1 Task
Each of you need to complete either a Literature Review or an Issue Essay paper (50% of
the total grade).
2 Deadline
May 5, @4 pm via Canvas.
3 Format
• Either paper should be typewritten or word processed in a formal style and should
be no more than 15 double-spaced pages in length (excluding references).
• All references should follow the standard American Psychological Association
(APA) and reference procedures
4.2 Issue (Argumentative) Essay:
The purpose of the issue essay is to give you an opportunity to broaden your reading on
an issue that is central to the course content of this course and of public importance
(most typically a public policy issue although it could be an issue of methodology or
design), to develop skills in identifying and using literature relevant to a current issue,
and to develop and demonstrate the ability to make a succinct summary and a
thoughtful critique of an issue within the economics of law.
For the purposes of this essay, an “issue” is defined as a question of importance in
the context of the economics of law and to which informed and reasonable people could
give different answers. Again, the topic must be approved in advance by the instructor.
The issue essay will be evaluated using the following criteria:
1. It should reflect the course content.
2. It should focus on an issue relevant to the course, and of some importance to society.
3. It should make appropriate use of supporting and opposing literature and evidence
on the issue (drawing on at least 8-10 sources) and your own scholarly reflection on the
issue. This paper is not a regular research paper or literature review. Rather, your essay
is more an argumentative essay wherein you use evidence to support your position.
Although you are being asked to build and take a position on the issue, you should not
forget to give some credence and outline to the opposing position. If there appears to be
no “credible” opposing position, then your topic is not truly an issue about which
reasonable people could disagree.
4. It should be well-written throughout and in an appropriate formal style and format.
5 Resources
5.1 Academic Journals:
• The Journal of Law and Economics
• The Journal of Legal Studies
• The International Review of Law and Economics
• Research in Law and Economics
• Economic Inquiry
• The Journal of Law, Economics and Organization
• World Competition: Law and Economics Review
• Supreme Court Economic Review
• American Law and Economics Review
5.2. Law Reviews
Law reviews may contain many excellent economic articles which may be valuable in
your essays.
A few you can check are Law reviews of the University of Chicago, Harvard, Yale,
Stanford, and Michigan.
5.3 Browser:
You can also use Google Scholar. Keep in mind that some articles won’t be accessible
unless you are using the university network.
