Paper: Students will prepare a paper within the broad area of the economics of crime. Students will choose
the topic in consultation with the instructor. This paper will involve an extensive literature review that
covers an area of the students choosing.
The goal of the paper is to achieve the following:
1.) Clearly state the topic of interest and identify the research question of interest. Discuss why the chosen
area of research is important from a theoretical or policy perspective.
2.) Find, at minimum, 5 published articles in reputable economics journals to review. Doing so, be sure
to explain:
– Why did you select each article and how the research question in the articles relate to your
topic/area of interest.
– Summarize the research question, empirical methods and results of each paper
– Discuss what you think are the merits and shortcomings of each paper. Assess overall whether
the paper was convincing or not. Are there any room for improvement?
3.) Based on your review, provide an answer to your research question. What is the state of the literature
and what does the preponderance evidence support? Assess both evidence in support and in opposition to
the relationship of interest. Discuss what are the major questions that are still unanswered and where do
you think future research on this topic should focus?
Research Paper Template
I. Title page. Title of your paper, your name, and an abstract that is no more than 100 words in length.
II. Introduction. A clear, concise statement of the question of interest. Convince the reader why this is
interesting and important. (1-3 pages)
III. Literature review. Review the relevant research you have found. Make sure to address goal #2
above. (3-6 pages)
IV. Summary and possible extensions of the literature. Conclude what you have learned from the
literature review and address goal #3. (2-4 pages)
V. References. Any articles cited in your paper or sources you consulted must be included in your list of
references at the end of your paper. The style of references is up to you (MLA, APA, etc.), just stay
consistent.