Last Update: 05/01/2008
Instructor:
John Whitehead
e-mail: whiteheadjc@appstate.edu
Benefit Estimation Project
In this project the research team will develop benefit estimates of an environmental quality improvement policy using the travel cost method. The project will involve conducting a literature review, designing a survey, collecting data with personal interviews, entering the data in a spreadsheet, statistically estimating a demand model, presenting the results to the class and writing a research report.
1. Find an environmental policy case study that involves:
outdoor recreation (e.g., fishing, hiking, climbing)
a potential quality improvement or avoidance of degradation (e.g., increased catch rates, improved views)
Write a 1-2 page proposal. The proposal should include the case study you have chosen and its policy significance, the theory you are testing and your plans for data collection.
Due date: September 14
2. Survey Design
Develop a set of questions (no more than 10) that will allow estimation of a recreation demand curve with a hypothetical scenario that leads to a demand shift (i.e., travel cost method) or a willingness to pay scenario (i.e., contingent valuation method).
Write a 1-2 page description of the survey. The description should include the rationale behind all of the questions and your plan for operationalizing the variables and using the data to test your theory.
An example: Assateague Island National Seashore Survey
Due date: September 26
3. Data Collection
Collect the data by actually talking to people engaged in the behavior that you are interested in. Write a 1-2 page description of the experience (include useful information such as your response rate, the time it took to conduct each interview, etc.).
Due date: November 2
4. Data Management
Key the data into a MS Excel spreadsheet
Operationalize your variables: measure travel costs, etc.
5. Benefit Estimation
Use regression analysis to fit a demand line to your data
Use your demand line to estimate benefits of the quality improvement
Write a 1-2 page description of your data analysis and results.
6. Presentation
Prepare a MS Powerpoint presentation that summarizes your work.
The presentation should be about 10 minutes (about 1 slide per minute).
Presentation outline:
7. Research Report
Combine the individual papers into a research report. Each team member should also submit a one paragraph statement describing (1) your own contribution to the effort and (2) an explanation of what you think you accomplished.