Министерство образования и науки Российской Федерации Федеральное государственное бюджетное образовательное учреждение высшего профессионального образования «Российский Экономический Университет им. Г.В. Плеханова» Факультет «Международная школа бизнеса» IBS-Plekhanov Кафедра экономической теории COURSEWORK MANUAL: IBS REQUIREMENTS TO WRITTEN PROJECT ON “MICROECONOMICS” AND “ECONOMICS” МЕТОДИЧЕСКИЕ УКАЗАНИЯ ПО НАПИСАНИЮ КУРСОВЫХ РАБОТ ПО ДИСЦИПЛИНАМ «МИКРОЭКОНОМИКА» И «ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКАЯ ТЕОРИЯ» (НА АНГЛИЙСКОМ ЯЗЫКЕ) Москва ФГБОУ ВПО «РЭУ им. Г. В. Плеханова» 2014 Составители: доктор экон. наук В. В. Г р о м ы к о канд. экон. наук М. В. С а в и н о в а Методические указания по написанию курсовых работ по дисциплинам «Микроэкономика» и «Экономическая теория» (на английском языке). / Сост.: В.В. Громыко, М.В.Савинова. М.: ФГБОУ ВПО «РЭУ им. Г. В. Плеханова», 2014. - 19 с. Содержат основные требования и детальные пояснения к содержанию и оформлению курсовых работ по дисциплинам «Микроэкономика» и «Экономическая теория» Соответствуют требованиям ФГОС ВПО третьего поколения. Для студентов 1-го курса факультета «Международная школа бизнеса» IBSPlekhanov, направления подготовки 080100 «Экономика» (Микроэкономика) и 080200 «Менеджмент» (Экономическая теория), квалификация «бакалавр». Ф ГБОУ ВПО «РЭУ им. Г. В. Плеханова», 2014 2 CONTENTS Page 1. GENERAL STATEMENTS 4 1.1. What is a coursework? 4 1.2. Supervision 4 1.3. Coursework preparation schedule 4 2. REQUIREMENTS TO A COURSEWORK 5 2.1. Coursework structure 5 2.2. Title page 6 2.3. Table of contents 7 2.4. Introduction 8 2.5. Text main body 8 2.6. Conclusion 9 2.7. Endnotes 9 2.8. Bibliography 10 2.9. Appendices 11 3. REQUIREMENTS TO LAYOUT AND TYPING 12 3.1. How large a coursework should be 12 3.2. Text organisation 12 3.3. Tables, graphs, schemes, drawings 13 3.4. Typing requirements 13 3.5. Coursework format 13 4. ORAL DEFENCE (PRESENTATION) 13 5. COURSEWORK ASSESSMENT 14 5.1. Assessment criteria 14 5.2. Assessment scheme 15 5.3. Penalties and fines 15 5.4. Awards 16 6. COURSEWORK TOPICS 16 6.1. Microeconomics (080100 “Economy”) 16 6.2. Economics (080200 “Management”) 17 3 1. GENERAL STATEMENTS 1.1. What is a coursework? The IBS programme aims to educate specialists able to undertake a theoretical and applied research and to propose an original solution of an economic problem. A coursework is an essential part of that programme. A coursework is an individual study of a topic which has a scientific and practical importance. It assumes a deeper insight into a theoretical issue and a sort of exploration of the empirical evidence. It requires a lot of additional reading, gathering and analysing statistics, systematising facts, generalising and making conclusion. Pay attention: gathering information is an obligation of students, not supervisors’. A coursework gives the opportunity to show the knowledge accumulated over the first year of study and to demonstrate capability and creativity in applying the knowledge to the analysis of the economic situations and practical issues. 1.2. Supervision A coursework is a supervised study. Supervisors are your teachers (we hope your favourite teachers) in Microeconomics and Economics: prof. Gromyko V.V. prof. Savinova M.V. docent Tzilikova M.S. docent Ermolaev S.A. docent Surkova N.P. senior teacher Rakouta N.V. Each teacher has a certain quota of coursework for supervision. List of students for each supervisor is formed by the dean’s office. Keep notice: students are absolutely free to choose a topic of the coursework according to their interests (see 6.1 and 6.2). 1.3. Coursework preparation schedule Supervisors fix the consultation hours. Students are responsible for coming and asking for guidance (beginning from the first week of the 2nd semester). Students should work according to the following schedule: 4 Work to be done and approved by the supervisor Deadline 1 March Choosing a topic, developing Contents (draft), making a list of Bibliography (draft), formulating Project statement (“Draft” means that in the process of work Contents, Bibliography and Project statement can be improved and corrected). 5 April Draft paper is to be presented to the supervisor. 25 April Final paper is to be presented to the supervisor. 26 April – 9 May Supervisor assesses a written document according to requirements and formulates questions and problems for oral defense. 15 – 30 May Presentation (oral defense) of the coursework. 2. REQUIREMENTS TO A COURSEWORK 2.1. Coursework structure A coursework paper normally consists of: * title page; * table of contents; * introduction; * text main body (consisting of some units/chapters and sub-units/paragraphs); * conclusions/recommendations; * endnotes; * bibliography; * appendices. 5 2.2. Title page Sample of title page MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND SCIENCE OF THE RUSSIAN FEDERATION PLEKHANOV RUSSIAN UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS SCHOOL DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC THEORY Coursework in (Economics or Microeconomics) “Welfare economics: theory and practice.” Student: Otlichnick A.A. Group: 5203 Supervisor: prof. Znaikin Z.I. Moscow 2013 6 2.3. Table of Contents The coursework should be well structured according to the logic of the research and its major target. The structure is represented in the table of contents. Contents pages Introduction 3 Chapter 1. Welfare of population as an important issue in the history of economic thought. 4 § 1. The subject of welfare economics. 4 § 2. Retrospective review of the main concepts in welfare economics. 5 § 3. The concept of “welfare state” in the XX century. Chapter 2. Determination and measurement of welfare. 7 10 § 1. The concept of quality of life. 10 § 2. Theoretical approaches to measure the welfare. 12 § 3. The main indicators of welfare. 14 Chapter 3. Economic and social welfare in Russia: current level and factors of development. 17 Conclusion 22 Endnotes 23 Bibliography 24 Appendices 26 2 7 All the structural parts of the coursework should be titled. The titles play a very important role in project writing. They should give the idea of the topic and support the thesis statement. Titles of chapters and paragraphs should closely correspond to main ideas presented in a given unit. That’s why titles should be formulated as phrases, not some words. 2.4. Introduction Introduction (not more than 1 page) is an important part of any research. It outlines the intrigue of the topic. It explains why the topic has been chosen for exploration. The introduction should formulate the problem (in its theoretical and practical aspects), and the aim of the document. Pay attention that analysis is a means of achieving the aim. It is an instrument of research, but not the aim itself. A typical mistake is to write: “the aim of the work is to analyse this and that.” You could possibly write: “The primary goal of this project is to reveal the impact of... on the.... and find effective decision of....” As it is never possible to cover all the subjects, the scope of the analysis should be defined: what is the object of the research and what is not. Project statement (or coursework statement) is a crucial element of the introduction: it tells the reader the assertion you wish to make about the topic. The coursework statement is a laconic (one sentence) but precise viewpoint on the subject, the main idea (main result of research) that would be supported by the project paper. Sample of Coursework statement: “In order to improve quality of life government should base its policy on such recommendations of Welfare Economics as.................” 2.5. Text main body The text main body is the written presentation of the research. It should be well organised and logically structured. The text main body develops and supports the coursework statement. A coursework generally consists of three chapters (units). A chapter is normally subdivided into two or three paragraphs (subunits). A student is free to organise the main body otherwise. Still, do not make the structure too complicated. If the number of chapters and paragraphs is too big, the work looks fractioned and loses its integrity. Usually, the first chapter shows the origin of the problem and gives its theoretical background. Mainly that is a desk research and assumes a lot of additional reading. 8 The second chapter presents the analysis of the gathered information. Here statistics is analysed, the properties of a phenomenon can be characterised, new trends are outlined, classifications can be given, the drawbacks and contradictions are identified. In the third chapter the solution to the problem is suggested. A student is welcome to support his viewpoint with arguments and facts, to generalise and make forecasts. In the result the main idea of the research formulated in the project statement should be proved and supported theoretically and factually. Pay attention: it is mandatory to apply theory to the Russian practice! Not less than 5 pages should be devoted to the analysis of the Russian economy. To provide a logical presentation of the research there should be linking between the chapters. A short preview at the beginning of each chapter and a brief sub-conclusion at the end of a chapter make the whole work reader friendly. Pay attention: the size of all chapters (paragraphs) should be balanced. The length of a paragraph is not less than 1 page. 2.6. Conclusion Conclusion (not more than 1 page) is a sort of a summary. It includes the main findings and generalisations. It outlines the results of the research, so there should be no new facts, figures, concepts, etc. Conclusion may be accompanied by recommendations. 2.7. Endnotes The work must be free of plagiarism. Whenever facts, figures, statistical tables, concepts, models, viewpoints, citations are used in the text, the reference is to be made. You must name the source of information and the author of the theory (model, concept, etc.). It is prohibited to copy someone’s text without referring to the origin. Please, notice that a citation (quotation) must not be too long: just a couple of sentences. All sources of information used in the text are listed in the Endnotes in the order of referring to them. All the endnotes are enumerated. The corresponding figures are given as superscripts in the text of the coursework. A book/article/statistical source, etc. may be referred to more than once (see points 2 and 4 in the sample below). Besides the documentary endnotes that identify sources of quoted material there can also be explanatory endnotes that give additional explanation and comments to some facts, figures or 9 theoretical issues mentioned in the text. Explanatory notes should be brief otherwise it is better to place them in an appendix. All the endnotes are given in the language of the origin. That is, if it is a Russian book, it is named in Russian. Translation into English may be given in brackets. Samples of Endnotes: 1. Smith A. An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. – The Pennsylvania State University Press, 2005, p.17. 2. Ibid. p.32. 3. Молоканова Д.К. Международные стандарты уровня жизни как инструмент формирования системы социальных стандартов в Российской Федерации // Вестник Российского экономического университета имени Г.В.Плеханова. 2012, №7 (49), с.18. 4. Там же, с.23. 5. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the United Nations’ global development network. It advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people built a better life. 6. Распределение общего объема денежных доходов по 20-процентным группам населения. / Социальное положение и уровень жизни населения России, 2012 . Статистический сборник Федеральной службы государственной статистики (Росстата), с. 35 // Официальная статистика // http://www.gks.ru/bgd/regl/b12_44/Main.htm 7. Poverty gap at national poverty line (%), 2009 – 2013 / The World Bank. Data. //http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.NAGP 2.8. Bibliography Bibliography represents an alphabetic list of information sources. There should be not less than 15 entries in the Bibliography. Be sure the list includes the recently issued books and articles. Textbooks and manuals are not very welcomed in the Bibliography. A student can construct the Bibliography so that first there go theoretical books, then the articles, afterwards - statistical publications, finally - Internet sources. In this case the alphabetic order should be kept within each part of the Bibliography. In the Bibliography the exact page from which quotation was made is not mentioned. Samples of entries in Bibliography: 1. Brittain A. Euro-Zone Employment Hits Low of Nearly Seven Years // Wall street Journal, March 14, 2013 10 2. Pigou A.C. The Economics of Welfare. – London: Macmillan and Co., 1932 // http://www.econlib.org/library/NPDBooks/Pigou/pgEW1.html#Part%20I,%20Chapter%201 3. Poverty gap at national poverty line (%), 2009 – 2013 / The World Bank. Data. //http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.NAGP 4. Smith A. An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. – The Pennsylvania State University Press, 2005 5. World Bank Annual Report 2013 // http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/EXTABOUTUS/EXTANNREP/EXTANNRE P2013/0,,menuPK:9304895~pagePK:64168427~piPK:64168435~theSitePK:9304888,00.html 6. Молоканова Д.К. Международные стандарты уровня жизни как инструмент формирования системы социальных стандартов в Российской Федерации // Вестник Российского экономического университета имени Г.В.Плеханова. 2012, №7 (49) ……… ……… 15. Социальное положение и уровень жизни населения России, 2012 . Статистический сборник Федеральной службы государственной статистики (Росстата), С. 35 // Официальная статистика // http://www.gks.ru/wps/wcm/connect/rosstat_main/rosstat/ru/statistics/publications/catalog/doc_1 138698314188 Pay attention: each listed source of information should include the following: surname and initials of the author(s), full title of the work, place of publication, name of publisher, year of publication. 2.9. Appendices This is not a mandatory part of the coursework. Appendices can contain additional graphs, statistical tables, juridical documents, long quotations, etc. - everything that is too lengthy to be included into the text main body but is desirable to give additional theoretical and/or factual support to the research. Appendices should be titled and enumerated, each starting from a new page. Do not forget about the references to appendices. 11 Appendices should not live a life of their own separated from the main text. The author of the coursework should use them, appeal to them in the research. For example: “The analysis of the labour market statistics in 2009-2013 (see Appendix 3) allows to conclude, etc.” 3. REQUIREMENTS TO LAYOUT AND TYPING 3.1. How large a coursework should be? A coursework should not be less than 20 and more than 25 pages. Enumeration starts from the Title page though the figure 1 is not printed on the Title page. Appendices can be in excess of the upper limit of 25 pages. A bit of simple arithmetics will be helpful in organising the text. Let us make a focus on the text main body, assuming that each other part of the project takes 1 page. Please, mind that each part starts from a new page. How large should the text main body be? If the Endnotes and Bibliography take one page each, then: Title page + Contents + Introduction + Conclusion + Endnotes + Bibliography = 6 pages. So, the text main body is 14-19 pages (20-6=14, 25-6=19). Now, assume there are three chapters in the main body. Correspondingly, a chapter should be about 4-6 pages. Please, do not forget to attach a blank page for supervisor’s comments. 3.2. Text organisation The text should be organised in accordance with the Contents. The titles in the table of contents and in the text are to be the same. Titles hierarchy should be used to show the subordinance of the parts to the whole. For example, titles of the chapters (in the main text) is made in font 16 (bold), titles of the subunits (in the main text) – in font 15 (bold). In the table of contents the font for units and subunits can be the same. The word “chapter” can be written or omitted. So, the chapter name can look either like: Chapter 1. Nature and causes of inflation. or like: 1. Nature and causes of inflation. Be sure that each chapter starts from a new page. Subunits (paragraphs) can go in continuation one after another on the same page. 12 3.3. Tables, graphs, schemes, drawings A coursework may include statistical tables, different drawings and logical schemes. If the illustrative material is too extensive, it is better to locate at least some part of it in the Appendices. Only the most important and persuasive illustrations should be kept in the text main body. Wherever the illustration is located, it should be titled, enumerated, and referenced (source of information should be given). Table name should be given above the table; figure name is generally given below the drawing. A table or a graph should be located as closely as possible to its first mention in the text. Relate the illustration to the text by referring to it by figure number, e.g.: “As can be seen in Table 1, unemployment in Russia decreased since 2009”. An illustration should never precede its first text mention. Neither can it be located in the very end of a unit (subunit) without text afterwards. Any illustration requires: an introduction which explains its necessity; comments which explain what it is about; a conclusion. 3.4. Typing requirements: * A4 paper size; * font Times New Roman, size 14; * interval 1,5 between the lines; * margins: 20 mm top and bottom; 15 mm right, 30 mm left; * foot page numbers (centre or right); * Title page is 1 (page number is not printed), the Contents page is 2 (page number is printed), etc. 3.5. Coursework format The coursework should be prepared in the form of a brochure accompanied by the electronic version of it. Both paper document and disk are handed to the supervisor. 4. ORAL DEFENCE (PRESENTATION) Oral defence is an essential part of the coursework. It consists of a presentation and answers the questions. 13 A presentation should be no longer than 10 minutes. It can be accompanied by the visuals and/or handouts. The presentation aims to acquaint with the central problem of the coursework and with the results of the research. A student should demonstrate his understanding of the theoretical background to the topic, his/her analytical abilities, as well as the presentation skills. After the presentation the student has to answer some questions on the topic. Afterwards the supervisor makes his/her comments and assesses the presentation and the coursework as a whole. Oral defence takes place at the date appointed by the supervisor. Other students are allowed to attend the defence (at their choice). 5. COURSEWORK ASSESSMENT 5.1. Assessment criteria A coursework is integrity of three parts: meeting formal requirements, written document and presentation. All these are assessed by the supervisor according to the University and IBS criteria. a) Assessment of meeting formal requirements is based on: “Coursework manual: IBS requirements to written project on “Microeconomics” and “Economics”” (see IBS site); Положение о курсовых работах в ФГБОУ ВПО «РЭУ им. Г.В.Плеханова» (see IBS site and University site). b) Assessment criteria of the written document: * knowledge of relevant concepts/issues/models and ability to apply them to the analysis of the economic situations/problems/phenomena; * ability to analyse and synthesise, give arguments conclusions/recommendations; * ability to use statistical data and examples to support/reject concepts; c) Assessment criteria of the oral defence: * logic and structure of the presentation; * evidence of understanding of concepts, models, etc.; * ability to formulate own opinion and to support it with arguments; 14 and make * ability to answer questions on the topic; * presentation skills. 5.2. Assessment scheme The project is assessed according to the following scheme: Type of work Percentage of the final score Formal requirements 20 Written document 55 Oral defence 25 Total score 100 The final grade is calculated as: 0-49 Failed 50-69 Satisfactory 70-84 Good 85-100 Excellent 5.3. Penalties and fines There can be deductions from the final score if the requirements are violated. If a deadline is violated by a student, 3 points are subtracted from the final score. Four violated deadlines might deprive you of 12 points. The lack of the coursework statement results in minus 10 points. The lack of Russian economy analysis (examples) is resulted in deduction of 15 points. Absence of the Introduction (Tables of Contents, Conclusion, or Bibliography) takes 15 points away. If any of these structural parts are written not up to level, some points might be taken off by the supervisor. Plagiarism is strictly forbidden! If any cheating is noticed, the work will be annulled. The student will respond administratively. Absence of the Endnotes is equivalent to plagiarism. The work is annulled. If a student can’t reproduce orally and explain any part of his work (for example, an algebraic formula, a graph, a theoretical model, etc.), this is also considered to be a sort of plagiarism. Please, write only what you understand and can repeat. Some 3-5 points can be deducted from the final score for the drawbacks like the lack of statistics, non-persuasive arguments, logical contradictions in the text, etc. 15 5.4. Awards If a coursework is really creative and original, if an independent theoretical or field research has been undertaken, a student can be awarded in the following ways: * the project can be recommended to participate in different scientific student conferences (Moscow, regional, federal levels); * the work can be recommended for publishing in the IBS almanac; 6. COURSEWORK TOPICS (080100 “Economy”) 6.1. Microeconomics 1. Why do we study economics (the subject of economics)? 2. Political economy vs economics. 3. A comparative analysis of the English classical political economy and mercantilism. 4. A comparative study of the Keynesian school and the neoconservative economic thinking. 5. The methodology of economics. 6. Economic theory and economic policy. 7. The key economic problem: scarcity and choice. 8. Opportunity cost and production possibilities. 9. Entrepreneurship and its role in market economy. 10. Pure market model and real market economy. 11. Commodity as an elementary basis of market economy. 12. Money and its functions: historical evolution. 13. A comparative analysis of the theories of money. 14. A household and its role in market economy. 15. Market analysis: demand and supply. 16. Market analysis: price mechanism. 17. Government price regulation: aims and outcomes. 18. Elasticity and its application in market analysis. 19. Consumer choice theories and their application. 20. The theoretical principles of the rational consumer behaviour and the optimal choice of a consumer. 21. Cardinal utility theory versus ordinal utility theory. 22. Slutsky and Hicks effects of a price change: theory and practice. 16 23. Revealed preferences and preferences. 24. Market structures: perfect competition, monopolistic competition, oligopoly, and pure monopoly. 25. Market structures in Russian economy: how competitive is Russian economy? 26. Cost minimization in the short run and in the short run. 27. Production function: theory and practical implementation. 28. Monopoly behaviour: theory and practice. 29. Lenin’s theory of monopolistic capitalism. 30. Monopoly and society. 31. Oligopoly: collusion models. 32. Oligopoly: non-collusion models. 33. Factor markets and demand for economic resources. 34. Wage determination under perfect competition. 35. Wage determination under monopsony in labour market. 36. Bilateral monopoly in labour market. 37. Capital market and the investment decision. 38. Economic theory of rent. 39. Income distribution and income redistribution: theory and practice. 40. Welfare economics: theory and practice. 41. Edgeworth box and Pareto efficiency. 42. Market failures and the economic role of government. 43. Externalities and environmental economics. 44. Public goods: theory and practice. 45. Asymmetric information: theory and practice. 6.2. Economics (080200 “Management”) 1. Why do we study economics (the subject of economics)? 2. The key economic problem: scarcity and choice. 3. Opportunity cost and production possibilities. 4. Entrepreneurship and its role in market economy. 5. Pure market model and real market economy. 6. Money and its functions: historical evolution. 7. Market analysis: demand and supply, price mechanism. 8. Government price regulation: aims and outcomes. 17 9. Elasticity and its application in market analysis. 10. Consumer choice theories and their application. 11. Market structures in Russian economy: how competitive is Russian economy? 12. Production function: theory and practical implementation. 13. Monopoly behaviour: theory and practice. Monopoly and society. 14. Oligopoly: collusion and non-collusion models. 15. Factor markets and demand for economic resources. 16. The labour market and public policy in Russia. 17. Capital market and the investment decision. 18. Economic theory of rent and rental payments in the modern Russian economy. 19. Income distribution and income redistribution: theory and practice. 20. Market failures and the economic role of government. 21. Aggregate demand in Russia: structure, determinants and role in the economy. 22. Economic growth: is it necessarily desirable (benefits and costs of economic growth)? 23. Business cycles theories and their application to fluctuations in Russian economy. 24. Causes of the 2008 world recession. Anti – crisis policies. 25. Unemployment in Russia: size, composition and types. Costs and benefits of unemployment for Russian economy. 26. Inflation in Russia: causes and modern trends. Anti - inflationary policies in Russia. 27. Balance of payments account in Russia: structure and problems. 28. Underground economy in Russia: the size and specific features. 29. The Keynesian theory of multiplier and its application to Russia. 30. The role and functions of saving in the economy. 31. The financial system and credit relations in Russia. 32. Liquidity crisis in the USA (2007): causes and effects. 33. Public debt problem in Russia. 34. Fiscal policy in Russia: aims and results. 35. Monetary policy in Russia: current aims and problems. 36. Supply-side policies: theory and practice. 37. WTO rules and their influence on Russian economy. 38. Exchange rate systems: historical development and modern problems. 39. Foreign investment in Russia. Costs and benefits of foreign investment for Russian economy. 40. Globalization and society: advantages and disadvantages of globalization. 18 МЕТОДИЧЕСКИЕ УКАЗАНИЯ ПО НАПИСАНИЮ КУРСОВЫХ РАБОТ ПО ДИСЦИПЛИНАМ «МИКРОЭКОНОМИКА» И «ЭКОНОМИЧЕСКАЯ ТЕОРИЯ» (НА АНГЛИЙСКОМ ЯЗЫКЕ) Составители: ГРОМЫКО Валентина Викторовна САВИНОВА Марина Вячеславовна Редактор Компьютерная верстка Оформление обложки Подписано в печать Формат 60х84 1/8. Бумага офсетная. Печать офсетная. Усл.печ.л. . Уч.-изд.л. . Тираж экз. Заказ . ФГБОУ ВПО «Российский экономический университет им. Г.В.Плеханова». 117997, Москва, Стремянный пер., 36. Отпечатано в ФГБОУ ВПО «Российский экономический университет им. Г.В.Плеханова». 117997, Москва, ул. Зацепа, 41/4. 19