January 31: Defining the research question

Today Chris, Sara, and I worked on defining our research questions.  To begin, we used a worksheet (Research Toolkit: Define Topic) made publicly available by Celita DeArmond (San Antonio College) to think through our ideas.  We spent the first 15 minutes working independently on these worksheets, and then went around the room sharing our worksheets.

The worksheets were quite useful finding holes in the thought process.  For example, I initially was going to separate my findings by gender and race, but realized as I wrote out my process that at the state level over time that would not be possible.  Chris also found a hole that he needs to fill before he moves on.

The rest of the class period was spent hammering out the goal(s) of our research projects, and offering ideas/suggestions to each other.

After class, Sara came to my office and we worked through her IRB form that must be completed ASAP since data collection is time sensitive in her case.

Roanoke College Economics: Sara Caudle on the RC News Blog

Roanoke College Economics: Sara Caudle on the RC News Blog: Read about Sara Caudle's research project and her plans for presenting and publishing. http://www.rcnewsblog.com/?p=3596

Day One of the Spring 2012 URE

We began our 2012 URE on January 24 in West 115.  The focus of this meeting was introducing students to the Mentor Demonstration Model and explaining our projects for the semester.

First the 2012 syllabus and a copy of the paper "Do as I say and as I do: An application of the Mentor Demonstration Model," coauthored by Sara Caudle, Tyler Rinko, Justin Tuma and Dr. Kassens (http://ssrn.com/abstract=1964805) were distributed.  The paper introduces the 2012 students to the concepts and outcomes of the teaching method.  Additionally, it illustrates co-authorship between faculty and students and hopefully will encourage the current students to think about potential topics for a co-authored paper based on the 2012 experience.

Next we went around the room and explained our goals and research topics for the semester.

Sara Caudle `12 is continuing a project that she has been working on for a year.  She is investigating the relationship between student behavior (smoking, drinking, exercise, diet, etc) and GPA.  Her paper on this topic from Econometrics was accepted for presentation at the 2012 NCUR at Weber State University.  This semester she plans to "bring the story to life" by interviewing students and following a cohort through an HHP course (with the help of Dr. Julie Maina).  Her goal is to not only earn honors in economics, but to get her paper published.

Max Stein `12 is continuing a project from the fall econometrics course.  He is analyzing the relationship between divorce rates in the US and the business cycle.  This semester he plans to expand the policy section of the paper and refine his literature review and econometric model.  Max's goals are to present his paper at an undergraduate conference, submit it to an undergraduate journal and the Roanoke College Fowler Paper Competition.  An economics major has not won the Fowler Prize since Samantha Sterba `09 with her paper on the effectiveness of stimulus checks and test of Friedman's Permanent Income Hypothesis.

Chris Kwaramba `12 is beginning a new project inspired in part by topics in Kassens' fall health economics course (ECON 227).  He plans to do a policy analysis of the health care bill and its potential impacts on physician markets in the US.  Chris would like to focus his attention on the strategic incentives created by the new law for physicians.  For example, will physicians move away from private practice to towards employment by hospitals?  His goals for the semester are to earn honors in economics, present at an undergraduate conference, and submit his paper to an undergraduate research journal.

Dr. Alice Kassens will work on several projects throughout the semester within the group.  First, she will produce two reports for the Roanoke College Institute for Policy and Opinion Research.  In February, Kassens will release the second edition of the Virginia Consumer Sentiment Index.  Additions to the February analysis will be measures of Virginian's price expectations.  The inaugural report was picked up by Yahoo Finance and Market Watch, and the IPOR is confident that this report will be equally successful.  The March report will analyze the relationship between consumer sentiment in Virginia, labor market outcomes, and health.  This report ties closely to the ongoing project Kassens has with Dr. William M. Rodgers III (Rutgers University, Heldrich Center for Workforce Development), which Kassens's will work on within the 2012 URE group as well.    Kassens' goals are to successfully complete the two IPOR reports and complete the first paper in the series with Rodgers.

Spring 2012 Research Group

Four undergraduates are working with Dr. Kassens in an undergraduate research experience (Sara Caudle, Peter Holden, Chris Kwaramba, and Max Stein).  Several other students will join the group at various times as they work on research from previous semesters for publication or presentation.

The Mentor Demonstration model will be used again.  The syllabus describing this semesters' project is shown below.  To read about last year's experience go to http://ssrn.com/abstract=1964805

Mentor Demonstration 2012