Syllabus

Senior Seminar, Econ 433

Term: Spring 2025

Classroom: JRHH 245

Time: TR 11:30 - 1:00

Instructor: Dr. Moriah Bostian

Office: 324 Howard Hall

Office Hours: Tue. 2-3:30 (in person), Wed. 2-3:30 (zoom)

Email: mbbostian@lclark.edu

Course Website: https://sites.google.com/a/lclark.edu/econ433-bostian/home

Watzek Library Liaison:

E.J. Carter, ecarter@lclark.edu

Information Technology Liaison:

Miranda Carney-Morris, mccm@lclark.edu

Required Textbook:

Steven A. Greenlaw, 2005.  Doing Economics: A Guide to Understanding and Carrying Out Economic Research, Haughton-Mifflin.

Dierdre N. McCloskey, 1999. Economical Writing, Second Edition, Waveland Press, Inc.

Course Description:

This course will be a seminar in applied microeconomics, which refers to the use of econometric methods to test microeconomic theory. The main objectives of this course are 1) for students to learn to critically review applied microeconomic literature and 2) for students to learn how to develop a methodology for empirical microeconomic research.

In the first part of the course, we will discuss the development of an empirical research question and methodology design.  Students will present articles from the literature that illustrate microeconomic applications, with a focus on their connection of economic theory to an econometric model.  Students will then develop their own empirical research question within an area of applied microeconomics.  In the second part of the semester, students will work independently on their empirical research questions.

The student thesis will include a review of related literature and the development of a methodology to test the chosen empirical research question.  The literature review should situate the research question within the wider economics literature.  The methodology should include a careful explanation of the relevant microeconomic theory and formulation of an appropriate econometric model to test that theory. Empirical Application is not required and will depend on the student's ability to procure the necessary data in order to test their theory in practice.  Students will present their results in a public session at the end of the semester.  

Course Objectives:

The primary objective of this course is for you to develop and/or apply economic theory to answer a research question of your choice.  To that aim, the course foundational objectives are for you to:  

• • learn how to formulate a worthwhile and testable economic research question/ hypothesis

  • be able to apply economic theory and/ or econometric methods to answer your research question

  • be able to locate published economic research on a particular economic issue

  • be able to critically review economic literature, and situate your own research within that literature

  • be able to search for and utilize economic data

  • be able to organize and follow a research plan

  • successfully collaborate with and provide feedback to your colleagues

  • learn to effectively present your research results

Student Responsibilities:

Fulfilling the objectives above will require each of you to engage in this course.  Your primary responsibilities as a student are to:

• • Come to Class.  This course will utilize discussion and in-class exercises as learning methods.  For these methods to be effective, you must be present.  I will take attendance at the beginning of class daily, and allow two absences during the semester.  If you are absent more than twice, I will lower your final grade by one letter grade for each additional absence.  

  • Participate in Class.  Participation includes staying abreast of assigned readings and contributing to class discussions, collaborating on in-class exercises and providing feedback to your colleagues as part of the research process.  Your final grade will depend in part on your participation in the course.  

  • Complete assignments on time.  In this course, we will cover a set of topics that build sequentially.  Your comprehension of and ability to apply course concepts at any point in the semester depends on your understanding of previous material.  Unless announced otherwise, assignments are due at the beginning of class on the due date.  I will penalize late work by one letter grade for each day (including weekends) after this time.  

Grading:

• • 10%, Participation

  • 20%, Thesis Research Proposal

  • 20%, Classroom Presentations

  • 50%, Final Submitted Thesis

Overview of Assignments:

I. Thesis Research Proposal

The thesis research proposal should include:

• • a clear and concise statement of your hypothesis or research question

  • one paragraph that explains the importance or relevance of your hypothesis/question

  • a literature review that identifies and summarizes the main studies published on your topic; highlights the principal shortcomings of, or gaps in, these studies; and situates your proposed work within the existing literature

  • a presentation of the methodology you intend to employ to test your hypothesis/answer your research question.  Your presentation should reference the work highlighted in the literature review, showing how you will either build upon or diverge from previous studies

II. Thesis First Draft Requirements

The first draft of your thesis should be an advanced draft, covering (to varying degrees) all parts of your projected final draft.  It should be properly formatted and edited.  The core text should be 15-20 typed, double-spaced pages in length.  The draft should also include a title page, abstract and bibliography.

III. Review of Other Theses

Research is a collaborative process.  Even the best solo-authored papers undergo, and are improved by, rigorous scholarly review.  In this spirit, you will be expected to critically review the thesis first draft of one of your colleagues.  Your review should include:

• • a brief summary of the research question/hypothesis and methodology

  • an evaluation of the appropriateness of the chosen methodology, the correctness of its implementation, and the resulting conclusions

  • suggestions for addressing any highlighted weaknesses

  • stylistic and organizational comments

We will conduct peer reviews collaboratively in class, in the form of a workshop.  

IV. Final Thesis Requirements

Your final thesis should be properly formatted and edited, typed, and double-spaced. The thesis text (introduction, body and conclusion) should be approximately 20 pages in length, organized as follows:

• • Title page

  • Abstract, including JEL codes and keywords

  • Introduction

• Background and Literature Review

• Methodology

• Empirical Application

• Results and Discussion

• Conclusion

  • Appendix (if applicable)

  • References, following University of Chicago style

Academic Integrity:

For your thesis, you will draw upon numerous and varied sources.  Take care to use these sources honestly, and with integrity.  The Lewis & Clark Academic Integrity Policy states:

"Acts of academic dishonesty involve the use or attempted use of any method or technique enabling a student to misrepresent the quality or integrity of his or her academic work...Academic dishonesty with respect to written or other types of assignments includes but is not limited to: failure to acknowledge the ideas or words of another that have consciously been taken from a source, published or  unpublished; placing one's own name on papers, reports, or other documents that are the work of another individual, whether published or unpublished; flagrant misuse of the assistance provided by another in the process of completing academic work; submission of the same paper or project for separate courses without prior authorization by faculty members; fabrication or alteration of data; or knowingly facilitating the academic dishonesty of another."

I will not treat academic dishonesty lightly in this course.  Nor will I consider ignorance of the LC academic integrity policy as an excuse for its violation.   Please consult me if you have any questions regarding academic integrity while writing your thesis.

Accommodations:  

If you have a disability that may impact your academic performance, you may request accommodations by submitting documentation to the Office of Student Accessibility in the Albany Quadrangle (x7156). After you have submitted documentation and filled out paperwork there for the current semester requesting accommodations, staff in that office will notify me of the accommodations for which you are eligible. You can find additional information about accommodation arrangements on the Student Support Services website.

Tentative Class Schedule: