University of California, Davis Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics ARE 100B Dr. Larson Spring 2014

Some Suggestions for Writing the Optional Class Paper Due Date: Friday, June 6, 2014 at 5 p.m. (Late papers lose 10%/day in grade.) The purpose of the paper: This provides an alternative way for you to demonstrate your understanding of the tools of economic analysis covered in this course, as applied to a contemporary public policy issue involving market power or other topics related to the course. The topic is of your choosing, but choose something of interest to you! If you are analyzing a subject about which you are interested and enthusiastic, this will show through in the product you prepare and in the impression it will make on the reviewer. The key elements are that you: (a) demonstrate familiarity with one or more concepts learned in this course; (b) focus your analysis on a real-life issue or problem; (c) use the Internet for part or all of the research materials used; and (d) produce a paper that employs sound reasoning and analysis, and is well-written and presented. Use of the Web for Research Materials The Internet is an exceptionally rich and convenient source of information, reports, data, and descriptions of environmental problems and policies. I have posted a few links on the class Web site for several media coverage and reports by public agencies dealing with market power, antitrust, and other course topics. You should have at least one Web reference for material used in your paper, and good papers will have several or many. Considerations in Preparing Your Paper Your paper, if done well, can serve purposes beyond the class itself. Many employers like to see samples of job candidates' writing and research skills, and this paper is an opportunity to prepare just such an example of your work. A paper involving data analysis can be especially impressive. Plus, if you write a really good paper, it may end up being one of those “Good Examples” I use to illustrate for future classes how the class paper can be done well. Some issues to consider as you develop a topic and an analysis are: 1) What is the question motivating my analysis? Your introduction should concisely describe the problem or issue you wish to discuss. What's wrong with things currently? How is the problem seen in behavior we observe in the world around us? How does this compare with what would be ideal? For example, oligopoly frequently results in higher prices to consumers and inefficiency, compared to more competitive market arrangements. 2) What are the key incentives causing the problem, and how can they be improved by new or different policies? Presumably firms are acting to choose what's best for them in light of the incentives they face. To the extent that this leads to undesirable behavior or market outcomes, how can policy change the incentives so the problem does not occur or is reduced? 3) Can I evaluate the tradeoffs that are explicit or implicit in the resource use issue? A useful way to demonstrate your knowledge of the economic tools from the class is to use one or more of the simple models and analytical frameworks seen in class. An analytical framework (graphical, algebraic, or—if carefully reasoned—simply verbal) provides a structure and a way of making predictions about what is happening now, and what might change if you change incentives or policies. 4) Can data, even simple and illustrative, be brought to bear on the problem? To get a sense of the magnitudes of the effects of a policy on different groups, it is often helpful to get some

ARE 100B

2

Class Paper Guidance

numbers into the analysis, in tables, graphs, and as part of the text. While not strictly required, it is often very illustrative to find some ways to pin down the value or cost relationships involved in the problem. While you probably won't find marginal cost or marginal value relationships directly, many public agencies such as the US Departments of Justice and Commerce have literally hundreds of economics reports and analyses that can be accessed via the web. Also, popular media such as newspapers, magazines, or library books and journals frequently have articles on imperfect competition problems that include tables and graphs. In Writing Your Paper a) Communicate well using correct English. The reader may not be knowledgeable about your specific problem so brief him or her about it. The reader will be a college graduate with some familiarity with the issues and will prefer convincing, objective discussion. b) Be rigorous in your thinking and analysis. Reason carefully, logically, and completely, as you tell the story of the behavior you wish to explain and your approach to explaining it. Support your contentions with appropriate facts and citations to authorities. Demonstrate your own original thought process rather than simply repeating what someone else has said. c) Organize your paper in a logical sequence. Motivate the analysis by setting the stage for it in the Introduction. Why is this an interesting problem or issue? Move to a description of your methods--what is your approach to analyzing the problem? Then discuss your results-what are your findings? Conclude by summarizing what you've found, the implications, further directions for analysis, and qualifications. Be sure to own up to deficiencies, simplifications, and other factors you might have liked to, but couldn't, analyze. d) Use tables and charts effectively. Make each table and chart self-contained with a clear title, needed explanatory footnotes, source references, etc. Tables in the main body of the report should be relevant to the text. Others go in the appendix. Tie these tables into the text by referring to the information in the tables as you interpret your results. e) Be thorough but concise. An appropriate length might be some 1,000-2,000 words (5-10 double-spaced typewritten pages) for the discussion portion of most reports--excluding tables, charts, etc. In some cases, a shorter or longer report may be more appropriate. Don’t just stick in filler material that doesn’t tie in with what you’re arguing—it’s readily apparent to a careful reader, and not viewed favorably. f) Present your paper well. Take the time to ensure that the paper looks good visually. Attention to detail in how your material is presented conveys an impression about the overall care taken with other aspects of the research. More than one student in the past has used their class paper as a sample of their writing and analytical skills in employment interviews. Take the time to do and present your work well, and it can serve purposes beyond just this class. g) Other Points to consider. i) Your paper deserves a creative title. Be more imaginative than “ARE 100B Project” or “Individual Report.” Make the title short, representative, and snappy. ii) Prepare a list of references used in your research. As noted above, this must contain at least one citation of a web page. Include the URL for the page, along with author and title of the page.