A newly updated edition of the definitive guide for budding economists, with a new chapter of advice for young professors.
In clear, accessible language—a model of what he advocates—William Thomson shows early-career economists how to make written and oral presentations both inviting and effective. A Guide for the Young Economist covers the basics of clear exposition, including such nuts-and-bolts topics as titling papers, writing abstracts, presenting research results, and holding an audience’s attention.
This book is an invaluable guide for young economists working on their dissertations, preparing their first articles for submission to professional journals, getting ready for their first presentations at conferences and job seminars, or facing their first refereeing assignments. In this new edition, the author also includes a chapter of advice written especially for those young economists who have just received their PhDs.
ENDORSEMENTS
“How to argue persuasively for the originality and importance of your work, how to acknowledge properly where it comes from, how to criticize respectfully the canonical elders and fairly your peers, how to write a critical but equitable referee report, how to properly express scholarly indignation: This marvelous ‘how to’ book will teach you this and more. Its detailed advice will stay with you long after reading." —Hervé Moulin, Professor, University of Glasgow; author of Fair Division and Collective Welfare
“This book isn’t just the most brilliant work about writing written by an economist for all economists. Within its genre, it plays a role akin to mathematical reasoning in economics: It elevates writing into an intellectual craft.” —Yannis M. Ioannides, Neubauer Professor of Economics Emeritus, Tufts University; author of From Neighborhoods to Nations
“Thomson, a renowned teacher, explains clearly much of the invisible curriculum for becoming an academic economist, from pursuing a PhD to approaching tenure. Even old hands will find actionable advice.” —Alvin E. Roth, McCaw Professor of Economics, Stanford University; author of Who Gets What—and Why and Moral Economics
“I highly recommend this book to graduate students who are about to start their PhD training in economics as well as to young assistant professors who already acquired their PhDs. Questions like how to choose a PhD topic or advisor, what papers to write and present, and more are addressed by an author who is a master practitioner and presenter.” —Ehud Kalai, James J. O’Connor Emeritus Professor of Managerial Economics and Decision Sciences, Northwestern University
“It usually takes years, if not a full career, to learn all the ins and outs of a profession. William Thomson has distilled that knowledge into this incredibly valuable and well-written guide. You will learn from it even if you are not a youngster or an economist.” —Matthew O. Jackson, Eberle Professor of Economics, Stanford University; author of The Human Network
“Over the past decades, both the technical fields of economics and the skills required of economics faculty members have dramatically evolved. William Thomson’s book is the perfect guide for a splendid and impactful career.” —Jerry R. Green, John Leverett Professor in the University, Harvard University; coauthor of Microeconomic Theory
William Thomson is an economist who has taught at the University of Minnesota, Harvard University, and the University of Rochester. He received his PhD from Stanford University and is the author of several books and over 125 papers. He is a Fellow of the Econometric Society, an Economic Theory fellow, and a Fellow of the Game Theory Society, and received the Doctorate Honoris Causae from the University of Alicante.
A newly updated edition of the definitive guide for budding economists, with a new chapter of advice for young professors.
In clear, accessible language—a model of what he advocates—William Thomson shows early-career economists how to make written and oral presentations both inviting and effective. A Guide for the Young Economist covers the basics of clear exposition, including such nuts-and-bolts topics as titling papers, writing abstracts, presenting research results, and holding an audience’s attention.
This book is an invaluable guide for young economists working on their dissertations, preparing their first articles for submission to professional journals, getting ready for their first presentations at conferences and job seminars, or facing their first refereeing assignments. In this new edition, the author also includes a chapter of advice written especially for those young economists who have just received their PhDs.
Reviews
ENDORSEMENTS
“How to argue persuasively for the originality and importance of your work, how to acknowledge properly where it comes from, how to criticize respectfully the canonical elders and fairly your peers, how to write a critical but equitable referee report, how to properly express scholarly indignation: This marvelous ‘how to’ book will teach you this and more. Its detailed advice will stay with you long after reading." —Hervé Moulin, Professor, University of Glasgow; author of Fair Division and Collective Welfare
“This book isn’t just the most brilliant work about writing written by an economist for all economists. Within its genre, it plays a role akin to mathematical reasoning in economics: It elevates writing into an intellectual craft.” —Yannis M. Ioannides, Neubauer Professor of Economics Emeritus, Tufts University; author of From Neighborhoods to Nations
“Thomson, a renowned teacher, explains clearly much of the invisible curriculum for becoming an academic economist, from pursuing a PhD to approaching tenure. Even old hands will find actionable advice.” —Alvin E. Roth, McCaw Professor of Economics, Stanford University; author of Who Gets What—and Why and Moral Economics
“I highly recommend this book to graduate students who are about to start their PhD training in economics as well as to young assistant professors who already acquired their PhDs. Questions like how to choose a PhD topic or advisor, what papers to write and present, and more are addressed by an author who is a master practitioner and presenter.” —Ehud Kalai, James J. O’Connor Emeritus Professor of Managerial Economics and Decision Sciences, Northwestern University
“It usually takes years, if not a full career, to learn all the ins and outs of a profession. William Thomson has distilled that knowledge into this incredibly valuable and well-written guide. You will learn from it even if you are not a youngster or an economist.” —Matthew O. Jackson, Eberle Professor of Economics, Stanford University; author of The Human Network
“Over the past decades, both the technical fields of economics and the skills required of economics faculty members have dramatically evolved. William Thomson’s book is the perfect guide for a splendid and impactful career.” —Jerry R. Green, John Leverett Professor in the University, Harvard University; coauthor of Microeconomic Theory
Author
William Thomson is an economist who has taught at the University of Minnesota, Harvard University, and the University of Rochester. He received his PhD from Stanford University and is the author of several books and over 125 papers. He is a Fellow of the Econometric Society, an Economic Theory fellow, and a Fellow of the Game Theory Society, and received the Doctorate Honoris Causae from the University of Alicante.
