Department of Economics, Unit Catalogue 2009/10 |
ES20018: Research & presentation skills for economists (formerly EC20046) |
 Credits:
| 6 |
| Level:
| Intermediate |
| Period: | Semester 2 |
| Assessment:
| CW 100% |
| Supplementary Assessment: | Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations) |
| Requisites:
| This unit is only available to students in the Department of Economics. |
| Description: | Aims: To provide students with an environment within which they can develop skills of individual and collaborative research, report preparation, and group presentation of an economic topic. Topics will be selected to enable students to demonstrate analytical and empirical understanding of the relevance of economics to a contemporary issue. Students will acquire skills which will be useful in the workplace in preparation for third year placements and internships. Learning Outcomes: * students will have acquired the capacity to undertake research on topics of current interest in economic policy which draw on a range of knowledge acquired in other intermediate level course units; * students will have constructed a business report outlining the substance of their research which, whilst not compromising the economic analysis, should be accessible to senior people in designated commercial, financial or government departments who are not economists; * students will have worked effectively as members of a small team and will have contributed their fair share; * students will have enhanced their skills in designing and making presentations which will be transferable to the workplace. Skills: * Research and application of appropriate economic theory and statistical/econometric analysis to important policy questions leading to conclusions and recommendations; * Writing and communication: write clearly and concisely and present arguments logically and succinctly for a "professional" body, in appropriate visual format; * Teamwork: identify the strengths and weaknesses of working in groups and learn to work effectively in teams of randomly allocated students; * Presentation: perform a powerful and effective group oral and visual presentation. Content: Topics will be assigned to students who will work in groups of 5, as far as possible, under the direction and supervision of an academic tutor, in producing a "business report" for a designated organisation; the topics will be policy focused. A lecture programme will support the unit, directed to research skills, report writing, teamwork, and presentation. In the section on how to make an effective oral and visual presentation students will receive instruction and feedback from a professional consultant. |