040161 PS PS Topics in Applied Economics (BA) (2015W)

Grade components
The following three types of activities will be graded:
Paper presentations: up to 56 points (2x28 points).
Every student has to select two papers from the list provided in Moodle and present it in the class when the corresponding topic is covered. The presentation should take no more than 30 minutes and have the following structure:
Research question(s) and general motivation.
Research hypotheses and what justifies them (related literature).
Research methodology and what justifies it.
Main results as answers to research question(s).
Your evaluation of the paper (topicality of research questions, appropriateness of research methodology, validity of conclusions).

Paper discussion: up to 36 points (2x18 points).
Every student has to select two papers from the list provided in Moodle and discuss them in the class when they will be presented by another student. The discussion should take no more than 15 minutes and have the following structure:
Accuracy of the presentation.
Your evaluation of the paper (topicality of research questions, appropriateness of research methodology, validity of conclusions).

Active participation: up to 8 points.
Students are encouraged to actively participate in all discussions, not only those for which they have signed up. Active participation assumes asking critical questions and sharing own points of view supported evidence.

Grading scale
The accumulated number of points translates into a grade using the following scale:
< 50 points = 5 (fail);
50-59 points = 4;
60-74 points = 3;
75-89 points = 2;
90-100 points = 1.
Note that the scale might be adjusted at the end, but any adjustment will be in favor of students.