Economic term papers are a vital part of any economics course, as they allow students to demonstrate their understanding of economic concepts and theories. This guide will provide a concise overview of the process of writing an economics term paper, including tips on selecting a topic, researching and organizing information, and structuring the paper.

What is a Term Paper?

A term paper is an extended academic essay typically written by students as part of a course assignment. It is usually assigned at the end of a term or semester and is intended to demonstrate a student’s understanding of the material covered in the course. Term papers are usually written on a specific topic or issue related to the course and require students to conduct research, analyze information, and present their findings in a clear and well-organized manner.

The term paper generally includes an introduction, literature review, methodology, data analysis, results, and conclusion. It is an opportunity for students to demonstrate their critical thinking, analytical skills, and ability to conduct research and communicate their findings effectively.

It is important to note that a term paper is usually a significant part of a student’s grade. Students must take the assignment seriously and put in the time and effort necessary to produce a high-quality paper.

It is intended to demonstrate a student’s understanding of the material covered in the course and requires research, analysis, and presentation of findings in a clear and organized manner.

How to Write an Economics Term Paper

Selecting a Topic

The first step in writing an economics term paper is to select a topic. It is vital to choose a topic that is relevant to the course and that interests you, as this will make the research and writing process more enjoyable. Some potential topics for an economics term paper include economic growth, inflation, international trade, and labor markets.

Researching and Organizing Information

Once you have chosen a topic, the next step is researching and gathering information. It is important to use credible sources, such as academic journals and government reports, to ensure that the information in your paper is accurate and up-to-date. Additionally, it is vital to organize your information logically and coherently to ensure that your paper is easy to understand and follow.

Structuring the Paper

The introduction comes first in the paper itself, which, contrary to popular belief, should be written last. One or two pages is the typical length for this section (depending on the length of the whole paper).

It comprises a brief overview of the structure of the subsequent analysis and an explanation of why your research topic is relevant or essential. With rare exceptions, this is where you’ll announce your paper’s concluding findings (being formulated as a need-to-be-proofed thesis, though).

The meat of your paper will consist of sub-sections in which you conduct in-depth analyses of various facets of your issue and back up your claims using scholarly sources. Now we can move on to the last section of your analysis. The conclusion is a brief restatement of your analysis and an indirect response to your research question.

You should include an index of figures or images if you utilized them, followed by a bibliography of all sources you consulted while writing the paper. There should be some sort of “independence declaration” or “statement of the oath” at the end of the paper.

This formula, which may be found on the website of your school, serves as a statement that you have not plagiarized any of your work (at least not without using the correct way of citation and paraphrasing).

Now let’s get to the meat of the paper, the approach or section with the most depth. Some educators ask pupils direct questions, while others provide multiple options from which they might select. In reality, most work will depend on your ability to formulate a specific scientific query.

This means you need to get ready. Try to zero in on something that has been touched upon during the seminar. What parts stand out as most intriguing? Do you have any burning questions that need answering? This means you can peruse the seminar’s assigned readings: Was there a topic that stood out as particularly important or noteworthy? What are some of your favorite books? With this in mind, you can learn more about the topic, find texts, and solve problems that interest you.

Particularly for standard term papers, which often run between ten and fifteen pages, your topic needs to be quite exact because you will be conducting an in-depth analysis of it. If you’ve exhausted those options and are still trying to decide what to write about or have a broad notion but need a specific topic, it’s usually possible to consult your instructor for guidance. Having a general notion of the issue and settling on a specific research question during the literature review is usually sufficient.

Citation and Paraphrasing

Since we’ve already established, a term paper requires you to back up your claims using citations. Claims can only be accepted with supporting evidence if they are classified as common knowledge. According to what has been discussed thus far, you should have been able to locate your sources by reviewing the relevant literature.

Once more: You can only trust Wikipedia for the smallest of definitions. Find a textbook or specialized dictionary on the topic instead. Correctly citing the source becomes critical. There is usually more to the writing process than merely compiling a list of sources to cite at the end. Instead, you need to provide citations for every piece of information or claim in your work, not just the overall work. Anything else constitutes plagiarism, a surefire way to get yourself in trouble and against the law if it is ever discovered.

You should be able to recognize paraphrases as distinct from direct quotations. “paraphrase” refers to rewriting another author’s work using your own words. The reference should be included in the corresponding parts. More than three identical words in a row constitute a quotation. Quotations require not only a citation but also quotation marks around the text.

In most cases, the best works use a combination of straight quotations and paraphrases. It is common practice to avoid lengthy citations in favor of summarizing the key points oneself, especially when working with a shorter piece of writing.

When referencing, there are several distinct formats to choose from. Therefore, it is essential to inquire in advance with your instructors about the preferred citation style. In Germany, citing sources in footnotes is the norm. Specifically, a footnote is included after the relevant parts of the content or after the relevant quotations. The related information about the source, including the page number you are referring to, may be found at the bottom of the page. The University of Hamburg has compiled the most critical guidelines for referencing correctly.

Shorter citations are more prevalent in English seminars but are also used in several German fields, such as linguistics. Instead of using footnotes, the citations for these examples are presented in brackets right after the paraphrased or quoted material. Typically, only the author’s last name and page number are mentioned, with the full citation appearing in the bibliography.

Also, there are various approaches to this. However, the MLA format remains the most widely used, and its guidelines can be found on the format’s official website. Feel free to ask your teachers or classmates if you have questions. Everything should go right as long as you properly cite your sources (both in the text and in a separate bibliography) and adhere to a standard format.

Types of Economics Term Papers

The type of paper you are required to write will dictate how you go about crafting your text. When studying economics, you can be asked to write a theoretical paper, literature survey, empirical paper (using econometrics or descriptive statistics), issue paper, or case note.

Theoretical Paper

A theoretical paper is a type of academic paper that focuses on the concepts and ideas that underlie a particular field of study rather than on empirical research or data analysis. These papers are usually written by scholars and researchers interested in exploring their discipline’s theoretical foundations and who want to contribute to the ongoing theoretical discussions and debates in their field.

They want to understand the underlying principles that govern a particular field, and they want to contribute to the ongoing conversations about those principles. They use their creati`\vity, critical thinking, and analytical skills to explore ideas and concepts and use evidence and arguments to support their claims.

Theoretical papers are written in a way accessible to scholars and experts in the field; they use academic language and concepts. Still, they also try to make their ideas clear and easy to understand. They are not just a collection of facts but rather an exploration of ideas and concepts that are important to the field. They use evidence, arguments, and critical thinking to support their claims and try to make their ideas accessible to experts in the field.

Literature Review

The purpose of a literature review is to discuss and synthesize a body of work from (mainly) published sources that are relevant to the topic. Gathering relevant books and peer-reviewed journal articles (i.e., publications published in academic journals after being vetted by other experts in the field) is essential for this type of study. A well-executed literature review does more than just list pertinent concepts; it actively seeks out relationships between the various pieces of literature.

Writing a literature review in an economics term paper is an essential step in demonstrating your understanding of the existing research on your topic and in identifying gaps in the literature your research aims to fill. Here are some tips on how to write a literature review for an economics term paper:

• Start by identifying key concepts and theories relevant to your topic. Use these as a starting point for identifying relevant literature.
• Conduct a thorough literature search using various sources, such as academic journals, government reports, and online databases. Be sure to select sources that are relevant and credible.
• Read and summarize the literature, highlighting key findings, arguments, and debates. Organize the literature by themes or subtopics and group similar studies together.
• Synthesize the literature, and draw connections between the studies you have reviewed. Identify any trends or patterns in the literature, and explain the implications of these trends for your research.
• Finally, in conclusion, summarize the main findings of the literature review, and explain how the literature informs your research question and design.

Empirical Paper

An empirical paper compiles and analyzes relevant data to shed light on a pressing economic problem. To analyze the data for such a report, you should have training in statistics and econometrics. Make educated guesses and then utilize the facts to disprove or confirm your hypothesis. The literature review section of most empirical articles summarizes the results of prior studies and may also discuss relevant economic theory.

Issue Paper

An issue paper presents a policy concern and the author’s stance on the matter, backed by economic analysis (described in prose and illustrated with graphs, where appropriate). This evaluation will likely be based on material presented in class, assigned readings, and other scholarly sources. If there is supporting data for the author’s analysis, it can be incorporated into the paper.

Case Paper

If you’re taking an economics class, you might be asked to write a case note analyzing a recent court decision through economics. Case features, such as the incident that sparked the initial legal action, the procedural history of the case (if relevant), the legal issues posed by the case (and perhaps the factual issues if the trial court hears the case), and the court’s decision, are typically described at the outset of the paper.

Writing Process and Revision

Writing can begin once you’ve familiarized yourself with these guidelines, completed some (essential) planning, and gathered relevant background information from the above sources. Do not use slang or informal language; stick to proper technical jargon to give your writing a credible, academic air. It’s also vital to maintain coherence throughout chapters by explaining how each section’s excursus, example, or argument relates to the paper’s overall theme.

After completing all the chapters, it is time to read through the document and ensure everything is in order. Could you be accused of plagiarizing if anything wasn’t quoted precisely correctly? Have all the grammatical and formatting standards been met? How well do you construct sentences? How well do you spell and grammar?

Now is the time to make any necessary changes to the overall structure, vocabulary, and syntax of your writing. Writing well requires practice and repetition. Do you have a bibliography and a copy of the Declaration of Independence included in your term paper? Most institutions offer rules for scientific work that can be downloaded and used as an orientation if you need clarification on the formal criteria.

Proofreading

If these requirements are met, you may have others proofread your work. Even if you have proofread your work multiple times, it can be challenging to see careless errors or deceptive sentence locations in the final draft. You are the only one who knows what needs to be said or written.

If you want to avoid feeling rushed at the end of a project because of edits, give yourself plenty of time to proofread in the beginning. Don’t just show your term paper to people who know what to look for in such a document (teachers and other students), but also to those who aren’t in your field or familiar with the subject (brother, sister, father, girlfriend). Your text’s spelling, grammar, consistency, and readability should all get the attention they deserve with this method.

At this point, your paper should be good to go to the press. Once your academic paper has passed all of the required checks, it is ready to be submitted. Determine if the professor prefers digital or printed paper submissions (or both). With printed copies, all you need is a stapler and a transparent plastic sheet to turn in your assignment.

Most schools have strict guidelines for the printed version of a Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis (e.g., spiral or bookbinding in multiple copies). Digitally, the material should be saved in PDF format and then emailed to the professor. Nonetheless, there are cases where professors require a Word or OpenOffice file to manage the actions of computerized plagiarism-checking tools. 

For the sake of organization and readability, save your document with a name like “TermPaper ThesisTitle FirstAndSurname.pdf” rather than just “Term Paper” or “Thesis.”

Timeframes for receiving feedback on papers can vary widely, from a few weeks to several months, depending on factors such as the professor and the weather. Let your examiner know as soon and politely as possible if you require the grade for a transcript or similar purpose.

Your rating will likely be given more weight than usual. You will typically be notified of your grade by mail or the university’s online grading system. Traditional forms of communication, such as campus-wide announcements and one-on-one review sessions, are employed occasionally. The latter has the benefit of revealing both the strengths and weaknesses of your thesis. You can also email your examiner to request such an appointment if you received your grade digitally and need clarification about its origins.

Bottom Line

Writing an economics term paper requires much research, analysis, and critical thinking. The key to success is to choose a relevant and engaging topic, conduct thorough research, and develop a clear and well-structured argument. It’s important to remember that economics is a complex and dynamic field and that the theories and concepts you will discuss can be challenging to understand. However, by following the tips outlined in this guide, you will be able to write a high-quality term paper that demonstrates your understanding of the subject and impresses your instructor. Remember to conduct a literature review and proofread and edit your work before submitting it. You can write a concise and well-crafted economics term paper with hard work, dedication, and these guidelines.