The essays should be based on the reading of your chosen paper: you need not refer to outside sources. If you do, though, remember to cite them appropriately, and to include a complete
reference in a bibliography at the end of your essay. You must never include material from any resource without proper attribution.
Your essays should begin with a brief introductory paragraph that previews the argument you are going to be making. Then, you should briefly summarize the article you are discussing, in no more than a few paragraphs. Don’t review everything in the article, just the important parts. The bulk of the essay should be devoted to your critique. Here, are you are going to take a stand on whether or not the paper was successful. You must offer your opinion and supporting evidence from the text. Here are a few questions to keep in mind when formulating your argument:
– Is the paper internally coherent? In other words, does its logic flow within its own
framework and set of assumptions?
– Is the economic model the author uses appropriate?
– Does the author offer compelling evidence in support of the paper’s argument?
– Does the author interpret his or her results correctly? Are there other plausible
interpretations that the author has overlooked?
– Can you think of additional ways to approach the key question or problem in the paper?
You should use these questions to guide your thinking; do not answer them directly in your
essay.
Each essay should be approximately 6 pages in length (double spaced, 12-point font, 1-inch
margins) and will be graded on both the quality of the analysis and the writing