Senior Assessment Presentations   Spring, 2009

1. The current list of presenters and their paper topics are provided below. 1. “The Economic Implications of Deposit Insurance: A Review of Current Literature and
          History” by Jonathan Absher
2. “Who Can Sell? Taking a Look Into the Local Heating and Air Conditioning Business”
           by Jacob Carney
3. "The Effect of a New Stadium on Major League Baseball Attendance" by Aaron Fraebel
4. “Hedonic Model of Home Sales in Jefferson County”, Kentucky During 2008 by
            Rachael M. Hayden
5. “Eminent Domain: The Inefficiencies of Land Allocation in the Name of the ‘Public Good’
            by Andrew Heineman
6. “The Price Elasticity of Demand For Beer and the Implications of  the New Alcohol”
           Tax by David   Hill
7. “The Rise and Fall of the American Housing Market 2008" by Jami Mann

8. “The Truth About Black Economic Empowerment in South Africa” by Mandla Mgijima

9. “Regression of Liquor Sales June 1, 2008 to December 31, 2008' by John Norris.

10 “Economics, Philosophy, and Pixar: What The Incredibles, WALL-E, Cars and Ratatouille
           Have  to Say About the World.” by Samuel Palmer.
11. “Land Use and Income Inequality in Appalachian Kentucky” by Ryan Pennington

12. “Roe v Wade... Yet again.”  by Donald Sherman

13. “Crowding Out: Government vs Private Market” by Matt Thompson

14. “How Government Regulations Contributed to the 2008 Mortgage Meltdown” by
          Branka Tunjic
15. “The Economic Demise of Yugoslavia” by Ena Viteskic

16.  “Rise to Economic Freedom” by Joshua Witten
 

INSTRUCTORS:  1. William Davis, Associate Professor of Economics
                                  Department of Economics  Grise Hall, 431
                                  Office phone/voice mail. 502-745-3123
                                  FAX 270-745-3190 e-mail bill.davis@wku.edu,   Web Page
                                  Office Hours: 8-11am T/Th, 1-3pm M/W/F;  or by Appointment

                              2.  Professor Brian Goff  Link to Dr. Goff's Web Page
                                   414 Grise Hall
                                   Phone:  (270) 745-3855
                                   Web Address: http://www.wku.edu/~brian.goff
                                   E-mail:  brian.goff@wku.edu

                                                   Course Credit: 1 credit hour.  This is a graded capstone course.

The Senior Assessment course in Economics is a one credit hour graded capstone course that is designed to give the Economics students an opportunity to present an integrated work paper, presentation, analytical survey, documentary, videos, or other work).  You may choose between two types of projects:

Option 1)  Summarize and synthesize existing economic research on a topic using 2-3 articles* from peer-reviewed economics journals or Federal Reserve
                  publications (see below). (*If you use a major review article from the Journal of Economic literature that is less than 10 years old, you may use 2
                  articles;  if not, you must you at least 3.)

Option 2)  With special permission, generate an original piece of research on a topic.  Normally, this would include collecting and analyzing data relevant for the
                  project.

Students from the Fall, 2008 and Spring, 2009 will be competing for the Best Paper Prizes in Economics announced in April.  These prizes are awarded annually to the graduating seniors who submit the best papers that addresses a public policy issue (local, state, national, or global) that reflects the application of Economic concepts.   Paper presentations will be given before the faculty on the dates shown below and will be assessed using a common rubic.  The winner is chosen by committee in the Spring Semester.

Grading:  This is a one credit hour course.
                           Paper                                                                                      50 pts
                           Presentation                                                                            25 pts
                          Class engagement/ participation(instructor judgement)               25 pts

                                                                                     Total Points                   100 pts

                                                                       A = minimum of 90 total points
                                                                        B = 80-89 points
                                                                       C = 70-79 points
                                                                        D = 60-69 points
                                                                        F = less than 60 total course points

Class Meetings

January 26:    Introduction--Overview of the course  Professors Davis and Goff.

February 9:  Submit proposed paper topic.  Minimum of one paragraph summary

February 16:  Turn in typed proposal for topic & bibliography.  Discussion of project, content, and details on form and presentations.

February 23:  Turn in outline of paper.

April 20:   Final Draft of Paper:

April 27:  Presentations
 

Jobs and Internships

 Koch Foundation  We have contacts at Koch
 
 

Guidance for Writing Style
Chicago Writing Style Tips
 Chicago Writing Syle Manual
 Chicago Style Manual
 Chicago Syle: FAQs
 

Sources:

See   Journal of Economic Literature Classification Categories
Browse Recent and Back Table of Contents in
Journal of Economic Literature; Journal of Economic Perspectives; Journal of Political Economy; Quarterly Journal of Economics;
Contemporary Economic Policy; Economic Inquiry; American Economic Review;
Federal Reserve District Bank Publications (All Federal Reserve Bank Links  All Federal Reserve Bank Links )
Any Peer-Reviewed Economics Journal (inquire if you are not sure)

 JSTOR

Topical Suggestions  (These May Require Narrowing)

The Economics of Education
    -- Elememtary-Secondary Schools (Competition; Vouchers;  Consolodation; Teacher Training, Class Size,  ...(see, for example, Caroline Hoxby website at
        Harvard)
    -- Higher Education (Efficiency; Quality; Cost; Demand and Revenue; ....)
    -- Grading and Evaluation Mechanisms
    -- Intelligence and Effort
    -- Online
Political Economy
    -- Social Security (Problems; Reforms; ...)
     -- Eminent Domain
    -- Pubic Projects (Urban redeveopment; Infrastructure; Stadiums; ...)
     -- Right to Work Laws
     --  Effects of Gun Control Laws
    --  Influences on Entrepreneurship

Health and Medical Economics
    -- Human Tissue Markets
    -- Supply/Entry Restrictions and Proposals
    -- Demand Side of Markets (Medical Savings Accounts;
    -- Government v. Private Markets

Pricing
    -- Congestion/Peak-Load Pricing (for example, traffic or parking)

Economic Development and Long Run Growth
    -- Country or Region Studies (for example, Ireland, Sub-Saharan Africa)
    -- State/Regional US studies or Focus on Development Issues in Kentucky
    -- Imperical analysis of the relationships among Fraser Institute's Economic Freedom of the World, Heritage/WSJ Index of Economic Freedom, and
        the World Bank "Doing Buiness Index"
International Topics
    -- Outsourcing
    -- Current Account Deficits
Financial Econnomics
    --- Current Financial Crisis
    -- Insider Trading
    -- Hedge Funds
    -- Capital Market Issues
Energy Markets
    -- Impact of Oil Markets on Economy

Misc Topics---
    -- Measures and Influences on Human Happiness
   -- Economics of Religion (Effects of Competition;
     -- Measuring and Explaining Media Bias
    -- Entrepreneurship (Influences; Public Policy Effects)
    -- Intellectual Property (Patent Law; copyright law)
   -- Prediction Markets in Political Markets, Sports, Financial Markets
   -- Moral and Ethical Dimensions of Capitalism
   ---Kentucky State Attorney General investigation of Gasoline Price Gouging (See  WBKO TV stories (with links)
 
 

 Senior Assessment  Economics Papers Fall, 2008
1.   "Options-Intelligence: An Econometric Look at Sales" Abukuppeh, Tad,
2. " The Fair Vote Model Revisited"  Carr,  Jordon
3. "Obesity in the U.S." Chaney, Reed,
4.  "A Study of Economic Development and Democracy"  Crider, Erica,
5. "Affects on Attendance in Diddle Arena"   Ernst, Sam,
6. "Integrating Commerce and Banking: What would make New Entrants Attractive?"  Nevins, Matthew,
7. " Factors  leading to Medicare not covering enough Medical Expenditures"  Norem, Sean
8.  "A Pigouvian Tax: The Answer to the Global Warming Problem?" Rector, Jenny,
9.  "Postsecondary Federal Aid & It’s Costly Influence on Tuition"   Thompson, Kathryn,
 

Economics 499 Papers Sring, 2008
“Oil and the U. S. Economy” by Matt Jones
“Economic Growth: A Fundamental Machine in Poor Countries” by Cornilius Kuunyeeh
“Crime in Kentucky” by Stephen Locke
***"Draxxin vs. Micotil” by Cora Newsom
**“The Economic Impact of the Kentucky Green River Conservation Reserve Enhancement
       Program (CREP)” by Lori Owen
“What Type of Health Care are People Choosing? Fee-For-Service or Managed Care?”  by Adam Reed
“Determinants of Property Crime: A Time Series Analysis” by Casey Walters
“Effects of Minimum Wage” by Rebecca Brandt
“Why Do Some States Grow Faster Than Others?” by William Compton
“Franchise Relocation Restriction in U.S. Sports Leagues” by Anthony Corradina
“Discrimination in European Soccer Leagues” by Bryan Fusenitti
“The NCAA as a Cartel” by Bryan Hanlon
“Considering Medical malpractice Liability Reform” by Dustin James
“  Economics of Obesity" by Jonathan C Jones
 
 

Eonomics 499 Papers  Fall, 2007

" WKU and the Transition to 1A Football: Determinants of  Success at the Next Level in the NCAA"  By: Brandon K. Spurlock
" Determinants of Violent Crime Rates and the Affect of Gun Control"   By: Joe Wegenka
" An Updated Look at the Estimate of the Rent Generated by a Premium College Football Player" By: Eric Stein
 "Ireland: What are they doing better?" By: Enisa Bosnjakovic
" Economics and Global Warming: What does the study of Economics have to contribute to Global Warming" By:  Kimberly ReAnn Humphrey
" Economics of Religion: A look at the economic issues of a church based religion"  By: Elizabeth Fizgerald
" Outsourcing Benefits vs. Drawbacks"   By: Gulam Kuli-zad
" Behavioral Economics and the Efficient Market Hypothesis:  "A Case against Insider Trading Laws" By: Craig Thomas
" A Brief Look at the Economics of Voting"  By: Christopher Wirth
" School Vouchers"  By:  Ashley Barnsfarther
"The Undercover Cartel: A Look at the NCAA’s Cartel Powers"   By: Lance Coulter
"The Demand for Long Term Insurance" By: Aaron Young
"Price Elasticity of Demand for Kentucky Universities"    By: Jeanne Johnson

Eonomics 499 Papers  Spring, 2007

1.  Raschel Berge: "The Housing Bubble: What's to Blame?"
2.  William Bucklew    “  no title   ”
3.  Amber Christian: "Encouraging Advancement: Diversifying Kentucky's Economy through Business Creation and
    Innovation"
4.  Justin Cress: "Beyond the Gift Economy: Explaining the Emergence of Community-Based Peer Production"
5.  Jessie Dempsey: "Kentucky Health Care and Medicare focused in Christian County"
6.  Eddie Gonzalez: "Demand for Western Kentucky University: What affects the outcome?"
7.  Travis Ford: "Wage Gap in Earnings of Small Business Entrepreneurs"
8.  Adam Foster: "The Impact of Foreign Aid on Economic Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa"
9.  Michael Harper: "Economic Implications of Minor League Baseball Franchise Ownership In Small Markets"
10.  Jennifer Jones: "Economics of Education...What Really Matters!"
11.  Warren R. Leet III: "The Technology Effects on the Efficient Market Hypothesis"
12.  Zach Lockhart: "Can Entrepreneurs Fix the Public School System in Kentucky?"
13.  Jason McPherson: "Welfare Reform and Lowering Unemployment Rates: An Empirical Study"
14.  Brandon Nash: "Is the Climate for Business Startup Important? What Affects the Climate for Business Startup?"
15.  Lindsey Reed: "Effects of the Regulatory Climate on Entrepreneurial Activity: The Strength of Small Business
       Versus the Large Business"
16.  Ryan Rice: "Harboring Entrepreneurial Activity: Where has Kentucky went wrong?"
17.  Nathan Drew Richey: "The Problems with Health Care in the United States"
18.  Nathan Russell: "Government Funded Market Manipulations"
19.  Bojan Savic: "Organ Markets"
20.  Nick Steen: "Can the U.S. Create a Realistically Feasible Solution That is Economically Sound?" (this paper is
       about illegal immigrants to the U.S.)
21.  John Stephens: "The Celtic Tiger"
22.  Chris Wathen: "Economics of Social Entrepreneurship: Does the Expansion of the Public Charity take away
        from Private Charity?"
23.  Senad Zlatovic: "An Inquiry into the Causes of Happiness”

 Fall, 2006
1. “Social Security Reform: Is the Chilean Model Right for the U. S.?”  by Christopher Baird
2. “Will They or Won’t They: How Will OPEC React to Falling Oil Prices?” By Lindsey Boots
3. “A Cost Benefit Analysis of the National Animal Identification System” by Derek Kelley
4. “Property Rights and Eminent Domain”  by Jessika Kingsley
5. “A Comparative Analysis of the Effects of Government Spending on Income in the Private Sector”   by Christopher Whitfield

Spring, 2006

1. David Burkhart –Gun ControL
2. Miu Asano –Impact of Foreign Industry on Kentucky
3. Aaron Clark- Economics of Parking
4. Bradley Eickhoff -Education Reform in Kentucky
5. Yu-Chen Feng-Economics of Higher Education
6. Kyle Fritsch – Economics of Baseball
7. Irma Handzic -Education Reform in Kentucky
8. Nathan Barnett –Greenspan and the Stock Market Crash of 1987
9. Thomas Hsu –An Analysis of the Regressive Nature of the KEES Program
***10. Wayne Jackson –Determinants of Economic Growth
11. Jessica Jones –The Economics of the Location of the Nissan Facility in Tennessee.
12. Matthew Keown – The Benefits of Trees
13. Brandon Kinkade – Foreign Aid and the Economic Development of Africa
14. J.A. Malone- “Shoplifting as Governance” The Economics of Maryland’s Walmart Law
15. David McGee –The Implications of Ben Bernanke’s Fed Appointment
16. Kyle Marklin -Economics of Higher Education
17. Kevin Nelson –Medical Savings Accounts
18. Shiloh Pendley – New Institutional Economics and Economic Developement
19. Ivana Petrovic The Economic Status of Bosnia- Herzegovnia
20. Christopher Scales – The Economics of Legal Organ Markets-The Case of LifeSharers
**21. Ashley Schonhoff –“The Right to Let Data Speak” -Effects of Right to Work Laws

Senior Assessement Presentations, Fall 2005

1. Amanda Bennett "The Nation's Espionage Concerns"
2. Burch Bragg “Eminent Domain”
3. Jacob Crowe “The Economic Impact of the College Football Bowl System”
4. Joey Gibson 'Security in the cBay Marketplace"
5. Patrick Story "Insider Trading"
6. Clayton Harned "The Economic Impact of Hurricane Katrina"
7. Sarah Melius "The Issue of Medical Malpractice Insurance"
8. Michael Matthews. “The Economic Disappointments in Germany After the Fall of the Berlin Wall”
9. Mark Davis "State Lawsuits and the Tobacco Industry"
*10. Julie Civello "From Ejido to Private Ownership"
11. Brandy Moore "Social Security Reform: Where's My Retirement?"
12. William Conley "Privatizing Social Security"
13. Eric Mudd "Outsourcing: The Good, Bad, And the Ugly!"
14. Cheryl Shell ederal Excise Tax on Communications-"Tax on Talk"
 

Ramsey, Pulsielli, Kim award winners for 2005/06 academic year.

1st Place: Julie Civello "From Ejido to Private Ownership"
2nd Place  Ashley Schonhoff –“The Right to Let Data Speak” -Effects of Right to Work Laws
3rd Place  Wayne Jackson –Determinants of Economic Growth

Senior Assessment Papers Given  Spring, 2005

Adam Bolli, "The TSA & The Demise of Common Sense".
Andrew Brelage, "The Economics of Illegal File-Sharing & Its Impact".
John D. Campbell, "The Fight For Air".
Mattheew A. Colley, "Economic Effects of the Tobacco Quota Buyout".
Michael S. Costen, "Economics of the Airline Industry".
Jimmy DeArmond, "Welcome Back, Mr. Peabody".
Bradley Frye, "Protecting The Future".
John R. Gray, "The Celtic Tiger - A Blueprint for Developing Nations".
James Harper, "Outsourcing of Firms".
Jerry Todd Holloway, "Steel Industry Protection-Is It Needed Or Does It Allow The Industry To Ignore Other Problems?".
Ben Johnson, "Agentina - A Case For Change".
Jill Kearns, "Vouchers in D.C.".
Jessica Malloy, "Play Ball (Or Maybe Not)". ***
Eric Sempsrott, "May I Please Park My Car Without Twenty Dollar  Decorations".
Karlis Siljakovs III, "Baseball In Bowling Green".
Jennifer Taylor, "Efficiency In Western Kentucky Computer Labs".
Tara Nicole Ward, "Guns In Every State - The Best Offense Is A Good Defense".
Chris White, "State Lottery Programs".
Becky Young, "School Choice & Voucher Programs".

***Ms. Malloy's paper won the Ramsey Prize for 2005.

Senior Assessment Papers Given Fall, 2004

Nathan Bolton, "Lottery = Education?".
Josh Gibson, "World Bank - Does It Aid Or Harm Developing Countries?".
Mandy Hicks, "Rebuilding The Economy Of Iraq".
Jonathon Kincaid, "The Economic Effects Of Insider Trading: Do We Need A Change In Our Securities Exchange System?".
Roger Mattingly, "Property Rights & Native Americans".
Miki Padgett, "The Ache' : A Macroeconomic Overview Of A People's Struggle To Survive".
Joel Peyton, "Mousetraps &  State Coffee: Making The Case For Privatizing Kentucky State Parks".
Tim Pierce, "The Economics Of Steroid Use In Major League Baseball".
Andy Rogers, "Is Outsourcing & Off Shoring Really Casuing The Problem  Society Says It Is?".
Matt Tripodi, "The Organ Market: Solutions To The Shortage".
Erica Stricklin, "Native American Casinos & Their Impact On Reservations & Surrounding Areas.".
Matthew Watt, "Private Property Rights: The Foundation To Economic Development".
Bob Wayne, "A Cost Benefit Analysis Of The Kentucky Trimodal Transpark

Ramsey Prize Winner for the 2003/2004 academic year was Aaron Morris for his paper on :  "The Economic Impact of the Prevailing Wage Law in Kentucky"
Mr. Morris's paper also won the campus wide Sigma Xi award for the best undergraduate paper in May of 2004.
 

NOTE: Student Disability Services
In compliance with university policy, students with disabilities who require accommodations (academic adjustments and/or auxiliary aids or services) for this course must contact the Office for Student Disability Services in DUC A-200 of the Student Success Center in Downing University Center.
Please DO NOT request accommodations directly from the professor or instructor without a letter of accommodation from the Office for Student Disability Services.