Selecting Your Topic
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Think about what you might find interesting to study, research and write about for two or three months.>
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Conduct some preliminary research: see the Department's Research Resources, and The New Palgrave: A Dictionary of Economics (Ref. HB 61 N49 1987). Also consult with your peers, instructor and other professors.
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You are not restricted in your choice of topics, as long as the topic includes significant economic content. Keep in mind that your faculty specialize within economics, so you may need to seek out other faculty for advice.
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If the senior thesis is based on a previous term paper in any way, a copy of that term paper must be submitted to the instructor.
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Students will be allowed to change topics later in the course. The early submission of the topic provides the instructor an opportunity to make suggestions to students on chosen topics. If a student finds the topic s/he has selected either too difficult or not as interesting as anticipated, the student will be allowed to change topics with prior approval of the instructor. A new topic proposal would be required.
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Topic Statement. Once you have settled on a topic, write a brief paragraph about the topic. Make a clear statement of the thesis topic as you understand it. State the question you would like to investigate. Briefly state why you think the topic will be interesting to research and describe your intended research approach. You might, for example, list the types of sources, data, etc. you plan to consult. Obviously, this requires some preliminary research.
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The Topic Statement must be typed (one page maximum) and submitted in class on the date specified in the Senior Thesis Calendar.
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Once a topic has been chosen, the instructor will review it and make suggestions about how to construct a Senior Thesis around the topic.