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LEARNING OPPORTUNITY #2

Spring Term 2020 Marxist Political Economy

Learning Opportunity #2 involves formulating a thesis that can be developed with a supportive argument that makes use of bibliographical sources. This is the first and key step in writing a research paper for our EC345 course.

Research papers of quality are not typically written in one shot. More typically, ideas are written down coarsely, and then developed into a first draft. Ideas are then refined, further refined, and then refined even more in subsequent drafts. Our approach accepts the notion that with refinement, the ideas written down initially are of grand importance, as these initial ideas can be pushed steadily towards higher

and higher levels of clarity, reflecting what it is that you⎯the author⎯are striving to communicate. Considering our time constraints in this ten-week course, we shall proceed with composing a research paper as an exercise made in two shots, with its arguments supported by cited literature.

This Learning Opportunity #2 will lead you towards completing the first draft of your research paper. This is due on Friday, 22 May, and by sending to my email address. This draft is worth a potential 25 points.

This first draft should include an Outline that takes up a full page. Your “Outline” is worth 10 points towards content. Keep this in mind and avoid messing this up. Your outline page should be rendered as Page “0.” And then the number “0” is suppressed. In this outline please include a thesis sentence. It is in your interest to work with me that your thesis is close to what you would like to develop and that its posed as clear as a bell, as this thesis sentence serves as the foundation upon which research inquiry will be built. Above the thesis sentence include a title. Below the thesis sentence, you need an opening sentence. Below that, please include the two or three parts that you plan to include in order to support your thesis. This opening sentence typically begins with: This inquiry seeks to establish that…then you plug into your thesis sentence. Then, you need the first sentence of your conclusion. This sentence typically starts with: This inquiry has sought to establish that … and then you plug into your thesis sentence. Please keep in mind that this Outline is worth 10 points towards content. So get it straight. I’m on hand during office hours to assist.

Formulating a Thesis: For this course, your cited research paper needs to have a thesis. Your topic and thesis should ideally have some special relevance and importance to you. People tend to take an interest in your research if you believe in its importance. Best if your thesis is verbally run by me, and also approved. If you need assistance, you will need to speak with me during office hours. I hold four 50- minute sessions each week. Consider speaking with me for at least ten good minutes. If you can work well on your own, five minutes could suffice. If you need more assistance, please then make use of my office hours.

Page 1 of your first draft should start with a variant of your thesis sentence. Then you proceed with an Introduction. A good way to start is: This inquiry seeks to establish …. This inquiry seeks to convince the reader …. With this inquiry, I shall seek to establish ….

Introductions run about ½ to one full page, and are not noted with a heading.

The two or three parts of your outline are then presented in bold face font as the headings for each section.

When you reach Conclusion, a useful and balanced approach involves starting with the sentence: This inquiry has sought to establish that …. A conclusion typically rehashes the thesis in altered form, and then considers how the thesis was developed with the two or three sections. A conclusion is essentially a rehashed version of an introduction, in summary format, with some profound ideas for the reader to consider at the end of the conclusion. One page should be sufficient.

This leaves the main sections of your paper. Over the long span of history the number “three” earns a high place among numbers. For examples, consider the number of leaves on most shamrocks, and also the Irish emphasize that their whiskey is distilled three times. So, a useful and standard rhetorical method is to develop a thesis supported by three points: presented as sections of your paper. So, you have a title page as “0” (suppressed). Then, comes Page 1, the Introduction that runs from ½ to one page. Then you have three sections running about 2.5 to 3 pages. Add a Conclusion, and a Bibliography, and you have a 10 to 11 page research paper. The conference papers that I write are typically limited to 2,850 words of text and up to four pages of notes, including bibliography. Cite the relevant literature relying on standards emphasized in this course and are found in the last section of Learning Opportunity #1. With this approach footnotes are hardly relied upon. And, if relied upon, should serve to clarify or extend a topic raised in the text.

An alternative is you develop your thesis in two parts, each about four pages.

For “Learning Opportunity Two,” you introduce this novel thesis and then proceed to develop it as best you can.

Example of a Page 0 of L.O. #2. Please present your Outline for your inquiry.

Title: SUBREPTION AND ITS APPEARANCES AND USES IN LAW, PHILOSOPHY AND POLITICAL ECONOMY

Thesis Sentence: Subreption has appearances and uses in law, philosophy, and political economy.

Opening Sentence: This inquiry seeks to establish that subreption has appearances and uses in Roman Law, Kantian Philosophy, and Veblenian political economy.

Part 1 Subreption’s appearances and uses in Roman Law Part 2 Subreption’s appearances and uses in Kantian Philosophy Part 3 Subreption’s appearances and uses in Veblenian

political economy

Conclusion: This inquiry has sought to establish that indeed subreption has appeared in and been used in Roman Law, Kantian Philosophy, and Veblenian Political Economy.

Bibliography

Title: KEYNES, UNEMPLOYMENT AND EFFECTIVE DEMAND

Thesis: In his General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money, John Maynard Keynes associates unemployment with the level of effective demand.

Introduction Part 1 Keynes’ understanding of three forms of unemployment Part 2 Keynes’ critique of the classical theorists, especially

Professor Pigou Part 3 Involuntary unemployment and effective demand

Conclusion

Your opening sentence could start like this.

This inquiry seeks to establish that in his General Theory of Employment, Interest and Money, John Maynard Keynes relates involuntary unemployment to the level of effective demand.

The first sentence of your Conclusion should then go something like this.

This inquiry has sought to establish that in his General Theory, John Maynard Keynes relates involuntary unemployment to the level of effective demand.