ECO 4810. Seminar in Economics

A. Topic - Economics is broad discipline (e.g., Freakonomics). Your paper topic must have something to do with economics. In other words, the paper must examine the benefits and/or costs of some sort of behavior or outcome or macroeconomic performance. You are encouraged to choose your own paper topic because the best paper topics are homegrown. If you are at a loss about what might constitute a decent paper topic here are some broad ideas that could lead paper topics.

1. Determinants of tourist behavior in western NC
2. The determinants of energy consumption
3. The ability of leading economic indicators to predict macro performance
4. The determinants of happiness (i.e., utility)
5. The determinants of incomes
6. Free trade and economic growth
7. The economic impacts of commercial fishery policy
8. The determinants of recreation participation
9. A household production model of recreational fishing
10. Economic factors that influence attitudes about social issue XYZ
11. Estimating consumer surplus of beach recreation
12. The determinants of inflation
13. The determinants of various measures of labor market performance
14. The determinants of economic growth
15. Forecasting interest rates
16. A consumption function
17. Determinants of willingness to pay for recreation access
18. Determinants of health (e.g., smoking) behavior
19. The determinants of greenhouse gas emissions
20. Political economy voting studies
21. Determinants of food consumption
22. Determinants of trade balance
23. Determinants of sports salaries

B. Data Sources

C. Writing

1. Writing is thinking
2. Economical Writing: An Executive Summary [PDF]
3. University Writing Center

C. Details

1. Cover page: Title (subtitle: A Research Proposal), Name, ECO 4810, Date
2. The proposal should be at least one page and no more than 1.5 pages
3. Format: 12 point Times New Roman font, 1 inch margins all around, double-spacing (no extra spaces)