Develop your capacity for independent study in economics| Microeconomics

Develop your capacity for independent study in economics| Microeconomics

Your project forms the end-of-module assessment (EMA). You have to pass this in order to pass the module. The project element of the module aims to develop your capacity for independent study in economics, including the ability to:

• formulate and focus on a clearly defined economics research question that is well-grounded in the study materials
• apply and explore economic theory learned in the module, with knowledge deepened through appropriate literature review
• apply one of three research methods: econometrics; primary-data collection and analysis; secondary-data collection and analysis
• effectively integrate evidence and economic analysis in order to address a research question
• provide clear conclusions that address the research question.

The word limit for the project is 5000 words. This includes everything apart from references and appendices. The word count for econometrics projects is sometimes lower than for other types of project. Good projects tend to make significant use of appendices.

Your project must include a title page that follows a template that you will be able to find in the Assessment Resources section of the DD309 website.

Finally, we would like to remind you of the assessment criteria that will be used to mark your project (already stated in the project booklet Doing your economics project: Getting started, Doing your economics project: Introduction and overview, Section 10):

• Research question: clarity and relevance to the module.
• Research method: clarity on the methods used and appropriateness for the research question.
• Literature review: clarity and relevance to the research question.
• Economic theory: relevance to the research question.
• Selection or collection of data and evidence: effectiveness in addressing the research question.
• Analysis: effectiveness in integrating theory with data and evidence.
• Aptness of conclusions in drawing threads of argument together.
• Evidence of independent thought and initiative.
• Standard of presentation and referencing.

The project will be assessed as a whole, balancing stronger and weaker elements and appreciating the effort put in. Just look through this list and then use it for reference, especially when writing up.