econ 7002-essay session1

Econ 7002: Essay writing support session 1

Alison Stevens

Learning Adviser

Student Services

Essay writing requirements• Step I: Make sure you understand the requirements

of the task.1250 word essay, due May 5th.

MARKING CRITERIA:• How well the question is answered• Clarity of argument• Use of diagram(s) as and when necessary• Appropriate writing style to adequately convey

answer• Correct and complete referencing of all sources

Essay writing requirements• “ fully and correctly referenced”.

• “Use the tools of economic analysis”.

• What are the various forces that have directed change within the international coffee market?

• What are the form/s of market structure evident within the industry?

• What are the strategies used by companies within the market, and why are used?

• What are the costs and benefits of such strategies?• What are the macroeconomic implications of

changes within the industry?

Essay writing

• Step 2:

• Read the article provided:

– Sloman, Norris & Garratt, Principles of Economics 3rd edition, 2010, pp.37-38

– Approach this article as you would approach ANY article at University.

– Do NOT automatically read it and summarise it. Instead take a critical approach to reading.

Read: Sloman, Norris & Garratt, Principles of Economics 3rd edition, 2010, pp.37-38

• Skim read the whole article without writing hand notes. • Think about the article.

• Critically analyse the article:

• Authority: Is the writer an expert in the field?

Is the writer often quoted by others in the field?

• Originality: Is this original information or only a summary of existing information?

• Objectivity: Is the writer objective or is there bias in the writing?

• Currency: Is the information current or is it out of date/ no longer an issue?

• Coverage: Is the issue covered in depth or only given cursory treatment?


• Consider:– The size and breadth of the study?– Generalizability of the results / arguments?

• Can you identify the writer’s purpose?

• Can you link the ideas in the text to other ideas?

• Can you think of alternative ideas to those stated ?

• An you identify the writer’s assumptions and underlying values?

• Are you aware of your assumptions and underlying values?

Article Content Themes or

arguments

Issues /

implications

Strengths Weaknesses

1Sloman Norris

& Garrat, 2010

Principles of

economics, 3rd

ed. 37-38.

Overview of

global coffee

industry supply &

demand trends

1996-2009.

World coffee

supply was greater

than demand b/w

1997 & 2001 =

slumped prices

>65%.

Generalized figures

from globally & from

coffee varieties

International

situation is

presented.

Lacking specific

details regarding

different regional

effects / effects on

coffee varieties / local

markets.

Most sig. reason

for slump = new

crops in Brazil &

Vietnam + stocks.

transport costs to

export coffee?

remained the same?

are they sig? Is new

infrastructure

needed to support

new producers?

Will that have an

impact?

Mapping trends in

terms of countries

Trend changed in

2004 due to farmer

diversification, >

global demand &

new coffee markets

(Russia & china).

4 large companies

own over ½ of world

coffee production.

Where are the 4

companies from?

How is ownership of

other ½ of coffee

production split?

2Article two

Now that you understand the article, you must extract the essay content

• What are the various forces that have directed change within the international coffee market?

• What are the form/s of market structure evident within the industry?

• What are the strategies used by companies within the market, and why are used?

• What are the costs and benefits of such strategies?

• What are the macroeconomic implications of changes within the industry?


• As you read, look for answers to your research questions

• Identify useful sections and write key words in the margin or highlight keywords

• Record answers under research questions-after you have put the article aside

• When you record the answers do so with short phrases and / or sentences written in your own words. DO NOT copy words straight from the text!

Sloman, Norris & Garratt, Principles of Economics 3rd edition, 2010, pp.37-38

1. Forces of change?• New crops (Vietnam & Brazil)

• Accumulated stocks

• Diversifying farmers

• Global demand

• New coffee markets (Russia & China)

2. Market structure?• 4 companies own half of the coffee produced

internationally

5. Macroeconomic implications of changes?

3a. Company strategy?

3b. Why?

4. Costs & benefits?

Step 3: Selecting article two• Search for articles

– Keywords– Limiters

• Selectively skim articles to decide whether you need to read them further

• Analyse how the article has been structured to locate information quickly

1st Title2nd Abstract3rd Introduction / Conclusion

If it looks like the article is going to provide you with the information you need for your essay......

• Read: Article Two

• Skim read the whole article without writing long hand notes.

• Think about the article.

• Critically analyse the article:

• Authority: Is the writer an expert in the field?

Is the writer often quoted by others in the field?

• Originality: Is this original information or only a summary of existing information?

• Objectivity: Is the writer objective or is there bias in the writing?

• Currency: Is the information current or is it out of date/ no longer an issue?

• Coverage: Is the issue covered in depth or only given cursory treatment?

Read: Article Two

• Consider:– The size and breadth of the study?– Generalizability of the results / arguments?

• Can you identify the writer’s purpose?

• Can you link the ideas in the text to other ideas?

• Can you think of alternative ideas to those stated ?

• An you identify the writer’s assumptions and underlying values?

• Are you aware of your assumptions and underlying values?

Article Content Themes or

arguments

Issues /

implications

Strengths Weaknesses

1Sloman Norris

& Garrat, 2010

Principles of

economics, 3rd

ed. 37-38.

Overview of

global coffee

industry supply &

demand trends

1996-2009.

World coffee

supply was greater

than demand b/w

1997 & 2001 =

slumped prices

>65%.

Generalized figures

from globally & from

coffee varieties

International

situation is

presented.

Lacking specific

details regarding

different regional

effects / effects on

coffee varieties / local

markets.

Most sig. reason

for slump = new

crops in Brazil &

Vietnam + stocks.

transport costs to

export coffee?

remained the same?

are they sig? Is new

infrastructure

needed to support

new producers?

Will that have an

impact?

Mapping trends in

terms of countries

Trend changed in

2004 due to farmer

diversification, >

global demand &

new coffee markets

(Russia & china).

4 large companies

own over ½ of world

coffee production.

2Article two

Read: Article two

• As you read, look for answers to your research questions

• Identify useful sections and write key words in the margin or highlight keywords

• Record information under research questions after you have finished reading the article

• When you record the answers do so with short phrases and / or sentences written in your own words. DO NOT copy words straight from the text!

Article two1. Forces of change?

2. Market structure?

5. Macroeconomic implications of changes?

3a. Company strategy?

3b. Why?

4. Costs & benefits?

Reading critically – writing critically

• Link the ideas in one text to the ideas in the other

• Compare the articles– What are the similarities?

• Argument• Context• Scope or method of research / experiment• Scope of article

• Contrast the articles?– What are the points of disagreement between authors?– Why do you think the disagreement exists?

• Note the language, definitions and terminology– Are they talking about similar ideas using different language?– How can you describe what they articles are saying in ‘academic economic terms’?

• How can you discuss the articles together rather than as isolated ‘bits’?

Sloman et al., 2010

1. agreement with (3 elements) ____, _____ & ______

2. (2) different dominant market strategies identified ______, _______

3. similar strategies used ___ & ____.

3a. Different reasons? Same reasons?

4.

5.

Article two

1.

2.

3.

3a.

4.

5.

Paraphrase & synthesise from your answersWhen you write answers to the questions do so from the Critical Reading Grid you devised do NOT use the original article.

Use your own words and own style of writing.

‘Writing at a distance’

-Make sure you accurately capture the point of view / meaning of the original texts

-Give appropriate citation/s “ fully and correctly referenced”.

“Use the tools of economic analysis”.

Make sure that the ‘forces of change’ and ‘market strategies’ etc are expressed with economic terminology that any economist / economics student could comprehend.

-You need to show that you can discuss economic concepts in a professional / academic way

This may mean interpreting the article content in economic terms and translating it into economics language.

Example: paraphrasing & synthesis

Forces of change

• Change to the international coffee market has been directed by at least three forces. These include the emergence of new crops and new markets and changes to global demand (Sloman, Norris & Garrat, 2010, Author/s of Article two, year). While the demand for coffee has steadily increased across all traditional markets since 2001 (Sloman et al., 2010, Author, Article two, year), recently, Russia and China have begun to import coffee in quantities never seen before (Sloman et al., 2010). This change has led to ......

“Use of diagram(s) as and when necessary”

• Figures / Tables / Diagrams

• Reinforce your words.

• Make it possible for you to report large amounts of data with only one or two supporting sentences inside your text.

Figures / Tables / Diagrams

Should be used to support what you are saying. Therefore they need to be relevant to your argument, should be integrated into your writing and fully incorporated into your discussion -not merely presented. The meaning needs to be explained to the reader.

• Should be numbered so that they are easy to refer to and easy for the reader to identify.

• Require a descriptive title or caption so that the reader can understand what they are about without having to read the text.

• If they are derived from another text or from data of another source they must be referenced.

• Should have the feature(s) that support your argument emphasised for fast identification.

Change to the international coffee market has been directed by at least three forces. These includethe emergence of new crops and new markets and changes to global demand (Sloman, Norris & Garrat, 2010, Author, Article two, year). Figure 1 shows that the price of coffee has steadily increased since 2001, reflecting heightened global demand across all traditional markets (Sloman et al., 2010, Author, Article two, year). More recently, Russia and China have begun to import coffee in quantities never seen before (Sloman et al., 2010). This change has led to ......

Topic sentence identifies the issue the data will help address.

The main thing to note in Table 1 is pointed out. Note the qualitative discussion (“steadily increased”: the reader can consult the table for specific numbers).Note that readers won’t know what a table is about or what it is demonstrating, so in general it is best if tables and figures go after the text which refers to them.

Data should be used to support an argument, so a conclusion should be drawn.

Integrating Figures / Tables in Your Writing

Figure 1 shows that the price of coffee has steadily increased since 2001, reflecting heightened global demand across all traditional markets (Sloman et al., 2010, Author, Article two, year).

Figure 1: shows changes in the price of coffee 1996-2009.

*

What should you do next?

1. Critically read Article 1.2. Read Article 1 to answer research questions

from a distance.3. Make sure you understand the whole article

so you are not referring to it out of context.4. Find Article two. 5. Critically read Article 2.6. Read Article 2 to answer research questions

from a distance.7. Make sure you understand the whole article

so you are not referring to it out of context.

What should you do next?

8. Compare answers to research questions and make a decision about the answer based on both articles.

9. Briefly write answers to research questions in your own words.

10. Make sure you know how to reference your answers correctly.

-Which style are you required to use?-Do you understand the conventions of that style?-How do you present your work?

11. Develop figures / tables / diagrams to use to support the answers to the research questions.

-be sure to reference them correctly too.

Next time: 21/4

• Essay structure

• Planning an essay

• Proof reading

econ 7002-essay session1

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