Starting Your Economics Paper
Though the level of complexity and style of writing varies, most undergraduate economic papers are argumentative or explanatory. It is also essential to keep in mind that economics is more than just money; economic analysis may also apply to other fields. Economics is cross-listed with other disciplines such as environmental studies, sociology, and GSWS. Therefore, when writing an economics paper it is important to first identify what you are writing about. Does the paper include overlapping themes? Is the prompt asking you to explore a phenomenon or period of history? Or is the prompt asking you to make a definitive argument?
After identifying what you are going to be writing about, you should then find economic evidence to support your argument. Economic evidence should include theories, concepts and assumptions. For this stage of the writing process, it is important to gather a substantial amount of evidence, for this is the backbone of your paper. Use lecture notes, read past literature, recognize empirical problems, and collect quantitative data. For instance a paper on the recession should provide data on the GDP and unemployment rate as evidence of an economic downturn.