Econ 300
Global Economic Issues
Paper guidelines
The paper is a study of a developing
country. It is expected to be somewhere between 8 to 10 or longer
double-spaced (font 12) pages.
1.
Format
The format of the papers
should be as follows, with some modifications if appropriate:
Describe where is the
country located geography, topography, etc. In addition discuss the country’s
population, and population composition (such as age distribution), other
demographic and economic information (such as rate of growth of the population
and the economy, life expectancy, average income, education, etc) that may give
the reader a good picture of the standard of living in this country.
Is it a parliamentary
system, monarchy, dictatorship, etc? This section may be included in the
description section, if it fits nicely.
Provide a brief historical
overview of this nation to the present.
Describe the economic
development model(s) this nation has used as well as its current model. For
instance, have they used Import Substitution, Export Promotion, Market Oriented,
etc. In doing so, make reference to memberships to international institutions,
exchange rate systems, monetary, fiscal, and international trade policies
followed.
For example, if you are
studying almost any Latin American nation you should mention that they followed
Import Substitution Industrialization, had a fixed exchange rate system, and
have since liberalized their economy. Also discuss whether they now belong to
the WTO, any Free Trade Areas, etc.
Discuss this nation’s
international trade relationships: What do they import and export? Which
countries are its main partners? Do these relationships seem to fit what would
be expected according to the theory of comparative advantages?
Also, using data from Trade
Express Statistics, discuss this nation’s trade relationship with the
Please use chart, tables,
and graphs as needed.
2.
Grading
You may be the most
intelligent person in the world, but if no one understands what you say, your
intelligence is useless. Likewise, if people get bored or annoyed with your
style, they will not pay attention and your work will be ignored.
So, the way you write is an
important aspect of the grade. Here, style, grammar, punctuation, and spelling
all play a role.
You should make appropriate
use of the terms and concepts discussed in the course.
Do not rely only on
magazines only. Use library resources to obtain books and (or) journal articles
on your chosen country. While magazines are acceptable, use them only to add
color to your story or discuss events so current they are not discussed in books
or academic journals.
While you may use
Wikipedia, be sure to corroborate the info obtained from an alternative source
as well. But preferably use another
encyclopedia one such as Britannica (or others).
The IMF and the World Bank
have a lot of information on many countries both in print and on the web. Much
of the printed material by the IMF and World Bank can be found in the reference
section of the library (consult your friendly reference librarian).
If you are having trouble
finding data or bibliography, see me as soon as possible or consult a librarian
at Livingston Lord Library, you can consult al librarian electronically or make
an appointment to visit with one at
http://www.mnstate.edu/library/askalibrarian.cfm
While I do my best to grade
as objectively as possible, there is always a level of subjectivity when grading
a project like this. For instance, it is hard to say what should be the
appropriate weight for the above criteria, etc.
I expect the draft to cover
the description of the country, its current form of government, and history
fairly well. You should have started the economic model section and I do not
expect conclusions in the draft.
Also, the draft should have
proper grammar and style, though it could use some improvement.