BACKGROUND

The only restriction is that you are not allowed to do a project that involves using wage or income as the dependent variable. That is you are not allowed to investigate the determinants of wages, pay or income. Please use the dataset provided (re-assessment data.sav) as it is slightly different from the version used for the submission in March. This version excludes observations from London. Otherwise it is the same (i.e. includes the same variables).
Anyone that does not follow these instructions will have their mark for the project capped at 40%.

UNDERSTANDING SOCIETY SURVEY

Understanding Society is a longitudinal survey (i.e. re-interviewing the same individuals / households over time). The survey builds on and extends an earlier survey that was known as the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS). The project will involve using a single cross-section (wave 6) of the data.

Understanding Society survey provides information on household composition, employment and skills, income and wealth, education, health and lifestyle, social and political attitudes, well-being, environment and transport, children and families. Given its coverage Understanding Society and its predecessor, the BHPS, have been and continue to be used in a wide range of applications, see for example:

https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/

SUGGESTED OUTLINE OF THE PROJECT  Introduction

State clearly the research question you are investigating. Indicate how you approach the problem (outline the structure of your answer). Stress any original contribution you can make.

 Background
Briefly describe the underlying theory and findings of important related literature. If possible, critique the literature, identifying deficiencies your project addresses.

 Model
You must centre your project on one or a number of quantitative relationships / propositions suitable for statistical estimation and/or testing. This should be related to relevant theory (where appropriate).

 Data
Carefully define your variables; include a list of expected signs and a table of descriptive statistics. Some preliminary charts and diagrams should also be considered.

 Empirical Analysis
The analysis of the results is the most important stage of the study. It involves estimating an initial model or models, performing appropriate diagnostic tests, reformulating and re-estimating, conducting tests of hypothesis and, finally, prediction and policy implications. You should consider including a comparative table of results (in terms of different estimation methods, different samples and / or variables) – basically whatever you think is appropriate given the research question you are considering. Make sure the results are interpreted appropriately in terms of sign, significance and magnitude.

 Conclusion
Summarise your findings and discuss their implications (e.g. are there any policy implications associated with your results?). Discuss the limitations of what you have done.

 Bibliography
Properly cite your references. This should conform to the Harvard System.

 Presentation
Please give consideration to the readability of your project e.g. the formatting of tables, figures, equations and any regression output included. I would expect you to include the main figures/tables/equations etc. within the main body of the project. Additional figures and tables can be included in an appendix (which will not count towards the word count) but remember your marker will not necessarily look at the material in the appendix, so use it wisely!

Preliminary Advice

 Start Early

Think about some potential topics you might be interested in NOW. Try not to luxuriate in the comfort of having a deadline which at this stage is over 3 months away. You will be expected to submit a project proposal (details provided separately). This is to be submitted by 6pm on Friday 9th December 2016.

 Be Realistic

Use bibliographic sources and online databases to obtain relevant articles. Be realistic in the number of references used (textbooks, journal articles, working papers, articles in the FT, Economist, etc). It is better to have fewer relevant references than lots of irrelevant material.

 Make the Best Use of Your References

Use these references to identify approaches, both in terms of the estimation methods used but more specifically in the choice of variables. This will provide you with an idea of the most appropriate variables that have been used in previous studies.

 Effective and Efficient
Try to work effectively. It is often good practice to make a list of tasks to be carried out before sitting

down at the computer – this will enable you to work more efficiently.

 Be Prepared

Be prepared to spend a long time with the data, both in terms of preparing the dataset and the statistical analysis (unfortunately this is inevitable). Try not to lose the original datafile just in case things go wrong! Also, you may have to compromise on your topic choice, or choice of variables, depending on data availability. Save your work regularly (and save to multiple locations)!

 Persevere
The skills you develop in carrying out the project WILL be useful!

POTENTIAL TOPIC AREAS (SOME SUGGESTIONS)

•   Labour Market
- employment decisions (e.g. part-time versus full-time, hours worked), occupational choice, 
commuting behaviour. Voluntary work, domestic labour.
•   Consumption

– Cigarette consumption.

•   Financial Behaviour 
- Savings behaviour, financial expectations, charitable giving.
•   Political and Social Behaviour 
- voting behaviour, political engagement.
•   Health and well-being 
- General health, life satisfaction, job satisfaction 
PREVIOUS PROJECTS WHICH HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED IN THE NORWICH ECONOMIC PAPERS SERIES (volumes 12 and 14): 
https://www.uea.ac.uk/economics/norwich-economic-papers