This course deals with issues pertinent to the scientific research in economics, providing the principles for organizing, planning, designing and conducting research. More specifically, the course provides knowledge on: the use of bibliographic reviews, use of data sources, ethics of economic research, overall design of a research project (objectives, philosophy, and methods), evaluation of existing research, and, finally, the compilation and dissemination of the findings. The students discuss and present papers, learn research methods and write a critical review of the literature on an economic topic of their choice.

By the end of this course, the students are expected to:

• Knowledge:
• Know how to search for research papers and scholarly journal articles.
• Know how to evaluate information found in the web.
• Know how to analyze critically the research of others
• Understand the different approaches to empirical economic research (social experiments, field experiments, laboratory experiments, natural experiments)
• Be aware that research in economics is a continuous learning process.
• Skills:
• Demonstrate comprehensive knowledge and understanding of all stages of the research process, including the important links between its various components
• Critically appraise the philosophical and ethical issues relating to research in economics
• Identify and analyze primary and secondary data sources
• Synthesize the relevant literature, explaining how the theories have been tested
• Be able to design a research project and communicate the findings
• Specific skills:
• Have gained experience at presenting the research work of others, individually and as part of a team
• Have gained experience at writing a critical review of the literature.

1) The status and evolution of economic knowledge

2) Ethics of economic research

3) Literature reviews, skills and resources

4) Accessing economic data sources

5) Essay writing skills in economics

6) Reading and reviewing an article

7) Econometrics skill- training

8) Software presentation and application

9) Starting research and writing a dissertation

Lectures (3 hours per week)

1) Written examination at the end of the semester (80%)

2) Assignment during the semester (20%).

Use of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) (e.g. PowerPoint) in teaching.