Category Teaching
Could you pass Eco 100?
My best friend's son is taking Eco 100. While studying for his midterm exam, he encountered this question: True or false: There is no difference between these two equilibrium equations in Eco 100 consumer theory as one equation can be transformed mathematically into the other (a) MUx/MUy=Px/Py (b) MUx/Px=MUy/Py. What do you think? Is this […]
Friedrich List: The Un-Adam Smith
Here is something a little different. My history of economic thought course has just finished up with John Stuart Mill and I will be moving into the socialist reaction to classical economic theory. Most of us probably associate Marx and socialism with criticism of the classical school but there was also an early non-socialist reaction […]
Teaching bleg: Online sources for the story of the global economic crises?
I'm teaching an advanced macro course this term, and I've decided that someone who is receiving an undergraduate degree in economics should be conversant in current events. After six years of blogging, I've seen lots of material. Too much, in fact; I scarcely know where to start. Can anyone point me to some online summaries I […]
How to present a paper, revisited
Nick Rowe once wrote down some simple advice about how to present an academic paper: Presenters should concentrate on giving us the big picture: the motivation, key assumptions, the main results, and the intuition behind those results. Don’t try and grind through countless equations in excruciating detail; you won’t have time, and nobody cares (if […]
Should spelling and grammar count?
I'm spending my weekend marking exams and papers. As always, I have to decide, "Should I take off marks for spelling mistakes and grammatical errors?" Grades are a measure of a student's abilities, skills, and knowledge. They are used by admission committees in deciding a student's potential for graduate work (a master's degree, or law […]
Visions for Universities
My friend and PhD Thesis advisor Peter George was awarded the David C. Smith Award for Significant Contribution to Scholarship and Policy on Higher Education in Canada at a dinner on October 13th hosted by the Council of Universities. As part of the celebration, Peter George delivered a speech that drew upon his three-term experience […]
Sustainable Universities
Judging from some of the ruminating going on in the media lately, it would appear that Canadian universities will soon be facing a new assault under the mantra of sustainability. Some of this is a spillover from the United States where rising tuition fees have exceeded the general inflation rate fostering a view that higher […]
In applied economic research, what actually matters?
"his friend Mr. Darcy soon drew the attention of the room by his fine, tall person, handsome features, noble mien; and the report which was in general circulation within five minutes after his entrance, of his having ten thousand a year." Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice. Taller men are more desirable marriage partners. One theory […]
When is a missing observation not really missing?
Imagine you want to learn about the causes of disability in Canada. You could structure your questionnaire in one of two ways.
Medieval Monetary Thought
In my final class lecture this week on ancient and medieval economic thought, I discussed the work of Nicholas Oresme (1320 to 1382), a French Roman Catholic bishop who was also a philosopher, mathematician and an economic thinker. I found it interesting to see a career link between mathematics and economics so early on. More […]
Worthwhile Canadian Initiative 
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