Skip to main content
Module Search
A street in Durham, with old buildings and people walking down the street
 

ECON3462: RESEARCH PROJECT IN BEHAVIOURAL ECONOMICS

Please ensure you check the module availability box for each module outline, as not all modules will run in each academic year. Each module description relates to the year indicated in the module availability box, and this may change from year to year, due to, for example: changing staff expertise, disciplinary developments, the requirements of external bodies and partners, and student feedback. Current modules are subject to change in light of the ongoing disruption caused by Covid-19.

Type Tied
Level 3
Credits 40
Availability Available in 2024/2025
Module Cap 8
Location Durham
Department Economics

Prerequisites

  • Behavioural and Experimental Economics (ECON2141)

Corequisites

  • None.

Excluded Combinations of Modules

  • None.

Aims

  • The research project should be a substantial piece of work that provides a detailed and critical examination of a particular topic.
  • The research project should include original data collected using experimental economics standards.
  • The research project aims to encourage students to acquire the skills of independent research by pursuing a substantial project requiring research reading, study design, data collection and analysis.

Content

  • There is a highly structured plan of work involving lectures, practicals and consultations between students and their research project supervisors.

Learning Outcomes

Subject-specific Knowledge:

  • Enhance student's knowledge of a specific topic in behavioural and experimental economics

Subject-specific Skills:

  • By completing a research project, students will learn to plan and design a substantial piece of written work on an area of behavioural and experimental economics of their choice which requires literature searches, and the collection and analysis of relevant data.

Key Skills:

  • Written communication - by completing the summative assessment
  • Planning Organisation and time management - by observing strict deadlines
  • Initiative - by searching relevant literature and other information
  • The design of instruments for collecting behavioural or choice data.
  • Development of statistically rigorous experimental design
  • Development of data analytical skill
  • Technical writing using word processing software

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

  • Teaching is by lectures, practicals and consultations. Learning takes place through attendance at lectures, practicals, preparation for and participation in consultations and private study. Formative assessment is by means of preparation of two assignments linked to the practical sessions to enable students to learn how to conduct data collection and analysis. Summative assessment is by methods outlined below.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

ActivityNumberFrequencyDurationTotalMonitored
Lectures13Weekly first term, and then three meetings in the second term 1 hour13Yes
Consultations (4 group plus 2 individual sessions) 6One in the first term, and then once a week in weeks 2-9 of the second term20 mins2Yes
Practicals3All in the first term2 hours6Yes
Student Preparation and Reading379 
Total400 
 

Summative Assessment

Component: CourseworkComponent Weighting: 100%
ElementLength / DurationElement WeightingResit Opportunity
Final Research Project8,000 words60%Same
Group Research Design Document2,000 words15%Same
Final Project Presentation20 minutes25%Same

Formative Assessment

There are two formative assessments through practicals. One is a practical on pre-study power analysis with accompanying assignment, and the other is on developing data-collecting instruments with accompanying assignment.

More information

If you have a question about Durham's modular degree programmes, please visit our FAQ webpages, Help page or our glossary of terms. If you have a question about modular programmes that is not covered by the FAQ, or a query about the on-line Undergraduate Module Handbook, please contact us.

Prospective Students: If you have a query about a specific module or degree programme, please Ask Us.

Current Students: Please contact your department.