Research Paper Topic: Describe the rise of financial capitalism in north-western Europe during the 18th and 19th centuries, and discuss how new methods of intermediation contributed to the emergence of modern economic growth. (Suggested author: Larry Neal.)
INSTRUCTIONS BELOW:
Sign Post # 1:
Introduction (Week 1).
Assignment learning objectives.
Introducing sign posts.
Term paper is a 10 week assignment, not a 10 day or 10 hour assignment.
Due date / submission policy / late penalty / accommodation.
Academic integrity.
Sign Post # 2:
Topic selection (Week 2/3).
Suggested topics.
Setting your own topic.
Some topics lend themselves to particular formats and structures for the paper.
o Compare and contrast.
O Debates / advocacy.
o Pre and post events.
o Natural experiments.
Let your interests guide you.
o One of the few opportunities for students to learn about /research / write about a topic that interests them.
Sign Post # 3:
Finding research materials (Week 4/5).
Google scholar /Econlit/ survey articles.
o Handbook of Cliometrics or Cambridge Economic History.
Using search engines and bibliographies to construct bodies of literature or research trees.
Reading lists from economic history courses at other universities.
Sign Post # 4:
Structuring a research paper (Week 6/8).
Introduction and conclusion should bookend your paper.
Explicitly state research question / thesis statement / hypothesis to be tested / main objective of research.
o This helps the reader and the writer.
Motivate your research question.
o Why should the reader care?
o Modern parallel / lessons from history.
o Persistence.
o Historical curiosity.
Sign Post # 4:
Continued…
Economic framework / structure.
o How would an economist think about your topic / structure your argument?
o What would an economist expect to observe in the historical record? Why?
Historical context.
o What happened in your particular historical period /episode?
o What does the economic history literature reveal?
Literature review: context / methodology / evidence /
conclusions.
Critical thinking.
o Compare and contrast / critique / extend.
o What have we learned?
o What is missing or incomplete?
Conclusions
.
o Link back to explicit statement of research objectives and motivation.
Sign Post # 5:
Putting all the pieces together (Week 9/10).
There is no grade awarded for the length of the papers.
o However, to accomplish the learning objectives, almost all second year papers will be 10
14 pages (double spaced, default margins), and almost all third year papers will be 12
16 pages.
o The grade is assigned on the basis of the quality of the writing and research, not the number of words.
Headings and subheadings are not only allowed, they are encouraged.
o The structure of the paper is more obvious with headings.
Sign Post # 5:
Continued…
References and citations.
o The specific style is not relevant, but format must be consistent through the entire paper.
In-text/ footnotes /endnotes are all acceptable, but choose only one approach through the entire paper.
o All citations and references must provide enough information for the reader to find the material being referenced.
Authors names; full title; year of publication; article /chapter name; point references (page / table / equation numbers) for specific references and quotations
.
For online material provide a full URL and access date.
Sign Post # 5:
Continued…
Upload your paper to OnQ assignment drop box.
o Text, Word, PDF file formats are all accepted, but do not ZIP multiple files.
Academic integrity.
o Turnitin similarity reports are automatically generated.
No specific threshold for similarity scores.
Looking for long sections of unreferenced material from other authors.
The goal is to discourage violations of academic integrity.
o DO NOT:
Submit other authors intellectual property as your own.
Submit your own work for assessment in multiple courses.
Submit friends or familys work as your own.
Purchase or acquire a term paper written on your behalf.
o It is every students responsibility to check university rules regarding academic integrity
.
Sign Post # 5:
Continued…
Finish early and PROOFREAD (more than once)!
Late penalty.
o 2% per day, including weekends.
o Days end at 4:00 pm.
Academic accommodation / consideration.
o Due to the UDL structure of the term paper assignment 10 week completion period; specific sign posts and intermediate tasks; forgiving late penalty typically no academic accommodation or consideration is required.
Of course, there may be exceptional circumstances that should be discussed as soon as possible with the instructor.
Grades and individual feedback will be published through the OnQ assignment drop box.
Queens Economic History
Term Paper Sign Posts
Assignment Objectives for Undergraduate Economic History Term Papers
Sign Post # 1: Introduction (Week 1).
Assignment learning objectives.
Introducing sign posts.
oTerm paper is a 10 week assignment, not a 10 day or 10 hour assignment.
Due date / submission policy / late penalty / accommodation.
Academic integrity.
Sign Post # 2: Topic selection (Week 2/3).
Suggested topics.
Setting your own topic.
Some topics lend themselves to particular formats and structures for the paper.
oCompare and contrast.
oDebates / advocacy.
oPre- and post-events.
oNatural experiments.
Let your interests guide you.
oOne of the few opportunities for students to learn about / research / write about a topic that interests them.
2
