COURSE PAPER – ECO 4300 COURSE PAPER.

Students will prepare a paper of about 16 pages with appropriate diagrams on a topic of their choosing. The topic will be the economic analysis of a law, rule, legal problem or legal case.

The content will be based on original research and critical independent thought of a calibre expected of third year students, considering principles from the text (s) and the selected readings. The paper will be evaluated on the basis of its originality, organization, economics / environment content as well as writing style and grammar. The paper should be organized as follows:

Introduction:

One paragraph outlining topic, issue(s) and conclusion(s).

Issue:

Try to be as specific as possible. Instead of “Should marijuana be legal?”
Should marijuana be legal in private homes?
Should marijuana be legal in bars, but not restaurants?

Model:

Specify what economic model you are using – here diagrams would be most helpful. Apply your economic model to your issue.

How does your conclusion match or contradict other Economic Analysis of Law papers on your topic you have found in peer reviewed journals?

Papers pertaining to your topic available in academic journals or books. Avoid internet, working papers, media, and other unpublished sources unless you are referring to a specific event – like an arrest, court session, public announcements.

Paper outline:

The minimum wage for people who work at a restaurant industry are different with the people who work in other industry. Most of province in North American offers a minimum wage for people who work at restaurant industry in a lower rate, compare with others who work in other industry. And it is a controversial issue whether the minimum wage of server should be increase, and at least increase to the minimum wage level.  People who support to increase minimum wage of servers believed that restaurant servers are some of the hardest workers, because they had to stand all day and juggle heavy plates of food, sometimes even in high heels, and also need to deal with difficult customer who is maybe really annoying or rude. But, others thinks restaurant severs will earn tips which is also a part of their income. In my paper, I will detailed discuss about tipped minimum wage.

Thesis: should tipped minimum wage same as the general minimum wage?

Introduction:

1. History of tipped minimum wage in North American
2. Why I am interested in this topic

Body:

1. The economics of tipping

• Customer interest regarding tipping
• Restaurant interests regarding tipping

2. How rising minimum wage affects tipped minimum wage

• Examples

3. How rising tipped minimum wage affect restaurant and employment

• Examples

4. What type of legal remedies will works
5. How these remedies impact markets and workers

Conclusion:

1. The answer of thesis: “should tipped minimum wage same as the general minimum wage?”
2. What type of legal remedies really works

Comments of research outline from Prof:

Thank you for submitting your research report concerning the minimum wage and tipping. Very good progress here. You have incorporated your comments really well: the subject is now clearly defined. Be specific about the types of legal remedies that would work. Examples to illustrate these remedies and how they would impact workers are important. In this paper, you are not required to do empirical work or prove anything using data.

The bibliography is impressive and is composed of recent articles. To help build their literature review, here is a paper that studies peer effects in tipping behavior you with an experimental approach.