Shadow economy, corruption, crime – hard to measure phenomena in economics 2400-ZZSM106
The seminar starts with an introductory class. The next few classes focus on discussing:
a) the rules relevant for a master thesis (references, footnotes etc.);
b) gathering literature;
c) gathering data (if relevant). Later in the course students receive guidance in selecting a topic for the thesis.
Examples of topics which can serve for master theses:
“Size and causes of corruption in post-communist countries”
“Factors influencing corruption perception"
“Laffer cuve – myth or reality?"
“De iure democracies vs. de facto democracies – economic consequences"
“Influence of economic factors on election outcomes (parliamentary, presidential etc.)"
”Economic expectations and election outcomes (parliamentary, presidential etc.)"
"Economic determinants of crime”
“Crime and business cycle”
“Is being a victim of a crime conditioned by sociologically and economically factors?”
”The distribution of different strategy types in Poker Texas Hold’em”
“The impact of alcohol, marijuana and family background on school grades of European youth”
“Easterlin hypothesis verification – age, period and cohort effects”
“Assessment of the probability of recommitting similar crime – an attempt of building a forecasting tool using selected econometric methods”
“Friend or Foe? Predicting the Victim-Offender Relationship from Crime Scene and Victim Characteristics”
“Influence of Bullying in Childhood on Economic Outcomes in Adulthood”
“Analysis of the tournament theory on the basis of tenis matches”
Type of course
Course coordinators
Learning outcomes
Knowledge:
1. The student knows the rules of writing a master thesis.
2. The student knows methods of analyzing data and methods of research
3. The student knows basics of methodology of science and ways of formulating scientific hypotheses.
4. The student knows basic definitions connected to hard to measure phenomena.
5. The student has basic knowledge regarding quantitative methods used in research on hard to measure phenomena.
Skills:
1. The student is capable of finding data and information necessary for preparing a master thesis. The student is able to prepare a master thesis according to formal rules.
2. The student has the skill of applying knowledge acquired during studies to problems connected to the topic of his master thesis.
Social competences:
1. The student is capable of finding data and analyzing it. The student can work with data. He is able to formulate a research problem and a scientific hypothesis. The student is able to prepare a master thesis.
2. The student is able to complete the acquired knowledge. He is capable of finding literature.
3. The student is capable of working individually.
KW01, KW02, KW03, KU01, KU02, KW03, KK01, KK02, KK03
Assessment criteria
Assesment is based on progress in preparing the master thesis. A positive final grade is only give after the thesis has been submitted to the students office.
Bibliography
Reading will be tailored to students' interests.
Additional information
Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system: