ECONOMICS 288 (FIELD EXPERIENCE IN ECON) 2nd SS, 2007

IF YOU ARE NOT YET REGISTERED FOR THIS COURSE, YOU MUST CONTACT KATHY FRANCIS ( or 215-204-4477) AT CAREER SERVICESFOR THE SPECIAL COURSE APPROVAL FORM.(NOTE FSBM STUDENTS!: THIS COURSE DOES NOT SATISFY THE 200-LEVEL ECONOMICS REQUIREMENT FOR THE BBA DEGREE)

Note: (Per University Policy # 02.78.13) any student who has a need for accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact me privately to discuss the specific situation as soon as possible. Contact Disability Resources and Services at 215-204-1280 in 100 Ritter Annex to coordinate reasonable accommodations for students with documented disabilities.Also note: Freedom to teach and freedom to learn are inseparable facets of academic freedom. The University has adopted a policy on Student and Faculty Academic Rights and Responsibilities(Policy # 03.70.02) which can be accessed through the following link:

Dear Economics 288 Student:

This letter is to introduce the academic portion of your co-op course. The academic portion will determine your grade in the course. I assume that you have already started the job that is to provide the employment part of the co-op course. There will be two elements of the academic portion: we will meet for one group session (and additional one-on-one sessions as needed) that will deal with one or two topics in economics that can be related to your current employer, and you will be required to write a paper on that relation.

>The only in-class meeting for Economics 288 will be announced in the beginning of July 2007. You should contact me by e-mail or telephone to check about the meeting. The class will go over any questions you might have and will cover the basic economics you need to do the case study with respect to the topics of the course. Try to read the initial readings in advance. Given the nature and structure of the course, attendance at the in-class meeting is recommended, but not required. The in-class meeting will last at most two hours. If our meeting time is inconvenient, we can conduct the course byemail (preferred mode; Word, phone, fax, or ordinary mail . I strongly encourage you to drop by my office on Main campus or at Ambler in a mutually convenient time.
The main topic to be considered this term is the impact on your firm (or the industry your firm is in) of globalization of the economy ("globalization" is briefly explained in an attachment). Alternatively, you may discuss the nature of market competition for your firm or its industry. Also, if your firm is involved in, or plans to get involved in, E-commerce, you might write on that. Do not discuss more than one main topic. If your organization does not fit any of these topics, contact me directly for options. If you are interning with a professional sports team and decide to do the market competition topic, you should also read the discussion on how to analyze professional sports leagues. Click here for a copy.

Fill out the job analysis form and bring it to our first meeting or email it to me before the first meeting. If you cannot attend that first session, please get in touch with me.

Office
815 Ritter Annex ( by appt.)
Department of Economics
1301 Cecil B. Moore Ave.
Philadelphia PA 19122-6091
Phone:215-204-5037
Fax: 215-204-4491
Email:
Professor of Economics

ECONOMICS 288: FIELD EXPERIENCE IN ECONOMICS
(NOTE FSBM STUDENTS!: THIS COURSE DOES NOT SATISFY THE 200-LEVEL ECONOMICS REQUIREMENT FOR BBA MAJORS)

This course is designed to provide a combination of research and work experience. The research, which is based on the work experience, is expected to result in a paper on the impact of globalization or the impact of E-commerce on the firm (or its industry) for which you work; or on a paper on the nature of market competition for the industry in which your firm is located. Your grade in the course will be determined entirely by your performance on the final submitted version of that paper.

It is expected that the research paper will:

  1. Be between 10 and 20 typewritten pages long. Quality, not quantity, is what counts! In particular, note that the more economic analysis you use and the more data you use to support your economic arguments, the better your grade. NOTE: NUMBER YOUR PAGES!
  2. Indicate clearly by quotation marks or indentation those things you include in the body that are the work of others. If you fail to do so, it could be considered plagiarism. If you are not certain what plagiarism or academic cheating (which includes using materials which you have submitted for a grade in another course without notifying me you are doing so and to what extent), see the University statement at:
  3. Include source notes. These may be footnotes, end notes, or incorporated into the text. They should point clearly to your sources of data, information, and views. (Note: This is particularly important if you are using materials downloaded from the Internet! Give me a sufficiently detailed web address and things to click on to find the exact material you are quoting or alluding to.)
  4. If you want detailed comments on the final version, the paper should be submitted with a second copy (if you did not email it to me) and a stamped, self addressed envelope(SASE), or a fax number. Summary comments are provided in any case.
  5. The outline (or rough draft) and first draft are to be completed by the indicated dates unless you have made specific arrangements with me to change or skip them. The final paper due date is mandatory unless there is a valid emergency and you discuss it with me. Note: there is only one revision allowed after the first draft; so any revision sent after you have gotten back my comments on your first draft will be considered the final draft.

SCHEDULE

NOTE: GIVEN THAT YOU WILL LIKELY BE VERY BUSY WITH YOUR OTHER COURSES AT THE END OF THE SEMESTER, I STRONGLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU COMPLETE THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE DUE DATES WELL IN ADVANCE OF THOSE DATES; ESPECIALLY THE FINAL PAPER DATE!

Main Campus: July 16, 5:30 Ritter Annex 815. Ambler: July 19, 8 PM (check where my classroom is): IN-CLASS MEETING. Review initial readings and other materials. Bring or email or fax if you are not at the meeting your completed Job Analysis form. This class serves two purposes. First to get examples of past papers and ask questions about what I expect of you. Second, to meet the other students in the class. This is particularly useful if someone else has an internship with a similar or the same company; so you can compare notes and data sources with them. I will also accept joint papers depending upon my prior approval. Remember, you are encouraged to contact me and schedule an in-person meeting with me.

July 30: OUTLINE DUE. Typed annotated bibliography and detailed outline (or rough draft) are due. Email me, and I will email my main comments back to you. If you want to discuss my comments in person, just call for a meeting. If you do not wish to meet but want detailed comments, please provide your mailing or e-mail address orgive me a fax number. I will email you summary comments in any case.

August 2: OPTIONAL FIRST DRAFT DUE. You are not required to submit a first draft. If you wish, please provide a hard copy, and I will make my comments on your hard copy.

August 9: FINAL PAPER DUE. Your typed final draft is due by 5:30. Bring it to my office (Ritter Annex 815 by 5:30 (put it under my door if I am not there). Note: if you do not meet this deadline, have not submitted at least a first draft,and do not provide me with a legitimate reason for missing the deadline before I turn in the grades, you will receive an "F" in the course.

GENERIC OUTLINE FOR PAPER

Cover Page: Title of paper, your full name, student number, major field of study, the semester you took the class, e-mail and/or mailing address.

Abstract: The abstract is 1/3 of a page, single spaced. It is a summary of the entire paper. State the problem analyzed, significant of problem, methodology of analysis, major findings.

Introduction:Start with a brief statement of the problem or hypothesis you are addressing, and why it is important. Tell me briefly about your firm, including what it, or the industry it is in, produces. Indicate which main topic you are addressing, and summarize what you plan to say about that topic. Indicate briefly what, if anything, others have had to say about the topic.

Methodology: This should be your interpretation of the specific issues of the topic you have chosen as it applies to your case study. It should state what your main and subsidiary hypotheses are. [e.g., that your firm or industry (a) has, or has not, been significantly affected by globalization (b) in the following ways... (c) For the following reasons: ....] Include here any discussion of recent economic changes that might impact on your hypotheses (e.g., recent changes in trade laws may lead to an increased (decreased) impact of globalization on my industry because ...)

Data sources: Given your hypotheses, what are the sources of, and the nature of the data you are using to test the hypotheses? (Note: "data" include statistics and quotations by people who work for your company.)

Your inferences: In this section you must analyze your data in the context of your hypotheses. (Does your evidence support or counter the hypotheses?)

Conclusions: This is a summary of the main points of what you did in the paper.

Footnotes (if they are not included in the body of the paper)

Bibliography: Be very careful to provide attribution for work which is not yours. Feel free to make liberal use, with attribution, of diagrams and tables from other sources. Keep in mind that Internet citations must be sufficient for me to locate exactly the materials you are attributing.