The Critical Analysis
PURPOSE
To be successful in the workforce and as an economist, you need to be able to critically evaluate economic arguments and convey your reasoning to a "general audience" in writing. The assignments in this class will help you develop these skills. You will need to demonstrate your ability to apply economic concepts and tools to different, more open- ended contexts. This also helps you learn to apply and to view events through the lens of economics.
TASK
This is an individual writing assignment. There will be two writing assignments for this course to give you practice and opportunities to get feedback on your writing. These are the general instructions for both assignments.
For both assignments, you are to write a 750 word critical analysis of an article. You will be graded on the quality and thoroughness of your analysis. Writing skills are essential to enable you to communicate your ideas to others. Therefore, you will also be graded on the clarity, flow and overall cohesiveness of the writing in your paper. The rubric we shall use (the marks you can earn for each desirable skill demonstrated) is posted on the BB Portal.
What does it mean to be critical in Economics?
Writing a critical analysis requires the following steps:
1. Translating a written argument into a form that can be analyzed using the tools we have learned in class.
2. Using economic tools to critically examine the argument being made. Analysis involves doing more than merely paraphrasing the textbook, class notes or using jargon. It involves the following:
a. identifying the appropriate model or tool for the context;
b. checking to see if the model's underlying required assumptions are sufficiently satisfied; and
c. identifying important differences between the model and the real-world context, and identifying how these differences affect qualitative and quantitative predictions.
3. Comparing your analysis with the author's arguments and articulating any differences or similarities in a precise manner.
4. Translating all of this into clear language that readers can easily understand.
The Critical Analysis is NOT a research paper per se. While you may find it helpful to consult outside resources, it is not necessary to do so, and it is entirely possible to earn full marks without doing so. The primary metric upon which we judge your analysis is your ability to thoughtfully apply ECO200 tools in analyzing the real-world applications.
ORGANIZATION, STRUCTURE and FORMAT
How to structure your assignment
1. Introduction: Set up a thesis statement in which you briefly identify and summarize the point(s) you will make.
2. Main body: The next part should provide your analysis of the article's argument(s). Your analysis should use economic concepts you have learned in class.
Remember, narrow your focus so that your analysis can be more in-depth. In- depth analysis is much more important than hitting every point made in the article.
3. Conclusion: Briefly draw the evaluation together in a short concluding paragraph.
NOTE: Any references you cite should be identified and listed at the end of the paper. They do not count toward the word limit. The article to analyze must be included in your reference list.
Length
Your assignment should have a maximum of 750 words (excluding the title page and the reference list). Given the required format below, 750 words is approximately three pages.
As 750 words is not a lot, you need to seriously limit the space you devote to summarizing the article. You should assume that your reader has read the article, even if she has not (yet) critically thought about it.
Appropriate Audience
You are writing for the general reading population. This means you will need to explain your arguments in a way that someone who has some understanding of basic economic concepts, but not detailed knowledge, can understand it.
A good guideline: assume a reader who has taken ECO100 a few years ago. She will understand basic ECO101 Micro concepts, but will have certainly forgotten most of the subtleties and many of the implications.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
- We are looking for a critical analysis. Perhaps the biggest mistake you can make is submitting a writing assignment that is largely a summary of the assigned article.
- Depth is preferred to breadth. The student providing a strong analysis of two relevant points will earn much higher marks than the student identifying a number of points without fully analyzing any of them.
- We define critical rather broadly. It is certainly possible to write an excellent critical analysis in which you agree with the author of the article. Likewise, you should not feel shy about disagreeing with an author. In either case, the strength of your analysis will depend on your ability to thoughtfully apply ECO200 tools.
- You must submit your assignment on the BB Portal. See above for logistics of how to do so. Don't be late - there are penalties!
Getting Started
- To evaluate the article, you need to first understand the author's arguments. Start by identifying the assumptions inherent in the argument, checking to see if the conclusions follow from these assumptions. Try to distinguish the argument from the evidence provided to support the argument.
- To do critical evaluation, essentially you should take apart the various steps in the argument and see if they make sense separately and as a whole. Can you use the tools learned in class to think about the argument in another way? Check to see if the author is missing anything in her argument or has used some tool or method incorrectly or inappropriately. Is there evidence that contradicts the author's argument?
- See the hand-out "8 Steps to Completing your Writing Assignment" by Baxter Robinson.
Article - Chicago's soda tax is repealed - Fizzled