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Course profile

Research Methods in Economics (ECON7950)

Study period
Sem 1 2025
Location
St Lucia
Attendance mode
In Person

Course overview

Study period
Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
Study level
Postgraduate Coursework
Location
St Lucia
Attendance mode
In Person
Units
2
Administrative campus
St Lucia
Coordinating unit
Economics School

This course explains how to conduct basic research in economics. It covers the main steps involved in the research process: development of the research proposal, finding and critically evaluating relevant literature, model development, methods for locating and collecting economic data, analytical methods, and writing mechanics. The course has a strong practical focus.

This course introduces students to practical skills required for conducting economic research. In the first part of this course, we will cover basic research skills -- ethics, posing research questions, literature search and evaluation. Next, we will survey research tools addressing causal identification in economic research. The last part of the course is devoted to research communication and collaboration -- presentation, pitching, giving and receiving feedback. Through sharing from industry speakers and workshops on employability, students can develop transferable skillsᅠthat can be applied to both industry and academic contexts. Who says research is only an academic pursuit?

Assessments are scaffolded, starting from an annotated bibliography for the student's own research interests, leading to a research proposal and a reflection. For those intending for further academic research, the research proposal can be used asᅠa stepping stone to Thesis (i.e., ECON7930/31/32).

Blended-learning

ECON7950 is a blended-learning course with the following learning activities:ᅠ

  1. Weekly online learning modules on UQ Extend;
  2. 2 -hours in-person, interactive lectures during weeks 1 to 13; and
  3. Three tutorials: Week 4, week 8, and week 12.

Course requirements

Assumed background

Students are assumed to have backgroundᅠknowledge in microeconomics, macroeconomics and econometrics. Some knowledge in your field of research interests is expected.

Incompatible

You can't enrol in this course if you've already completed the following:

ECON7920 or 7921 or 7922

Course contact

School enquiries

School Enquiries, School of Economics

All enquiries regarding student and academic administration (i.e. non-course content information, e.g., class allocation, timetables, extension to assessment due date, etc.) should be directed toᅠenquiries@economics.uq.edu.au.ᅠ

Enquiries relating specifically to course content should be directed to the Course Coordinator/Lecturer.

Course staff

Lecturer

Dr Priscilla Man

Tutor

Mr Matthew Oancea

Timetable

The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.

Additional timetable information

Tutorial Preferencing: Students must select their preferred tutorial times via their MyUQ Timetable. This should be completed before the end of Teaching Week 1.

Tutorials Information: There will be three tutorials in this course, in Week 4, 8 and 12.

Lectures commence in Week 1.

Please see the Learning Activities section of this Course Profile for the timetabling implications of public holidays.

Important Dates:

  • Public Holidays: Fri 18 April (Good Friday), Mon 5 May (Labour Day).
  • Mid-Semester Break: 21 April - 25 April. Semester 1 classes recommence on Mon 28 April.

Students should refer to the timetable prior to the commencement of classes to ensure that they have the most up to date information, as from time to time late room changes may occur.

Aims and outcomes

The aim of this course is to equip students with the necessary skills ᅠto undertake supervised independent research work ᅠto a professional standard, and in particular,ᅠ to undertaking future thesis work.

Learning outcomes

After successfully completing this course you should be able to:

LO1.

Respect research ethics and apply ethical standards in economic research.

LO2.

Classify, organise and evaluate literature in economics.

LO3.

Develop research ideas and proposals.

LO4.

Communicate research idea effectively to an educated audience.

Assessment

Assessment summary

Category Assessment task Weight Due date
Paper/ Report/ Annotation Annotated Bibliography 35%

31/03/2025 1:00 pm

Paper/ Report/ Annotation Written Proposal 40%

28/04/2025 1:00 pm

Presentation, Reflection Reflection and Video Proposal 25% (10% + 15%)

9/06/2025 1:00 pm

Assessment details

Annotated Bibliography

Mode
Written
Category
Paper/ Report/ Annotation
Weight
35%
Due date

31/03/2025 1:00 pm

Learning outcomes
L01, L02, L03

Task description

Students are to state and classify an economic research question of their choice, and list at least three (3) permissible bibliography items relating to the question stated. A detailed annotation is required for the first bibliographic item listed. A brief annotation is required for each of the other two bibliographic items.

A template is provided on the course Blackboard site for students to complete this assessment.

This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and/or Machine Translation (MT) technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.

A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.

To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.

Submission guidelines

Submit electronically to Turnitin via the course Blackboard site.

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

The maximum extension allowed is 14 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.

Late submission

A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.

Written Proposal

Mode
Written
Category
Paper/ Report/ Annotation
Weight
40%
Due date

28/04/2025 1:00 pm

Learning outcomes
L01, L02, L03, L04

Task description

Building upon their annotated bibliography, students are to submit their own research proposal in the form of a written research proposal template. In the proposal, students should:

  1. State and classify their research question;
  2. Describe the significance and innovation of their proposal relative to the literature;
  3. Describe the methods they would like to use to answer their question; and
  4. Outline the expected benefits from their proposed research.

A template is provided on the course Blackboard site for students to complete this assessment.

This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and/or Machine Translation (MT) technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.

A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.

To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.

Submission guidelines

Submit electronically to Turnitin via the course Blackboard site.

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

The maximum extension allowed is 14 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.

Late submission

A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.

Reflection and Video Proposal

Mode
Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia, Written
Category
Presentation, Reflection
Weight
25% (10% + 15%)
Due date

9/06/2025 1:00 pm

Learning outcomes
L01, L02, L03, L04

Task description

Reflection (10%)

Students are to reflect upon a presentation in the Week 13 Lecture, and identify one (1) improvement they can make on their own presentation.

A template will be provided on the Course Blackboard site for students to complete this part of the assessment.

Video Proposal (15%)

Having considered the potential improvement based on their reflection, students will make a 3-minute video pitching their research proposal to a specialised audience.

This task has been designed to be challenging, authentic and complex. Whilst students may use Artificial Intelligence (AI) and/or Machine Translation (MT) technologies, successful completion of assessment in this course will require students to critically engage in specific contexts and tasks for which artificial intelligence will provide only limited support and guidance.

A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.

To pass this assessment, students will be required to demonstrate detailed comprehension of their written submission independent of AI and MT tools.

Submission guidelines

Reflection: Submit electronically to Turnitin via the course Blackboard site.
Video: Submit electronically to Blackboard Assignment via the course Blackboard site.

Deferral or extension

You may be able to apply for an extension.

The maximum extension allowed is 14 days. Extensions are given in multiples of 24 hours.

Late submission

A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.

Course grading

Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.

Grade Cut off Percent Description
1 (Low Fail) 0% - 29%

Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes.

2 (Fail) 30% - 46%

Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes.

3 (Marginal Fail) 47% - 49%

Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes

4 (Pass) 50% - 64%

Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes.

5 (Credit) 65% - 74%

Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes.

6 (Distinction) 75% - 84%

Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes.

7 (High Distinction) 85% - 100%

Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes.

Additional course grading information

A student’s final overall end of semester percentage mark will be rounded to determine their final grade. For example, 64.5% rounds to 65%, while 64.4% rounds to 64%.

Supplementary assessment

Supplementary assessment is available for this course.

Additional assessment information

Plagiarism

The School of Economics is committed to reducing the incidence of plagiarism. Further information on plagiarism and how to avoid an allegation of plagiarism is available in this course profile under Policies and Procedures. Please refer to the Academic Integrity Modules (AIM). It is strongly recommended that you complete the AIM if you have not already done so.

SUBMISSION OF ASSIGNMENTS:

All assignments must be submitted by the due date and time stated in the course profile. For this course, students are required to submit an electronic copy through the relevant submission link on the course Blackboard site.

Learning resources

You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.

Library resources

Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.

Additional learning resources information

Academic Papers for Discussion

We will discuss a number of academic papers during the course. A list with a reading schedule will be posted on Blackboard, with papers added gradually during the semester. It is important that students read these papers before they are discussed in class.


UQ Library Resources

Digital Essentials ᅠ-- There are many modules. Feel free to explore as many as you need.

Write, Cite, Submit ᅠ-- Part of the Digital Essentials, above. UQ Library's guide on planning assessments, referencing and submitting assessments.

APA 7th Referencing guide ᅠ-- This course adopts APA 7th referencing style.


Student Services Resources

UQ Student Central ᅠoffers a range of student support services, ranging from handling day-to-day student lifeᅠto crisis support. You may find their Study Skills ᅠsupport helpful.


BEL Employability Resources

BEL Faculty Careers and Employability ᅠoffers a range of development workshops (among other services) on employability skills, which are part of the focus of this course. See their list of workshops.

Learning activities

The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.

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Learning period Activity type Topic
Week 1

(24 Feb - 02 Mar)

Lecture

Lecture 1: Introduction and Research ethics

Introduction to the course. Research ethics in economics.

Learning outcomes: L01

Week 2

(03 Mar - 09 Mar)

Lecture

Lecture 2: Library Resources

A workshop by UQ Librarians on library resources for conducting research.

Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03

Week 3

(10 Mar - 16 Mar)

Lecture

Lecture 3: Research questions

The what, why and how of research.

Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03

Week 4

(17 Mar - 23 Mar)

Tutorial

Tutorial 1: Research question and bibliography

Clinic for your first assessment: Annotated Bibliography.

Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04

Lecture

Lecture 4: Literature Review

Positioning your research question against the existing literature.

Learning outcomes: L02, L03, L04

Week 5

(24 Mar - 30 Mar)

Lecture

Lecture 5: Randomised Controlled Trials

Randomised controlled trials and economic experiments.

Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03

Week 6

(31 Mar - 06 Apr)

Lecture

Lecture 6: Causal Identification

Difference-in-difference, Regression discontinuity, Instrumental variables and Propensity score matching.

Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03

Week 7

(07 Apr - 13 Apr)

Lecture

Lecture 7: Structural estimation and Theory

Structural estimation, Calibration, and Theory research

Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03

Week 8

(14 Apr - 20 Apr)

Tutorial

Tutorial 2: Research proposal

Clinic for your second assessment: Research Proposal

Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04

No student involvement (Breaks, information)

Public Holiday (Good Friday)

Friday 18/04 is a public holiday. There will be no lecture on this day.

Mid-sem break

(21 Apr - 27 Apr)

No student involvement (Breaks, information)

Mid-semester break

No lecture, workshop or consultation.

Week 9

(28 Apr - 04 May)

Lecture

Lecture 9: Communicating research

Writing and presenting

Learning outcomes: L01, L03, L04

Week 10

(05 May - 11 May)

Lecture

Lecture 10: Finding Research Support

High-impact communication.

Learning outcomes: L01, L03, L04

Week 11

(12 May - 18 May)

Lecture

Lecture 11: Feedback and reflection

Giving and receiving feedback on research work.

Learning outcomes: L01, L03, L04

Week 12

(19 May - 25 May)

Tutorial

Tutorial 3: Oral communication

Clinic for your video presentation.

Learning outcomes: L01, L03, L04

Lecture

Lecture 12: Research in an Industry Context

Guest lecture by Dr. Sarah Cornell-Farrow (FTI Consulting) on conducting economic research in an industry context.

Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04

Week 13

(26 May - 01 Jun)

Lecture

Lecture 13: Grand Finale

Join us for the 3-minute proposal competition and vote for your favourite contestant!

Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04

Policies and procedures

University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:

Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.