Research Methodology for Economics — DU B.A. (Hons.) Economics Previous Year Question Papers

1. Suppose you are studying the impact of intelligence on students' academic achievement. You hypothesize that this relationship also depends on the level of effort a student invests in the learning process. In your study, intelligence is measured by IQ scores, academic achievement by Grade Point Average (GPA), and effort by the number of hours studied per day. (a) Identify the dependent variable, independent variable and moderating variable in the analysis. Provide a rationale for your answer. (9) (b) Differentiate between proposition and hypothesis. Convert the statement: "Students' IQ scores are related to their academic achievemen" into a strong and testable hypothesis. (9) 2. (a) A retail company sends a discount coupon to 500 randomly selected customers, while another 500 customers receive no coupon. The company then tracks the total spending of each person over the next month to see whether the coupon increased their individual purchasing behaviour. Identify whether this is an experimental or an observational study. Explain how this specific approach helps ensure internal validity. (9) (b) What is theorizing in economic research? How does narrative reasoning differ from mathematical reasoning when applying theory to a research topic? (9) 3. (a) (b) Discuss the role of the National Sample Survey (NSS) in data collection in Explain the steps involved in developing an effective search strategy for literature review. (9) 4. (a) (b) Explain why consumption is often preferred over income in economic surveys and discuss its limitations. (9) A researcher uses nominal income data to compare living standards over time. Explain the difference between nominal and real variables and evaluate why real data is preferred. (9) “The number of people who wear shorts is much higher on days when ice cream consumption is higher”. (9) (b) In a study on a new cervical cancer drug, researchers observe that the drug’s effectiveness varies significantly across different groups of women. Define “heterogeneous treatment effects” and explain this concept in this context. (9) 6. (a) A study uses Twitter (X) data to map national sentiment towards tax on soft drinks. Discuss the limitations associated with using this big data for the analysis. (9) (b) Discuss how the following three-stages of communicating research findings are essential to the completion of a scientific project: written report, oral presentation, and publication. (9)