Questions Approfondies d'Economie
Séminaires BAC 3
Last updated: Friday, 30 March 2018, 20h00
If you have ANY questions, please just contact me via email.
Introduction
Broadly speaking, this course covers: economic research design, how to handle economic data, research question formulation, types of literature, the structure of an academic article and the necessary content, how to read academic articles and working papers as well as how to critically analyse them, and finally, the basics of writing, debating/discussion, and presenting.
Overall, the aim of these sessions is to ultimately assist you in the following:
- Understand the importance of positive economic research.
- Appreciate the importance of understanding your data.
- Be able to structure and critique an economic argument using empirical evidence.
- Be able to search for and find relevant data and literature for your research question.
- Be able to present your research and defend it cogently.
Most importantly, develop a deep learning strategy focused on critical thinking and argument instead of a surface learning strategy focused on regurgitating facts and procedures (Marton and Säljö, 1976).
Upcoming timetable
- No more classes for the Spring 2018 session.
Slides
- Conducting Economic Research -- February seminar sessions -- [LINK] -- Updated as of Wednesday, 21 February 2018.
- Writing, Debating, and Presenting -- March seminar sessions -- [LINK] -- Updated as of Thursday, 29 March 2018
Other resources
- A Brief Guide to Linear Regression. [LINK]
- A Brief Guide to a Two-Stage Least Squares Research Design [LINK]
References -- Books
- The Practice of Econometrics, by E. Berndt
- Mostly Harmless Econometrics, by J. Angrist & J. Pischke [LINK to manuscript]
- Mastering 'Metrics, by J. Angrist & J. Pischke
- Doing Economics, by S Greenlaw [LINK to Ch. 1]
- Using Econometrics: A Practical Guide, by Studenmund [LINK]
- Analysis of Economic Data, by G Koop
- Analysis of Financial Data, by G Koop
- Graphs in Statistical Analysis, by F. Anscombe [LINK]
- The Visual Display of Quantitative Information [LINK to Chapters 1 to 3]
Journal articles we analysed in class
Introduction
- Epifani, P. & Gancia, G., 2009. "Openness, Government Size and the Terms of Trade," Review of Economic Studies, Oxford University Press, vol. 76(2), pages 629-668. [LINK]
- Lama, R. & Rabanal, P., 2014. "Deciding to enter a monetary union: The role of trade and financial linkages," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 72(C), pages 138-165. [LINK]
Literature review
- Checherita-Westphal, C. & Rother, P., 2010. "The impact of high and growing government debt on economic growth: an empirical investigation for the euro area," Working Paper Series 1237, European Central Bank. [LINK]
- Tenreyro, S. & Thwaites, G., 2016. "Pushing on a String: US Monetary Policy Is Less Powerful in Recessions," American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, American Economic Association, vol. 8(4), pages 43-74, October. [LINK]
Theoretical paper - Model section
- Albornoz, Facundo & Calvo Pardo, Héctor F. & Corcos, Gregory & Ornelas, Emanuel, 2012. "Sequential exporting," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(1), pages 17-31. [LINK]
- Auriol, E. & Lassebie, J. & Panin, A. & Raiber, E. & Seabright, P., 2017. "God insures those who pay? Formal insurance and religious offerings in Ghana," TSE Working Papers 17-831, Toulouse School of Economics (TSE). [LINK]
- De Grauwe, P., 1988. "Exchange Rate Variability and the Slowdown in Growth of International Trade," IMF Staff Papers, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 35(1), pages 63-84, March. [LINK]
Results (Discussion, Graphs, and Tables)
- A mixture of the aforementioned articles were used.
Empirical paper - Data section
- Bems, R. & di Giovanni, J., 2016. "Income-Induced Expenditure Switching," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, pages 3898-3931. [LINK]
- di Giovanni, J. & Levchenko, A. A., 2012. "Country Size, International Trade, and Aggregate Fluctuations in Granular Economies," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 120(6), pages 1083-1132. [LINK]
- di Giovanni, J. & Levchenko, A. A. & Mejean, I., 2018. "The Micro Origins of International Business-Cycle Comovement," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, pages 82-108. [LINK]
- Epifani, P. & Gancia, G., 2017. "Global imbalances revisited: The transfer problem and transport costs in monopolistic competition," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 108(C), pages 99-116. [LINK]
Empirical paper - Model section
- Bems, R. & di Giovanni, J., 2016. "Income-Induced Expenditure Switching," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, pages 3898-3931. [LINK]
- Conconi, P. & García-Santana, M. & Puccio, L. & Venturini, R., 2017. "From Final Goods to Inputs: The Protectionist Effect of Rules of Origin," CEP Discussion Papers dp1525, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE. [LINK]
- Tenreyro, S., 2007. "On the trade impact of nominal exchange rate volatility," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 82(2), pages 485-508, March. [LINK]
Conclusion
- A mixture of the aforementioned articles were used.
Appendices
- A mixture of the aforementioned articles were used.
Sources for journal articles and working papers
Journal articles:
- The online ULB library portal
- RePEc
- Google Scholar
- JSTOR
- EconLit
- Also don't forget about Google. A carefully worded search can get a lot of useful hits. It can be helpful to add filetype:pdf to the search string.
Working papers:
- NBER
- CEPR
- SSRN
- IZA
- IMF
- Also those published by the various Federal Reserve Banks and the different European central banks (ie, national ones as well as ECB).
- ideas.repec.org/top/top.wpseries.simple.html
- eui.eu/Research/Library/Collections/WorkingPapersEconomics
Data sources
This is a non-exhaustive list of places you may find data of use. A more extensive list HERE is kept up to date by the ULB/Solvay BibEco team. Also, do not forget about access to the dedicated data computers available for use in R42.
- Statistics Belgium [LINK]
- National Bank of Belgium [LINK]
- Eurostat [LINK]
- ECB Data Warehouse [LINK]
- OECD [LINK]
- IMF [LINK]
- World Bank [LINK]
- WTO [LINK]
- FRED [LINK]
- Quandl [LINK]
- Economagic [LINK]
Referencing (Bibliography)
As discussed, you are expected to use the APA style for referencing. Good resources for this include:
- http://www.easybib.com/reference/guide/apa/general
- https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/section/2/10/
- http://guides.libraries.psu.edu/apaquickguide/overview
Statistical software
- gretl [LINK] -- A great open source software for quick analysis of time series data. It is a free equivalent to EViews.
- R [LINK] and RStudio [LINK] -- A very good and thorough free statistical analysis software. Can do everything that Stata can.
LaTeX
- The LaTeX WikiBook [LINK] -- An invaluable resource for starting out!
- A short guide to key LaTeX symbols [LINK]
- The comprehensive LaTeX symbol list [LINK]