2008 Senior Essay Guidelines

    The senior essay for economics majors is optional.  If a senior wishes to be considered for distinction in the major, however, the senior essay is required.  Most students who do a senior essay find it immensely rewarding and consider it one of their best experiences at Yale.  We hope you will feel the same.

Senior Essay Types

    Senior essays can be 1-term or 2-term essays.  The difference between  a 1-term and a 2-term essay is the 2-term essay is broader in scope.  Grading of the essay takes into account whether the essays are 1-term or 2-term.   Most economics majors do 2-term essays.

Senior essays can be done in one of several ways:

1-term essays:

1) Enroll in Econ 491a in the fall of your senior year

2) Expand a term paper from a fall-term seminar in your senior year

(*Please note that a 1-term essay cannot be done in the spring term of your senior year.)

2-term essays:

Enroll in Econ 491a and Econ 492b

Timeline

Fall Term of Senior Year:

1)  Attend a senior essay meeting in the first weeks of classes (see bluebook for days and times)

2)  Choose an advisor and a topic.   If you have difficulty with finding an advisor, see the DUS for suggestions.  There are many economics faculty members who you may not be familiar with that might be ideal for your topic.  If you are doing a 1-term essay out of a fall seminar, the instructor becomes your advisor.

3)  Enroll in Econ 491a (not necessary if you are doing a senior essay out of a fall seminar).

4)  Submit a “Senior Essay Prospectus” by October 8.  The prospectus must be signed by your advisor.  All students submitting a senior essay must hand in a prospectus at this time.

5)  Meet with your advisor bi-weekly.

1-Term Senior Essays Written out of Fall Seminars:

Seniors may elect to write senior essays out of fall seminars for no other course credit than seminar credit. 

The advisor for the senior essay is usually the seminar instructor.

The advisor should meet with the student regularly.  The student usually develops a seminar paper to a senior essay by increasing the scope and length of the long paper assigned in the seminar.  The advisor’s obligation to the advisee is the fall term only.  A student can continue to polish his/her senior essay until the April 7, 2008 deadline to get the best possible reader grade, but the advisor is under no obligation to assist beyond the fall term. 

The advisor will be asked to fill out an Advisor’s Report, give the essay a grade (though this grade will not appear on the student’s transcript) and indicate whether the essay should be considered for a prize.

1-Term Senior Essays for Students Enrolled in Econ 491a

1-term senior essays are due the first day of finals, which is Friday, December 14.

Advisors should see their students regularly throughout the fall term.

The advisor will be asked to fill out an Advisor’s Report, where the grade for the essay is noted and also asks whether the essay should be considered for a prize.

2-Term Senior Essays for Students Enrolled in Econ 491a and Econ 492b

2-term senior essays are due on April 7, 2008.

Advisors meet with their students regularly through the fall and spring terms, imposing deadlines such as paper outlines and drafts at their discretion.

At the end of the fall term, 2-term senior essays need a satisfactory or unsatisfactory grade to submit to the Registrar preferably before the holiday break, but no later than when the grade sheets are due on Wednesday, January 2.