ECO 3410. International Economics

Instructor: John Whitehead
e-mail: whiteheadjc@appstate.edu

Research Paper Guidelines

The purpose of the paper is to apply the theoretical and applied tools covered in the international economics course to a real world application. Your research should include sources found in Appendix A of the textbook and elsewhere. Your paper grade will include:

Paper Prospectus: 5% of course grade, 20 points
Draft Paper: 0% of course grade, 0 points
Final Paper: 20% of course grade, 80 points

Choose a World Trade Organization member country for your research paper [note: at the WTO webpage, click on "The WTO's 148 members" in the left-hand column] [Current country choices]. Imagine that you are a consultant employed by a major U.S. corporation that is interested in either (a) exporting its major manufacturing product or (b) moving a factory to produce its major manufacturing product to the country of your choice. You are asked to put together a background report on the forces that are likely to drive the country's international trade flows during the next decade. You are specifically requested to consider the following issues. Depending on your country, you may be in-depth on some topics and sketchy on others. But, make sure that you address each issue. The paper prospectus should be no less than 2 page and no more than 3 pages in length. The prospectus should briefly describe the research that has been conducted to answer the issues above.

Paper Format

Failure to follow these guidelines will result in the loss of a letter grade for each ignored format requirement.

The paper should be no less than 6 pages and no more than 8 pages in length, not including references, tables and diagrams.
Your cover page should include your paper title, your name and e-mail address, ECO 3410 International Economics, Section 10x, and date.
Your paper should be written in 12-point Times New Roman font with no more than five character space paragraph indents, have no more than 1.25" margins all around, double spaced with no extra spaces between headings and text, and on one side of the page only.
References, tables and diagrams should be placed at the end of the paper and not embedded in the text.
No binders please!

Some tips:

Familiarize yourself with academic research. See the Appalachian State University Library Research Tutorial.
Plagiarism is a violation of the ASU's Academic Integrity Code. Plagiarism is defined as "presenting the words or ideas of another as one’s own work or ideas. All directly quoted material must be properly cited. Plagiarism includes but is not limited to borrowing and paraphrasing without acknowledgement and allowing a person’s academic work to be submitted as another’s work." Plagiarism will be dealt with harshness increasing in the severity of the violation.

Deadlines

Papers should be submitted as as an e-mail attachment, preferably in MS Word format, in a single file titled yourname-sec10x.doc.

Choose your country: M, 1/31 [Each student from both sections must choose a different country. Country allocation is by the "first come, first served" rule.]
Paper Prospectus: W, 3/2 [Grades and comments will be returned in class on M, 3/14.]
Draft Paper: W, 4/13 [Grades and comments will be returned in class on W, 4/20. Draft papers turned in after W, 4/20 will not receive comments. In effect, the late draft paper is considered your final paper.]
Final Paper: W, 4/27

If you are satisfied with your grade on the draft paper you may turn it in as the final paper and receive the same grade.

Late papers will be penalized one letter grade for each day late (a day is the 24 hours beginning after the end of class). No final papers will be accepted after the final exam period closes.