Doing Economics: Enhancing Skills through a Process-Oriented Senior Research Course

The author describes a senior-level course designed to promote student skills in "acting like economists." Although most departments offer senior-level courses, this one is unique in that it was developed on the basis of learning as opposed to content objectives, assignments are designed to reinforce and further develop research skills through a project of the student's choosing, and it more closely models what it means to "act like an economist" (W. L. Hansen 2006). The author discusses the development of this course and its unique features, the research process followed by students and the outcomes generated, and some of the advantages and disadvantages associated with this form of senior research course.