ECO4060: An Introduction Laura Turner With contributions by Joanne Roberts (2005), Michael Baker (2008), Angelo Melino (2009), Gilles Duranton (2010), and Gustavo Bobonis(2011) ECO4060 – An Introduction Slide 1 of 31
Introductions • Laura Turner • Junichi Suzuki • The class ECO4060 – An Introduction Slide 2 of 31
Structure of the talk • Objectives, organization, and practical matters • Some thoughts on doing research and writing papers • Some thoughts on supervision ECO4060 – An Introduction Slide 3 of 31
ECO4060: The MAIN Objective To foster the transition from course-work to research ECO4060 – An Introduction Slide 4 of 31
ECO4060: Specific Objectives • Help students identify research topics (in particular for the second-year paper) • Introduce students to what it means to do research (including thinking like researchers instead of course-takers, posing and evaluating research questions, etc.) • Match students with a second-year paper supervisor • Enhance students’ presentation skills • Advise students about available writing resources • Introduce students to the “academic culture” By the end, students should be ‘matched’ (with dissertation supervisors and a dissertation committee). ECO4060 – An Introduction Slide 5 of 31
Course Structure: Year A(1) – Fall 2014 • Participate in the 4060 seminar • Discuss a paper (written by a Year B(2) student) • Look for a second-year paper topic (and supervisor) ECO4060 – An Introduction Slide 6 of 31
Course Structure: Year A(1) – Winter/Spring 2015 • Narrow down second year paper research topic • Present a literature review (on the topic of research) • Match with a second-year paper supervisor • Present the second-year paper proposal ECO4060 – An Introduction Slide 7 of 31
Course Structure: Year B(2) – Fall 2015 • First draft of your paper is due on 1 st September • Present your second-year paper in ECO 4060 • Present in the relevant departmental workshop • Set up your thesis committee ECO4060 – An Introduction Slide 8 of 31
Housekeeping and Reminders: Year A(1) E-mail to both of us with: • Research interests • Second-year paper discussion preferences (at least three (3) choices) • Self-assessment of writing and presentation skills Forms to sign today: • Attendance sheet • Consent forms to have talks recorded ECO4060 – An Introduction Slide 9 of 31
Housekeeping and Reminders: Year A(1) (cont’d) • Attendance is mandatory • Participate actively in the 4060 seminar • Start thinking about what you would like to work on… … and with whom you would like to work • The course webpage is full of resources and tips ECO4060 – An Introduction Slide 10 of 31
Housekeeping and Reminders: Year B(2) Papers are in and the talks are scheduled. • Final copy no later than TWO (2) WEEKS before your talk • Sign up for (and tell us!) your field workshop talk • Second-year paper completion form (to be handed in to Graduate Administrator as per course webpage deadline) • PhD supervisory committee and annual progress report form (to be handed in to Graduate Administrator as per course webpage deadline) ECO4060 – An Introduction Slide 11 of 31
Housekeeping and Reminders: Year B(2) (cont’d) • Attendance is mandatory in the fall term • Check your presentation dates with your supervisor • Set up a webpage, and give us the link to your paper • Take care of the logistics on the day of your talk (projector is warmed up and properly connected; slides and discussion uploaded; etc.) • Start thinking about your thesis committee (if you have not done so!) (need to set up by the end of the term) ECO4060 – An Introduction Slide 12 of 31
Research and the Second-Year Paper: Some Thoughts • Attempt to give a perspective from the other side of the curtain • You may not fully appreciate everything that comes next • This is only one, possibly very idiosyncratic, perspective ECO4060 – An Introduction Slide 13 of 31
The Second-Year Paper This is real research! As in all real research, there are three (3) objectives: • Advance “Knowledge” • Advance your knowledge and skills • Advance yourself in your area of research (Ph.D. and post Ph.D) The balance of objectives for SYP may be different than with your future research. ECO4060 – An Introduction Slide 14 of 31
Inspiration? ECO4060 – An Introduction Slide 15 of 31
Inspiration You! What do you want to do? • What are you interested in? What will you be interested in? • Get to know yourself (nurture your strong points; address/eliminate your weak points) • Keep a weekly log of research ideas • Read, read, read and look for papers/authors/topics that inspire you. ECO4060 – An Introduction Slide 16 of 31
Inspiration The world: What is going on? • Read the newspaper, books, be in the world • Read in other disciplines • Read (selectively) blogs by experts/scholars in your subfield of interest Your area of research: What is the research frontier? • What are the field leaders doing now? Why? • What can (manageably) be done to advance the state of the literature? ECO4060 – An Introduction Slide 17 of 31
From Idea to Project (Or, from half formed ideas to a ‘real’ project) What is the question? • Make it short and sweet (intelligible in plain English) • Why should we care? (real world problem, missing tools, policy, ‘big’ literature) What do you add? Why should we believe you? • Make it short and sweet (intelligible in plain English) ECO4060 – An Introduction Slide 18 of 31
What makes a good project? • Possible trade-off: Importance of the question vs. importance of the contribution • Many things can make a project stand out: - New conjecture - New data, stronger empirics, new form of empirics - Explanation/insight on a stylized fact, more general argument, easier proof, counterexample, etc. • Communication (oral and written) (THIS CAN NEVER BE UNDERESTIMATED) ECO4060 – An Introduction Slide 19 of 31
Beginning of & ‘Doing’ a Project • Think things through: - Write down a model, regardless of the topic. - Empirical work: - Write down an estimation equation and think about everything that might be wrong with it. - Theory: - Work through (numerical) examples - `First-order' issues need to be identified and solved. (Can available data be used to address the question? Have other people attempted a similar approach to yours?) • Go beyond the current frontier on some dimension(s) (and be at the frontier everywhere else) ECO4060 – An Introduction Slide 20 of 31
Beginning of & ‘Doing’ a Project (cont’d) • Talk to others – supervisor, colleagues, classmates. Listen to the most critical comments (satisfy the harshest critics) • Lots of small decisions to be made. Be able to justify all of them. Make sure you don’t ignore details. • Find a template to structure your paper. Follow the ‘recipes’ about introductions, paper structure, etc. (or have a seriously good reason to deviate) • Remember it’s (nearly) all about communication. (Make it simple; serious academics are busy) • Make sure you don’t lose sight of the big picture. • It’s lots of hard work! ECO4060 – An Introduction Slide 21 of 31
Supervision: Some Thoughts • One of your most important professional relationships • Important to take it seriously • Something no one ever talks about formally… ECO4060 – An Introduction Slide 22 of 31
Supervision: Some Thoughts • One of your most important professional relationships • Important to take it seriously • Something no one ever talks about formally… • Disclaimers: - Everyone is different (i.e., relationships, personalities) - Relationships are two-sided (some dimensions not in your control) ECO4060 – An Introduction Slide 23 of 31
Choosing a Supervisor Care is needed: • Look at track records and be aware of the trade-offs • Talk to other students • Find someone who will put time and energy (into your research, but also selling you on the job market) • Some people might be good to talk to, but not the best fit • Might want a few different types of people on your committee… … but also want people who can work well together ECO4060 – An Introduction Slide 24 of 31
A first model that (usually) does not work The supervisor referee: • Working too independently (not asking for input until there is a finished product, etc.) • Long absences, loss of contact, loss of connection • Minimal supervisor input • Expecting too little out of your supervisor This can result in: • Much time wasted and a lower quality thesis • Your supervisor losing touch with, and interest, in you ECO4060 – An Introduction Slide 25 of 31
A second model that does not work The student research assistant: • Too frequent meetings • What should I work on? (I am interested in whatever you are interested in) • What should I do next? This can result in: • Not developing your own problem solving skills, research agenda 1 • Not developing your research confidence 1 It is important to have these problem solving skills, in both academia and non-academic work. ECO4060 – An Introduction Slide 26 of 31
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