PAPER 1

Topic:

For almost all of human history, the average growth rate in real per-capita world income has been very low.  Since around 1750, however, average growth rates have risen significantly, though this growth primarily appears to be concentrated in a minority of the world's countries.  What determines a country's growth performance?  Are there necessary conditions, institutions, government structures or policies?  Review the lecture notes through the first midterm along with the assigned readings (Kennett, 2000; Olson, 2000; Heilbroner & Milberg, 2001; and especially Maddison, 2001).  Synthesize what you have learned, and don't just repeat my lectures back to me.  Next, pick a country covered in Part III of the Schedule of Readings and Lectures, and use your previous theoretical discussion to assess and explain its growth performance.  Be sure to consider episodes in which its growth performance changed.  You might do a little more research on this country, but I will not demand too much beyond the reading material mentioned above and other suggested readings.

Due Date:  Thursday, March 13, 2003.  Late papers will lose one full grade per week

Format:

The paper should be approximately five to seven pages long, not including the cover page and any references or tables.  This paper must be typewritten and double-spaced, with one-inch margins all around the text, and I prefer normal fonts of 10-12 points.  It is silly to play with the margins or the fonts just to make it fit the page target.

Your paper should have a cover page that has your name, my class, the date, the title, and a one-paragraph abstract that summarizes your paper.  You should have an introduction that begins on page 1, and a conclusion at the end.  Use section headings to clarify your paper's organization.  Put page numbers at the bottom,but do not number the cover page, abstract, or end notes if you use them.  Also, any figures or tables should each be put on their own separate, unnumbered page at the back of the paper, and they should be referred to in the text as Figure 1 or Table 4, for example.

 I have pet peeves you should know about. Some are careless errors, and some are issues of preference. I like two spaces after a sentence. "It's" means "it is," while "its" is possessive.  Paragraphs need to hold together, not be too long or too short, and the first sentence should give the reader some clue of what the paragraph is about. Vary your sentences a little for more interesting reading. Your paper should not ramble, and should make logical sense. Learn to use colons and semicolons properly. For example, a semicolon separates two stand-alone sentences making a similar point.  In the U.S., commas and periods go within the ending quote mark (though not if there is a citation at the end of the sentence). Don't quote unless the quote is just too good to pass up; instead, learn to paraphrase. All sentences must have, at minimum, a subject and a verb.  I like papers that try to be objective, and I suggest you avoid being flip, funny or sarcastic. I don't like too many exclamation points! I have more peeves that I will remember when I read your papers.  Use the College Handbook or similar source for a style guide.  Use the Writing Center for help, that's why they're there.

Finally, this is NOT an opinion paper!  As much as possible, you are expected to base your paper on material you have studied for this class, and not base it on opinions that you had coming into this class.

Back Up!  Every semester somebody forgets to back up their document, and they lose it the night before it is due when a virus hits them or their computer crashes.  I don't know how, but your computer seems to know when you are stressed.  Make a second copy on another diskette, for security.

Citations and References:

Though this is not intended to be a research paper as much as it is a thought paper, you will still need to cite any and all sources you use in your paper, and list your references alphabetically after your conclusion.  Do not use footnotes for citations; use them instead to explain points in more detail if necessary (single-spaced).

When you cite your references, put the name(s), the year after a comma, and the page number(s) if appropriate after a colon, all in brackets (you may use parentheses instead, if you prefer).  For example, the seven references listed below would be cited in the text as [Olson, 2000]; [Cargill & Parker, forthcoming]; [Parker, 1995]; [Banks, Parker, & Wendel, 2001]; [Economist, 1997]; [World Bank, 1993]; and [IMF, 2001].  Don't forget to give page numbers for a quote or something from a book, e.g., [Olson, 2000: 68-69].

For sources with more than two authors, cite all authors the first time and then later use et al. (et alia, Latin for "and others"), though if there are more than three you can use et al. the first time.  For example, source (4) below would be cited as [Bhattacharyya, et al., 1994].  If you are citing two sources with the same author(s) and year, cite and reference them with the year plus a, b, c, ..., e.g., [Parker, 1995a] and [Parker, 1995b]. You should use full names for historical figures, but only last names for your research sources.

A citation generally goes at the end of the sentence or phrase, before the ending punctuation, as in:

Schumpeter emphasized the role of entrepreneurship in driving economic development [Gregory & Stuart, 1995: 66].

If you quote and then cite, the end-quote marks go before the citation, which goes before the ending punctuation.  If you already mention the author in the text there is no need to repeat it again, as in:

Hayek [1945] argued that prices served to convey information.

If you are citing the source of a quote, and your citation is at the end of the sentence, then the ending quotation marks go before the citation, if in:

"In fact, in any society with autocratic governments, an autocrat with the same incentives as a roving bandit is bound to appear sooner or later" [Olson, 2000: 27].

Though I would probably paraphrase this, or rephrase this as:

Olson [2000: 27] argues that, "in any society with autocratic governments, an autocrat with the same incentives as a roving bandit is bound to appear sooner or later."

All citations must be listed alphabetically  in a bibliographic section entitled "References."  All sources in your references must be cited somewhere in the text.

It is not necessary to cite the same source excessively, especially if it is clear that it is a continuation of the same argument.  Use endnotes to explain points in more detail if necessary, but not to cite sources, and include these in a section at the end entitled "Notes".  I encourage you to cite relevant material from the assigned texts.  Finally, you should use quotes sparingly, instead paraphrasing where possible then citing the source of the idea.  Extended quotes should be single spaced and indented, without quote marks.

References go on a separate page entitled "References," and you should list your sources alphabetically and unnumbered.  Here are seven sample references, for (1) a book, (2) an article in an edited book, (3) an article in a journal, (4) multiple authors, (5) a newpaper article where no author name is listed, (6) institutional author, and (7) an internet source where the print version is not available.  Books and journals are underlined (you may use italics instead of underlines if you wish), while articles are in quotes.

Olson, Mancur (2000), Power and Prosperity (New York, NY: Basic Books).

Olson, Mancur (1997), "The New Institutional Economics: The collective choice approach to economic development," in Clague, Christopher (ed.), Institutions and Economic Development : Growth and Governance in Less-Developed and Post-Socialist Countries (Baltimore, MD:  Johns Hopkins Press).

Hayek, Friedrich A. (1945), "The price system as a mechanism for using knowledge," American Economic Review 35(4): 519-30.

Bhattacharyya, Arun, Elliott Parker, & Kambiz Raffiee (1994), "An examination of the effect of ownership on the relative efficiency of public and private water utilities," Land Economics 70(2): 197-209.

Economist (1997), "Banking in emerging markets" (April 12): 34-37.

World Bank (1993), The East Asian Miracle: Economic Growth and Public Policy (New York, NY: Oxford University Press).

IMF (International Monetary Fund, 2001), International Capital Markets:  Developments, Prospects, and Key Policy Issues <http://www.imf.org/ external/ pubs/ ft/ icm/ 2001/ 01/ eng/ index.htm>.

Your class lecture notes can simply be cited as [Parker, 2003] and referenced generically as:

Parker, Elliott (2003), EC 301 lecture notes.

If you are relying on my written notes, however, you would need to reference it as:

Parker, Elliott (2000), "Lecture Notes: Fundamentals of the Neoclassical Framework," <http://unr.edu/ homepage/ elliottp/ ec301/ ec301s2000lec4.html>.  {Here you can deduce the date from the address, but if you can't find it anywhere use the date you accessed the data.}

Plagiarism:

Use your own words and ideas, or cite your source clearly to avoid plagiarism.  I am reasonable about this, as long as you are making a good effort at citing your sources, and a mere phrase here and there will not necessarily set off alarm bells.  Remember, you don't have to go overboard and cite the same source over and over within the same paragraph, as long as it is apparent that you are giving appropriate credit where credit is due.  But lifting somebody else's work, stealing their words and work without proper attribution, is plagiarism.  Getting material off the internet, copying sentences out of a book without quotation marks, or even buying a paper from a "research service" is dangerous and stupid.

To help me check this, you will need to turn in your manuscript as both a paper hardcopy and as a file on a 3.5" diskette (Word, Wordperfect, or even simple text).  In some circumstances I may accept your file as an attachment to an e-mail.  I will use this file to run your paper through some plagiarism-checking software, and I will return the diskette to you afterwards.  Be sure to put your name on your disk.

Every semester or two I catch somebody cheating.  Punishments for academic dishonesty are severe, beginning with an F on the assignment.  (Last semester I gave someone an F in the course for plagiarism.)  You will find that I am more than willing to contact Student Judicial Affairs and have a hearing, fail you in the class, and even to ask for your expulsion from the university if the violation is severe enough.

Grading:

Your paper will be graded for grammar, spelling, clarity, logic, and flow as well as accuracy and originality of content.  Have somebody read it over for typographical errors and things that just don't make sense.  Don't turn in a rough draft, turn in a polished document.  I prefer that you write this paper in a professional tone, and avoid being flippant.  Originality matters, but it is an issue of content and how you put together material you have learned, not an issue of creative style.  A good paper will be interesting and original, and will make a logical argument that addresses the assigned topic.  A good paper will be well-organized and well-written, will follow the format requested above, and will also demonstrate that the writer has a good grasp on the material.  A good paper will be analytical, will back up potentially controversial or unusual statements with evidence, and will make a solid case.  Never say a cop-out statement like "I think that...," since your opinions are either irrelevant or implied by the fact that you wrote the paper.

Here is a sample grading sheet from last semester:

EC 301- Spring 2002  Paper 1 Grading Sheet Student _________________ Grade   ______ Topic:  What are the theoretically appropriate roles of government in a market (capitalist) economy? Consider and explain the pros and cons of government intervention versus laissez faire. Next, contrast this discussion with the theoretical role of government in a socialist economy based on Marxist-Leninist principles. Be sure to consider the views expressed in Mancur Olson's Power and Prosperity on this topic. Finally, choose one of the countries in Part III of the Schedule of Readings and Lectures, and use it as an example to illustrate your theoretical discussion.  Topic:    Focus on general theory of government's role 4.....3.....2.....1.....0    Role of Government intervention: laissez faire 4.....3.....2.....1.....0    Role of Government intervention: market failure 4.....3.....2.....1.....0    Role of Government intervention: socialism 4.....3.....2.....1.....0    Appropriate use of Olson's theory 4.....3.....2.....1.....0    Appropriate country 4.....3.....2.....1.....0    Appropriate examples from chosen country 4.....3.....2.....1.....0 Content:    Originality 4.....3.....2.....1.....0    Clarity and Logic 4.....3.....2.....1.....0    Organization 4.....3.....2.....1.....0    Accuracy 4.....3.....2.....1.....0    Grammar 4.....3.....2.....1.....0    Spelling 4.....3.....2.....1.....0    Appropriate use of other assigned readings  4.....3.....2.....1.....0    Additional appropriate sources  4.....3.....2.....1.....0 Format:    Length (target = 5-7)  ___    cover page with abstract  y  /  n    figures or tables  ___    page numbers  y  /  n    Section titles  y  /  n    Appropriate font and margins  y  /  n    Appropriate citation style  4.....3.....2.....1.....0    Appropriate reference style  4.....3.....2.....1.....0    Internet source style  4.....3.....2.....1.....0.....N/A

Topic:

Rewrite your discussion of why some economies grow faster than others, making sure to consider the importance of capital formation, human capital and technological progress, private incentives, culture, institutions, property rights, and the appropriate role of government.  Be sure to focus on the causes of growth rather than just the characteristics of economies or their particular histories, and base your argument on Olson's book in addition to your other readings.  Then compare the growth performance of the economy you chose for the first paper with the economy of a former socialist economy that has made (or at least begun) the transition to a market economy.  Demonstrate how the differences in performance, both over time and between the two economies, shed light on your discussion on the sources and causes of economic growth.

This is a research paper worth twice as much as Paper 1, and should be approximately 12-15 pages, not including the cover page, references, and tables). You must use a significant amount of outside research in addition to any relevant assigned readings, and all references must both be cited (Name year: pages) in the text and listed alphabetically in a bibliographic section at the end entitled "References."  Use a variety of sources, including books, journal articles, newspaper articles, and official websites.

Proposal Due Date:  Tuesday, April 8, 2003.  Late proposals will lower the grade for the paper.

I want a one page, typed proposal that describes the countries you are choosing to write about and why, and tells what you expect to find based on your preliminary readings. You should also give a preliminary bibliography of source material, both to ensure you are on the right track and to ensure that there are sufficient research materials available for you.  I will return this proposal the next class period with my approval, suggestions, or a note to talk.  Failure to turn in a proposal will result in an additional penalty on your paper. If too many people are choosing the same country, I may try to encourage other alternatives due to potential shortages of research material in the library.  I will use the proposal to make sure you are on the right track, but you should still not wait for my approval to begin your research.

Paper Due Date:  Thursday, May 1, 2003.  Also turn in a disk with your paper on it.  Late papers will lose one full grade per week.

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