EC310L Rubrics for Term Paper Proposal
Weight 1 2 3 4 5
Research Question 5 No clear question/topic.
Some economic question
identified, but poorly defined
or weak motivation.
A clear economic question, but
not well explained or
motivated. Somewhat
unfocused.
Economic question clear and
reasonably motivated.
Clearly explained and
motivated economic question,
expressed well for general
audience, carried throughout
paper.
Background and interest 5
No economic content.
Background to question
contains factual errors or
glaring omissions.
Discussion of economic
questions not at 3rd year
undergraduate level. Unclear
on policy environment.
Reasonable grasp of economic
background, and environment.
Economic background clearly
explained and related to
research question.
Outstanding discussion of
relationship of economic theory
and/or empirical applications to
the research question.
Data and methodology 20
Little seems to have been
accomplished, due to low
effort. Data not discussed in
any detail, let alone used in a
statistical analysis.
Little understanding of
empirical techniques and
relation to data. Methodology
and data not clearly related to
question. Some failures in
explanation of summary
statistics and figures.
Appropriate econometric
technique chosen and
explained, at the level a well
informed reader can
understand. Summary
statistics described accurately.
Attention to economic and
statistical significance.
Reasons that econometric
technique chosen clearly
explained. Technique
explained and limitations
discussed. Summary statistics
and figures carefully explained,
with attention to economic and
statistical significance.
Econometric techniques clearly
explained and related to
research question and data set.
Limitations of approach clearly
outlined, and possible solutions
discussed.
Plan for future work 5 No realistic way of completing the research project suggested
Suggests some steps required
to complete research, but in
vague way.
Vague plan, or details about
timing but not about how to go
about answering the research
question.
Has a clear action plan for
answering the specific research
question.
Realistic plan for future work
to answer research question.
Notes possible difficulties, may
suggest ways of handling them.
Clarity of writing 5
Major grammatical/ spelling
problems. Reader cannot
follow the exposition/logic.
Reader consistently feels like
asking "why?" or "is this
relevant?". Objective and
purpose of report unclear.
Overly long and rambling, or
too short and lacking in detail.
Report comprehensible, but
perhaps with some difficulty.
Style at worst does not interfere
with substance.
Good report, though with some
stylistic shortcomings
(grammatical or spelling errors;
poor format). May get lost in
detail from time to time.
Clear, easy to read report. All
points contribute to
development of key argument.











































































































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