Economics in the modern family and society 2400-PLSM169A
In the first semester, classes aim to prepare students to formulate the research objective of their MA thesis, pose well-defined general research questions and specific hypotheses that can be tested in a statistical or econometric study presented in the MA thesis. The initial meetings will take the form of a lecture, during which the lecturers will present issues related to family economics (e.g. in terms of the demand for children model), labour supply, specialisation of household members, intergenerational monetary and non-monetary transfers (financial assistance, inheritances, care). In addition, students will be presented with microeconomic databases that can be used in their MA theses (e.g. BAEL, BBGD, SILC, SHARE, GGP and others) and databases of literature on the subject necessary for the preparation of the thesis. At the end of the introductory part of the seminar, students will be presented with the stages of research work (conceptualisation, operationalisation, setting the goal of the work, research questions and specific hypotheses, selection of research methods, testing hypotheses). In the second part of the first semester, students work on choosing a topic for their MA thesis. They independently study the literature on the subject and present it at the seminar, as well as review databases that can be used in their statistical or econometric research. Students develop a method for verifying research hypotheses and an outline of their entire MA thesis. By the end of the semester, they are familiar with the most important literature on the subject, have a preliminary plan for statistical or econometric research (method and source data) and have prepared an outline of their thesis.
In the second semester, the aim of the seminar is to conduct the statistical or econometric research planned in the first semester and to write at least one chapter of the MA thesis. Students prepare a database for analysis and develop a detailed method for verifying hypotheses (they define and prepare variables for analysis, select statistical tests or variables and the form of the econometric model). The seminars are primarily intended for individual consultations on MA theses. Once every two weeks, all students present their progress in writing their thesis and conducting statistical or econometric research, and discuss its key assumptions and results with seminar participants. Comments and remarks received from seminar participants may be useful in improving the research method and in preparing a clear and comprehensible description of the research and its results. At the end of the second semester, students have the main results of their empirical (statistical or econometric) research and at least one chapter of their MA thesis. They are also familiar with the substantive and formal rules for preparing the text.
The third semester of the seminar is devoted to developing the final version of the MA thesis, its editing and revision. During seminar meetings, students present their MA theses and discuss the results of their research in a group in order to prepare for the defence and to check that no important issues have been omitted from the text of the thesis.
Type of course
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
Knowledge:
1. The student is familiar with the most important theoretical models and empirical research findings concerning family and social economics.
2. The student is familiar with microeconomic databases such as BAEL, BBGD, SILC, SHARE, GGP.
3. The student has knowledge of the most important stages of research work and the principles of writing a text.
Skills:
1. The student is able to organise research according to the stages of research work; is able to plan and conduct independent statistical and econometric research.
2. The student is able to formulate a research problem, its conceptualisation and operationalisation; define the aim of the work, research questions and research hypotheses based on economic theory. The student has the ability to select a method for testing a research hypothesis, and to search for, evaluate the usefulness of and use data sources.
3. The student is able to prepare data for descriptive, statistical and econometric analysis and carry out these analyses.
4. The student has the ability to synthesise results and formulate conclusions, as well as to present, in writing, the assumptions, implementation methods and conclusions of their own research. The student is able to relate the results obtained to economic theory and identify the most significant results. The student is able to prepare a text plan and organise its structure appropriately; is able to write an academic text presenting a research problem and its solution, and to prepare appropriately described tables and graphs, references to sources and a bibliography.
5. The student has the ability to analyse and synthesise theoretical and empirical texts.
6. The student has the ability to broaden and deepen their knowledge in a field of their own choosing.
Social competences:
1. The student is aware of the importance of systematic work and the need to plan long-term activities leading to the achievement of a goal.
2. The student is aware of the benefits of consultation and group discussion. They appreciate the culture of oral and written expression.
KW01, KW02, KW03, KU01, KU02, KU03, KK01, KK02, KK03
Assessment criteria
Submission of a MA thesis outline, chapter outline, and completed MA thesis.
Bibliography
Becker, G. (1991). A Treatise on the Family: Enlarged Edition. Harvard University Press.
Chiappiori, P-A. (1992). Collective Labor Supply and Welfare. Journal of Political Economy 100(3): 437-467.
Rosenzweig, M. R. and Stark, O. (1997). Handbook of Population and Family Economics. Amsterdam: Elsevier.
Other literature selected individually for the topic of the MA thesis.
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: