FIYS 197 Midterm Paper

Professor Robert J. Lemke
Department of Economics and Business
Lake Forest College
Fall 2008

Directions:

The midterm paper for FIYS 197 is due at the start of class on October 17. Extensions will not be given. This paper is an issue paper in that you are asked to select an important issue, to research it, and to write a 6 to 8 page paper that (1) introduces the issue and its importance, (2) describes and defines the relevant ideas, aspects, concerns, statistics, and contaversies of the issue, and (3) thoroughly discusses the issue from all appropriate points of view. Notice that you are not asked to take a policy position in the midterm paper. Rather, it is simply an issue paper in which you describe all sides to the issue. You are encouraged to include statistical information in the form of tables or graphs, but doing so is not necessary. If all goes well with your issues paper, you will build on it to produce your final paper in which you will defend a policy position.

The technical details of the paper are: 6 to 8 written pages (min and max), one-inch margins, double-spaced, and 12 point Times Roman font. Include a title. Include page numbers centered at the bottom of each page in 10 point Times Roman font. Include a reference section of at least 6 sources. As you are taking statements and ideas from media sources, be sure to provide a complete set of references -- do not run the risk of plagiarism! The reference section, tables, and graphs do not count toward the page limits.

You can format your paper however you like. Choose a format that is clear and informative. Use bold section titles, numbered appropriately. Place a blank line before each section title. Section titles must be useful, informative, and consistent in formating. The audience for the paper is other first-year students at Lake Forest College who are not taking FIYS 197.

Rubric for Scoring Midterm Papers:

Every submitted paper will earn up to 125 points according to the criteria listed below.

Style: One inch margins, 12 point Times Roman font, 6 to 8 pages, and double-spaced throughout. Bold and numbered/lettered section titles. Blank line before each section title.

5. All components in the above list are consistently employed.
4. All components in the above list are consistently employed with at most two errors; or more than 8 written pages.
3. All components in the above list are consistently employed with at most five errors.
2. Some components in the above list are employed but not consistently; or fewer than 6 written pages.
1. None of the components in the above list are not consistently employed.

Page Numbering: Ten point Times Roman font page numbers centered at the bottom of each page. The first page of text does not receive a page number. The second page of text receives the number 2. All remaining pages are numbered consecutively.

5. Page numbers are correct.
4. Page numbers are correct but with the wrong font or are in the wrong position.
3. Page numbers are correct except that the first page is also numbered.
2. Page numbers are correct except that the second page of text is given the number 2.
1. Page numbers are not included.

Spelling:

5. No misspelled words.
4. At most three misspelled words.
3. At most six misspelled words.
2. At most ten misspelled words.
1. More than ten misspelled words.

Punctuation:

5. No punctuation errors.
4. At most three punctuation errors
3. At most six punctuation errors
2. At most ten punctuation errors
1. More than ten punctuation errors

Informative Title: Your paper must include an informative title.

5. An informative title, for example: The Likely Economic and Environmental Effects from Drilling for Oil in ANWR
4. A less informative title, for example: The Likely Effects from Drilling for Oil in ANWR
3. A less informative title, for example: The Likely Effects from Drilling in ANWR
2. A less informative title, for example: The Effects from Drilling
1. No title

Writing: Your paper must be well-written and clear. Each paragraph should move the paper along with a clear purpose. Each section should have its own purpose, be well-motivated, and end with clear knowledge imparted to the reader. As the reader, I should never wonder what is being said or why it is being said. You do not want to write a paper in which, when I am reading it, I ever ask myself, "What does this sentence mean?" or "What is the point of this paragraph/argument?" or say to myself "I don't understand what is being said." Each instant of such a question is an instant of unclarity.

50. A consistently well-written and clear paper.
40. At most 5 instances of unclarity.
30. At most 10 instances of unclarity.
20. At most 15 instances of unclarity.
10. More than 15 instances of unclarity.

Issue: Your paper must precisely state your issue and present the pro and con arguments surrounding the issue.

15. Your paper precisely states your issue and the pro and con arguments surrounding the issue.
12. Your paper states your issue but omits one or two immortant arguments.
9. Your paper states your issue but omits three or more immortant arguments.
6. Your paper fails to clearly state your issue.
3. Your paper fails to introduce a primary issue.

Importance: Your paper must show why your issue is important.

5. Your paper convincingly states why the issue is important.
3. Your paper states, but not in a thoroughly convincing way, why the issue is important.
1. Your paper fails to discuss the importance of the issue.

Omitted Arguments: Your paper must discuss all of the relavent/important ideas and arguments surrounding your issue.

10. No obvious question/argument is left undiscussed.
8. One question/argument is left undiscussed.
6. Two questions/arguments are left undiscussed.
4. Three questions/arguments are left undiscussed.
2. Four or more questions/arguments are left undiscussed.

Definitions: Your paper must clearly define any terms that are central to the issue. Each time a term is used that was not clearly defined (or was defined erroneously) is an instance of bad terminology.

10. No instances of bad terminology.
8. One instance of bad terminology.
6. Two instances of bad terminology.
4. Three instances of bad terminology.
2. Four or more instances of bad terminology.

Citations: Citations in the text should refer to the author(s) by last name, followed by the year of the publication in parentheses. Page numbers should not be included in the text unless there is a direct quote. If the text does not refer to the author directly, then the author(s) last name(s) and year of publication should be included in parentheses, separated by a comma. If mulitple sources are listed, separate them by a semicolon. If a citation has two authors, list both last names. If a citation has three or more authors, list the first author's last name follwed by "et al.". For example:

There is a large literature showing that the cost of child care plays a major role in the labor market decisions of women with children (Anderson and Levine, 1999; Chaplin et al., 2000).

Heckman (1974) provides the static theory in the standard context of a mother choosing her hours worked when facing a specific child care market.

5. Correct citations.
4. One or two incorrect citations.
3. Three or four incorrect citations.
2. Five or six incorrect citations.
1. Seven or more incorrect citations.

References: You must have at least six references cited in your paper. List all of your references on a separate page (or pages) immediately following your conclusion (and before your tables and graphs). You should not use web references whenever possible (e.g., do not cite the Brookings web page if you can cite one of their working papers), and do not include when or where or how you obtained the reference. Just list them as is common in the economics literature. For example:

Anderson, Patricia M. and Phillip B. Levine, “Child Care and Mothers’ Employment Decisions,” NBER Working Paper 7058, March, 1999.

Averett, Susan L., H. Elizabeth Peters and Donald M. Waldman, “Tax Credits, Labor Supply, and Child Care,” Review of Economics and Statistics, 79(1), pp. 125-135, February, 1997.

Gustafsson, Siv, and Frank Stafford, “Child Care Subsidies and Labor Supply in Sweden,” Journal of Human Resources, 27(1), pp. 204-230, Winter, 1992.

Heckman, James J., “Effects of Child-Care Programs on Women’s Work Effort,” Journal of Political Economy, 82(2), Special Issue, pp. S136-S163, March/April, 1974.

Hofferth, Sandra L., “Comment on The Importance of Child Care Costs to Women’s Decision Making,” in The Economics of Child Care, in David M. Blau ed., Russell Sage Foundation, New York, pp. 119-126, 1991.

5. All components mentioned above are consistently represented in the list of references.
4. One component is consistently misrepresented, or one or two references have mistakes.
3. Two components are consistently misrepresented, or three or four references have mistakes.
2. Three components are consistently misrepresented.
1. Four or more components are consistently misrepresented, or unnecessary web references are used.