Customer Reviews

A Guide for the Young Economist

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4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
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1 star:		(1)

 

 

This excellent book contains many humorous annecdotes, which ease the reading of a semi-technical book. Any academic student looking to write a paper can read this and gain helpful tips to make their paper a sucess. Again, this section of the book is for anyone, and is understandable to the non-economist, although examples are sometimes economically related. The second part of the book focuses on giving talks, and how to get your messsage across in the best way possible. Again, this is for any one looking to enhance their abilities to give a talk in front of people. William gives advice as how to better your communication skills and how to talk to large audiences. The third part of his book, writing referee reports, is more catered to the economist, or the types of people who need to write referee reports. Aagin, he gives helpful tips in a humorous fasion, making it an enjoyable read. If you are looking to enhance your abilities to write papers,(any high school, college, or graduate student), give talk, or write referee reports, this is an excellent source to turn to.

Not only for the young economist, I would consider this is an essential guide for those preparing economic papers to submit to academic presses. Thomson's style is warm, clear and engaging, and his advice sound. Anyone who has ever gotten a headache working through the notation of a working economic theory paper will be tempted to buy the author a copy of this book. Highly recommended.

The section on introductions and lit reviews is excellent. Referees are harsh. Start strong and don't piss them off. Thomson gives you good suggestions for making referees happy.

He has pretty good advice for explaining a mathematical model though much of that is obvious.

He really doesn't talk at all about how to present data either in a paper or in a talk. It is harder to do a good job presenting data that an outsider might guess.

For anyone bright enough to earn a PhD in economics this book will vastly under-deliver. The author should be embarrassed.