Econometrics For Dummies

Chapter 18

Ten Components of a Good Econometrics Research Project

In This Chapter

Choosing an interesting econometrics topic

Setting up your work in the appropriate context

Determining the model and complementary tests

Using the results to tell a story

In some econometrics courses, a research project may consist of writing a paper that’s anywhere from 15 to 30 pages in length (including references, tables, and graphs). In other cases, your econometrics professor may expect you to give a presentation on a research topic in combination with (or instead of) writing a paper. No matter what the specifics of your class assignment, you’ll probably be expected to come up with a topic, collect data, use econometrics software to complete the analysis, and interpret your findings. That sounds like a lot, but this chapter breaks down the ten components you need to include in any econometrics research project.

Introducing Your Topic and Posing the Primary Question of Interest

The first paragraphs of your research paper should provide an interesting description of your topic. This section is ...