Publication: Journal of Economic Education
Volume: Volume 24, No. 3
Issue: Summer 1993
Pages: pp. 219-230
Author(s): Avi J. Cohen (York University, Toronto) and John Spencer (York University, Toronto)
Title: Integrating Writing Across the Curriculum into Economics: A Case Study, Benefits, and Costs
Abstract: The AEA report on "The Status and Prospects of the Economics Major" states that in order to get students to "think like economists", it could be useful to integrate the "Writing Across the Curriculum" approach into the teaching of economics. After briefly summarizing this approach, we report our successful experience in transforming a traditionally formatted economics course. The students had produced mediocre papers which reflected their fuzzy thinking. The restructured course, through a shift in emphasis from end-products to writing processes, and changes in assignment design and feedback formats, yielded much improved student papers, provided more satisfying educational experiences for both students and instructor, and helped students learn to think more like economists.