Department of Economics & International Development, Unit Catalogue 2007/08 |
EC20046 Research & presentation skills for economists |
| Credits: 6 |
| Level: Intermediate |
| Semester: 2 |
| Assessment: CW 100% |
| Requisites: |
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Aims: The aim of this course unit is 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 using Powerpoint. Topics will be selected to enable students to demonstrate analytical and empirical understanding of the relevance of economics to a contemporary issue.
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 level 2 course units; * students will have constructed a business report/ briefing paper outlining the substance of their research which, whilst not compromising the economic analysis, should be accessible to ministers or business people 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: * apply appropriate economic theories to real world situations and events; * write clearly and concisely and present an argument logically and succinctly; * identify the strengths and weaknesses of working in groups; * perform a powerful and effective oral and visual presentation; * use a range of IT packages to aid learning and improve skills. Content: Topics will be assigned to students who will work in groups of 5 or 6; they will be policy focused topics, related to one or more of the other units being studied, for example, in monetary, fiscal, industrial, development or environmental economics. |