Welcome to Seminar. This course is designed as a guided undergraduate research seminar in economics. Its central purpose is to help students move from a broad area of interest to a focused economic research question and then develop that question into a coherent seminar paper and an academic presentation. The course therefore emphasizes the research process rather than the memorization of a fixed body of theory.
During the first part of the semester, students will learn how to identify a researchable topic, formulate a clear research question, search for and evaluate academic literature, synthesize previous studies, and identify a meaningful research gap or contribution. Particular attention will be given to reading economics articles efficiently and distinguishing scholarly evidence from unsupported or unreliable sources.
The course then introduces the structure of an economics research paper and the basic principles of research design. Students will consider how a research question can be connected to appropriate data, variables, descriptive evidence, and, where relevant, an empirical or qualitative method. The methodological expectations will be calibrated to the topic and the student's prior training; the aim is to produce a defensible and well-organized undergraduate research project rather than an unnecessarily complicated model.
Academic writing is treated as an integral part of the research process. Students will practice paraphrasing, citation, referencing, argument development, and the presentation of tables, figures, and findings. Research ethics, plagiarism, source verification, and the responsible use of generative artificial intelligence will also be discussed. Students remain responsible for the accuracy, originality, and academic integrity of all submitted work.
The course is cumulative. Early assignments on the research question and literature are developed into a midterm research proposal, which is then revised and extended into the final seminar paper. In Weeks 12-14, students will present their projects in a seminar format and respond to questions and feedback from the class and the instructor. Feedback from the presentation should be incorporated into the final paper submitted in Week 15.
By the end of the course, students should be able to formulate a researchable economics question, locate and critically evaluate academic sources, organize a literature review, design an appropriate research strategy, write a concise academic paper with proper citation, communicate research findings orally, and respond constructively to academic questions and criticism.
- Öğretmen: Kemal ERKİŞİ