Homework answers / question archive / Instructions for the Assignment in NA3001 – Fall 2023 Purpose of the assignment, "Writing an economics report" The purpose of the assignment is partly that you should get practice in writing as economists do, partly an in-depth study of a selected issue related to the economics of the welfare state

Instructions for the Assignment in NA3001 – Fall 2023 Purpose of the assignment, "Writing an economics report" The purpose of the assignment is partly that you should get practice in writing as economists do, partly an in-depth study of a selected issue related to the economics of the welfare state

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Instructions for the Assignment in NA3001 – Fall 2023

Purpose of the assignment, "Writing an economics report"

The purpose of the assignment is partly that you should get practice in writing as economists

do, partly an in-depth study of a selected issue related to the economics of the welfare state. It

is not about you coming to any ground-breaking results, but it is a training in academic

writing and to seek and compile information from different sources in a structured and

accepted way. This includes writing a brief literature review, which is something that must

always be done before the work on a new research project begins.

The assignment is composed of two parts. First you have to decide on a topic. This should be

an assessment of the current situation regarding one of the welfare state systems discussed in

Barr in one country of your choice and its possible challenges. You should collect

information using official statistics in combination with the theory covered in the book to

present the topic you are going to write about. Thereafter, in the second part, you are to write

a full report where you describe the current situation in greater detail but also make an

analysis of the challenges but also opportunities facing the current welfare system coming

from globalization, migration, digitalization etc.

Literature search

Collection and reading of literature for the assignment should be done from the beginning of

the course. Use the first two weeks to study the course literature to find a topic and start

collecting material. The university library provides you with access to various economics

journals and you can also search for information via various databases. Keep in mind that it

can take a week or so if you need to borrow a book remotely or order a copy of an article.

Institutions such as Eurostat or the OECD (https://www.oecd.org/) can also provide relevant

information easily accessible on the internet.

Requirements

You write the report on your own. The size of the written text in your report should be

maximum 10000 (ten thousand) words (including title and references). You write in English

and use the report template that is uploaded in Learn. Use at least five references (official

reports, scientific articles, etc.) in addition to information from the book by Barr.

Note! Since writing a thesis is one of the academic skills that you are to acquire in this master

program, and this course is where you for the first time are introduced to how this is to be

done, having dealt with the formalities related to writing a thesis correctly is required if you

are to pass the assignment.

Dates to remember:

- On the 13

th of September, between 10 and noon (Swedish time) I will give some

supervision.

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- On September 22, you should submit 2-3 pages with the preliminary title of the report,

problem description, purpose of the study and a preliminary disposition. Write in the

template. I will give comments by mail regarding the subject of your choice and the

outline for your work.

- The draft report to be discussed at the final seminar must be uploaded in the course

room in Learn no later than October 25, 2022, at 09.00 am.

- A list showing which report you will comment on during the seminar will be posted in

Learn on October 26 no later than 12.00 (noon).

- The final seminar will take place on October 30, 2023, see schedule uploaded in

Learn. It is mandatory to attend. You are to answer to comments on your own report

and give comments on another. You are also expected to take part in the general

discussion.

- A final version of your report, where you have made relevant revisions, must be

uploaded in the course room in Learn no later than November 17, 2023 at midnight.

Outline and content of the report

The outline of an economics report often consists of three parts: introduction, dissertation and

results / conclusions.

In the introduction to the report, discuss the choice of subject in order to give the reader a

broader perspective and to attract further reading. The introduction should also contain a

problem formulation and purpose of the study (i.e. the question you are to analyse). In

connection with this, the necessary delimitations should also be discussed.

In the dissertation section, you must describe which method you have chosen to use to answer

the question. Since this is an assignment that you have to do in a limited amount of time, you

can describe the method as an evaluation of the current system based on microeconomic

theory, empirical research and statistics. After describing the method, you then outline the

information you have collected and then reason about the outcome of the current system, what

can explain the outcome and if there is a need for changes in the system to improve the

outcome. It is important that there is a logical structure - a common thread - in your

presentation. A writing tip: one thought/argument - one sentence. Write short, concise

sentences rather than long sentences with complicated reasoning.

In the results / conclusions, you summarize what you have done in your study and draw any

conclusions.

Formalities

In the course page in Learn you will find the template you should write in. Replace existing

text with your own so that you get the right fonts, distance between rows etc. You must use

the right headings for different sections and for tables and figures respectively. For citation

and use of references in text, see how this is done in Barr for example. See also Högskolan

Dalarnas report on Academic Honour Principles that I have uploaded in the assignment

folder. Here it is stated: “Academic honour means that you must be clear as

to which arguments are yours and which arguments belong to another. In such a way, you are

acknowledging the research and ideas of others on which you are basing your own work.”

Referencing systems are also discussed and you must enter references according to APA, see

https://awelu.srv.lu.se/sources-and-referencing/quick-guides-to-reference-styles/apa/.

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In the reference list in the end of your report only sources specified in the text should be

included. The following are examples of how the literature used should be stated in the

reference list (for book, chapter in "edited book", article in journal, and from website):

Ballard, K. (2001). The frameworks of English: Introducing language structures.

Basingstoke, Great Britain: Palgrave.

Scott, C. (2006). Translating the literary: Genetic criticism, text theory and poetry. In S.

Bassnett & P Bush (Eds.), The Translator as Writer (pp. 106-118). London & New York:

Continuum

Ford, D. K. & Guidry, B. (2009). Accessing and citing in-press journal of management

articles: The role of Online First and the Digital Object Identifier. Journal of Management,

35, 197-198. doi: 10.1177/0149206309333552

Alison, J. (n.d.) A new look at an old design: The prehistoric alignment of the world wonders.

Retrieved from http://home.hiwaay.net /~jalison/

Closing seminar and opposition

The course ends with a seminar where the reports are presented for review and opposition. At

the seminar, you get the opportunity to defend your report, as well as to comment on and

critically review the work of another student. In addition to this, active seminar participation

is expected, which requires that you have read other reports belonging to your seminar

session.

At the beginning of the review of each report, the author orally makes important corrections

in their work, after which the opponent takes over. After this is done (approx. 15 minutes), we

discuss general merits and shortcomings related to the content of the report that have been

reviewed and any shortcomings concerning the formalities of report writing.

In the opposition, it is important not only to criticize shortcomings in a work but also to

highlight the merits. Pursue constructive criticism = point out how the report can be

improved, rather than "this is bad". The aim of the opposition is to bring about a well-thought[1]out and structured examination of both the qualities and shortcomings of the work.

The opposition element has two parts, one oral and one written, which means that you must

leave over a written document with revision proposals to the authors you oppose. Copies of

the written opposition are distributed to the author and to the supervisor after the seminar. The

oral opposition of a work normally has the following order:

• brief summary of the study

• review of purpose and boundaries

• review of outline, analysis and conclusions

• summary judgment; is the purpose fulfilled?

In addition to the above, the written opposition must also include a review of formalities,

notes, source references, languages, etc. This also means checks of sources and quotations.

Submission of revised version of the report (required for passing the course)

After the seminar, you are to revise your report will with the help of the comments and views

given from seminar participants and me. You get comments in writing from the opponent and

in addition you are expected to make your own notes during the seminar on relevant points of

view.

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Grading

This course is divided into two parts. The first part consists of lectures on the course literature

and then a written exam. The second part is this assignment in academic writing. A passing

grade on the course requires passing both the written exam and the assignment. The latter

includes writing a report, opposing another job and otherwise participating in the discussion at

the final seminar. The assessment of the report is based partly on the seminar version of the

report, including opposition and defence, partly on the revised version of it and whether the

instructions have been followed. Not adhering to deadlines affects the grade on the

assignment.