Economics Department

Sonoma State University

Mary Adams. Economics, Junior

RESEARCH PROPOSAL  Title: The Demand for Imported Wine in the USA

  1. Research Question

  2. What economic and non-conomic factors explain the demand for imported wines in the USA?
     
  3. Literature Review:
    1. I have  read the chapter on demand imports in the Text, and I have looked at the Bibliography for this chapter in the book (see my notes or cards.)
    2. I have read a case study in the Heilburg Public Library, and have talked with Professor XX who is working on the subject. 
    3. I plan to look and read books and journal articles about
        • The market demand and the excess demand theory in general
        • Case studies on the wine market in the USA.
  4. Conceptual Framework

  5. I will use the "demand for imports  model" discussed in the text book and in class as a conceptual framework to identify  the factors which explain the demand for imported wines in the USA.
     
  6. Sources of Data

  7. I plan to use the data of the US Department of Agriculture, and the data collected by XX, a private consultant for the wine industry. 
     
  8. Methodology

  9. By definition mine is going to be a historical or time series approach for relating the explained factor (Imported wine) with the explanatory factors (proposed by the conceptual framework.)
    I have to define my statistical method for processing data. I'm considering the following approaches: regression methods, and table-accounting methods.
    I have to decide what computational tool to use: spreadsheets (e.g. Excel) or a statistical program (e.g. EViews)
    I don't expect that all the data necessary will be available. I may need to use proxies for those variables without data. I may need to use interpolations for those years with missing data.
     
     

 

How to Write an Economics Paper
 

Students Ideas for a Research Project