Research and Writing Seminar To find an up-to-date version of the schedule and to read the papers check the website .

Research and Writing Seminar

To find an up-to-date version of the schedule and to read the papers check

the website www.wne.uw.edu.pl/seminar

Thursday, 1500 – 1635, room B

1

Coordinators:- M.A. in Development Economics

Dr. Joanna Tyrowicz

- M.A. in Quantitative FinanceDr. Michał Krawczyk

- M.A. in International EconomicsProf. Andrzej CieślikDr. Grzegorz Kula

2

Objective of the course:

Give you basis for your own research.

3

The goals for each student are following:

• Gain exposure to state-of-the-art research in economics,

• Become familiar with key analytical tools and modeling skills,

• Develop academic writing skills,• Develop critical thinking and evaluation skills,• Gain exposure to useful presentation techniques.

4

Writing reviews

• Why do you need to do this (except for „because we say so”)?– Thinking is nice, writing shows results– Organization is key – no better way to test it– Criticizing is a skill – not each critique merits

• What for do you do this?– WYDIWYL (= what you do is what you learnt)– Discipline helps getting nice ideas (for thesis

too!)5

Writing reviews – how do you do this

Necessary steps:1. Read the paper and prepare your comments – in the

week before the seminar (this we do not check).2. Ask questions and present your comments – at the

seminar (this is where we evaluate your potential).3. Discuss the first draft – one week after the seminar

(first evaluation of your work).4. Submit the final version – two/four weeks after the

seminar (final evaluation of your work).

6

Step 1 - preparation

Read the paper and prepare your comments(you may want to identify first, what is of interest for

you)• Read the paper to be presented and think about it.• Find some time to read more literature in the field.• Make comments that include your reasons explaining

why you like (or do not like) the paper, your suggestions and concerns.

• Make a list of specific questions you would like to ask to the presenter at the seminar.

• In addition: think about possible extensions that could be made to the paper. 7

Step 2 – face the dragon

Ask questions and present your comments• Use the knowledge of both paper and

presentation to be sure your accusation/praise is grounded (question relevant).

• Speakers are here for you – ask them all possible (relevant!) questions.

• Use the opportunity of speaker presence to discuss with them your suggestions/questions/ideas on the theme.

8

Step 3 – first attempts

Discussing the first draft• Prepare your first draft (not free notes, but a

coherent draft) and send it you your coordinator.• Set up a meeting to discuss vices and advantages of

your work.• You get feedback on both substance and exposition.• Listen to our comments, but do not fear presenting

your own opinions, views and suggestions. • Give us the time to give you the time (send drafts by

e-mail in advance, set up appointments, etc.). • We like you – if we cannot read it, it means you really

need to revise it.9

Step 4 – salvationSubmitting the final version • There is a point in Step 3 – make best use of it.• Make sure your structure is clear and coherent.• Make sure sentences make sense (have beginnings, ends,

etc.).• Use spell checker, mind editing, complete bibliography, etc.• We have many students: make sure there is one main

reason for which we should want to read this paper. • Papers submitted by email only

– E-mail title: Name, surname plus number of review– File name: surname_draft_number or

surname_final_number

10

Students’ obligations

Winter semester: 5 critical reviews- Purely descriptive, and not exceeding 10 pages,- Due date: 2 weeks after the seminar presentation.

Summer semester: 4 critical reviews with extension- Reviews must include an analytical extension of the

reviewed paper,- Reviews should not exceed 20 pages,- Due date: four weeks after the seminar presentation,- Can work in teams of two.

By the end of August:• Write your own research proposal for the master thesis (not

graded but indispensable).

11

Each review should include:

• Title page with abstract • Introduction with motivation, intuition, goals and

structure• Brief literature survey• Critical analysis of the theoretical framework AND/OR

statistical methodology• Critical analysis of theoretical AND/OR empirical

findings• In the winter semester: a list of possible future

extensions• In the spring semester: extended theoretical model or

new empirical results• Concluding section with your main points summarized• Bibliography 12

Introduction

• Explain, what is your motivation for reviewing this paper (saying ”it is interesting” is not enough).

• Describe what the paper is about, maybe mention its main points.

• State the goals you want to achieve in the review (”reviewing the paper and criticizing it” is too general for the goal of a review) – they should be the same as your criticism afterwards.

• TEASE the reader.• Be organized and clear.

13

Literature review:

• Locate the paper in the field. We do not need you to repeat what was reviewed in the original paper (it is not an analysis of what literature is used in the paper and how it is presented).

• Show how you understand the field and the contribution of this particular paper.

• Link this section to you criticism (ground your criticism in the field).

• You do not need to read everything nor summarize all the papers you have found.

• The idea is to compare the problems, methods and results, and not to describe other papers in details.

14

Critical analysis:

• Do not describe theory or methodology in detail, unless you have comments or opinions of your own.

• If you have them, include in the paper sections on a critical analysis of the theoretical framework and/or a critical analysis of statistical methodology.

• If you have nothing to say about them, drop these sections, but say a few words about theory and methodology in the introduction.

• You have to include a critical analysis of theoretical and empirical findings.

• You should present arguments supporting your opinions.

15

Extensions

In the winter semester:• Possible future extensions = only suggestions.• You have to describe:

- what the suggested extension is, - the intuition behind it, - what result you hope to obtain, - why it is significant, - its’ feasibility.

You should think of at least two possible extensions.

16

Extensions

In the summer semester:• Theoretical or econometric extensions of the reviewed

papers:- a step further in the research described in the reviewed paper, - solutions of some special cases, - alternative methods of estimation, - tests which were not conducted in the original research, - alternative assumptions, approaches,- etc.

• Only one extension per review (no need to do completely new research, although you may do that if you wish).

• You may work in teams of two.17

Some really useful tips:

1. Write a review – not a summary (do not rewrite the reviewed paper)

2. Even genious points are unclear if you are not clear, neat and organised

3. GIGO does not merit our appreciation (without main theme, there can be no good review)

4. Make yourself heard by being interesting and right – not necessarily critical or controversial

5. Not each question needs to be asked – not each criticism merits being written down

6. …

18

Papers evaluation and final grades

Each paper is evaluated on the basis of: • Clarity of exposition – 20%• Academic writing quality – 30% • Substantive quality – 50%

In the summer semester these three points constitute 50% of the grade, while the extension yields the remaining 50%.

19

Papers evaluation and final grades

• For each paper: maximum 10 points,• One additional point for a sensible question

during the discussion after the presentation,• In order to get this point you have to

introduce yourself,• Be on time: late submission cuts your points

(minus one point for the delay of one week),• The final grade in the semester is an average

of the points from the reviews.

20

Research proposal:

• Introduces and describes the subject,• DOES NOT HAVE TO BE your eventual master thesis• Should not exceed 10 pages:

– Describe the problem, – Explain why it is worth studying, – Say how you will conduct your research and what you plan to

find out from this excercise,– Include a short bibliography of basic literature,

• Shows that you are interested in the subject, • Shows that you know the problem enough to start

the research• Shows that you are able to write the thesis.

21

Contact detailsDr. Joanna TyrowiczRoom: 5 Office hours: Thursday, 1600 – 1700

e-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Michał KrawczykRoom: 214 Office hours: Monday, 1805 – 1900

e-mail: [email protected]

Prof. Andrzej CieślikRoom: 409 Office hours: Monday, 1315 - 1415

e-mail: [email protected]

Dr. Grzegorz KulaRoom: 106 Office hours: Thursday, 1355 - 1455

e-mail: [email protected] 22