Writing in EconomicsPlease keep in mind that these are only general guidelines; always defer to your professor's specifications for a given assignment. If you have any questions about the content represented here, please contact the Writing Centers so that we can address them for you. According to McGraw Hill, economics is the study of how to distribute scarce resources among alternative ends.
In a society, there are resources that always need to be allocated or exchanged within our society and among other societies as well. These resources can be something physical like natural resources (minerals, forests, water, oil), land, equipment, and money. However, there are other non-physical “ideas” or non-conceptual items that are also resources included in the study of economics such as time allotment, policies and procedures, government expenditures, and taxes. Preferred Bibliographic Style Economics typically uses APA style. However, your instructor will be able to specify what citation style he or she expects you to use within a particular course. For more information about APA style you can visit Purdue OWL Key Terms You might refer to key economic terms that you might encounter when writing in economics to help you get started and understand the basics of economics. Reviewing key terms and concepts might also help in brainstorming and possibly discovering a topic to write about. You can find a list of key terms in McGraw Hill’s fully searchable online glossary. Common Writing Assignments Marquette University’s Writing Across the Curriculum program notes that students can expect to write assignments such as:
According to Duke University’s guide for writing in economics there are a few additional forms of economic writing you might encounter when writing for economics:
Economics Writing Choosing a Topic Choosing a topic can also come from trying to find an answer to a question you have. You can start with a broad topic and narrow your focus as you conduct research and review literature. Research Resources After you have a topic, or a general idea of how you will address an assignment prompt, you might need to read and reference outside sources and literature to supplement your paper. The DePaul University Library Research Guide contains a guide compiled specifically for economics. The DePaul University Library Research Guide also has resources for other subjects and disciplines that might help you find sources related to your topic, like business and finance. Narrowing a Topic After you have found your topic, and reviewed some literature relating to that topic, it might help to put your topic in perspective. According to Duke University professor and writing tutor Paul Dudenhefer, there are four common dimensions along which to narrow a topic:
Expanding on a Topic Most writing in economics is done to prove that your hypothesis, theory, or argument would be supported. This can be done through three different “steps”:
Additional Resources Investopedia by Forbes Digital provides a basic overview of economics, including short chapters with an introduction and information on production, demand and supply, utility, and monopolies, among others. Journals specializing in Economics include The Economist and Financial Times. These are available in print and in various electronic databases through the DePaul Library. You can also locate resources by using the bibliographic database EconLit through the DePaul Library. DePaul Department of Economics Links |
