The Economic Naturalist Writing Assignment

Developing Economic Thinking Through Everyday Observations

Introduction

The economic naturalist writing assignment is an innovative educational tool that encourages students to apply economic principles to real-world phenomena. Popularized by economist Robert Frank, this approach helps students develop the habit of looking at everyday situations through an economic lens. Rather than memorizing abstract concepts, students learn to observe and explain the economic forces at work in their daily lives.

Purpose and Educational Value

The economic naturalist assignment serves multiple educational purposes:

• Develops observational skills to identify economic phenomena in everyday life
• Encourages critical thinking and application of economic theories
• Makes abstract economic concepts concrete and relatable
• Improves writing and communication skills in an economic context
• Fosters curiosity and engagement with economics beyond the classroom
• Teaches students to formulate clear questions and propose logical explanations

Structure of an Economic Naturalist Assignment

A well-crafted economic naturalist assignment typically begins with an interesting question about some observed phenomenon. The question should be specific, puzzling, and seemingly counterintuitive. The rest of the assignment then applies economic reasoning to provide a clear, logical explanation.

How to Approach Your Economic Naturalist Assignment

Creating a successful economic naturalist piece involves several key steps:

1. Observe everyday phenomena and identify something that seems puzzling or counterintuitive.
2. Formulate a clear, specific question about the observation.
3. Identify relevant economic concepts or principles that might explain the phenomenon.
4. Develop a logical explanation using those concepts.
5. Consider alternative explanations and why yours might be more convincing.
6. Write your answer clearly and concisely, avoiding unnecessary jargon.

Choosing Your Topic

The best economic naturalist questions typically share certain characteristics. They arise from genuine curiosity about something you've observed. They're specific rather than general. They're often about something that initially seems puzzling or contradictory. And importantly, they can be explained through economic reasoning without requiring advanced knowledge.

Topics can come from anywhereinstitutions, social practices, product designs, personal habits, or more. Some productive areas to observe include:

• Pricing strategies of businesses
• Behavioral patterns among different groups
• Design choices in products and services
• Government policies and their effects
• Evolution of practices over time

Applying Economic Principles

While economic naturalist assignments don't require advanced economic knowledge, they do require understanding of basic economic principles that can be applied as explanatory tools. These often include concepts like:

• Supply and demand
• Opportunity cost
• Incentives
• Cost-benefit analysis
• Marginal thinking
• Elasticity
• Externalities
• Game theory applications

The key is to use these principles as explanatory lenses, not just to mention them. Your explanation should show how these forces work together to produce the observed outcome.

Common Challenges

Students often face certain challenges when completing economic naturalist assignments:

• Observation challenges: Learning to notice economic phenomena in everyday life takes practice. Keep a notebook of interesting observations.
• Question formulation: It can be difficult to phrase questions precisely. Work on making them specific rather than vague.
• Overly complex explanations: The best explanations are often the simplest ones. Don't overcomplicate your reasoning.
• Insufficient economic content: Ensure you're actually applying economic reasoning, not just common sense or other frameworks.
• Alternative explanations: Consider other possible reasons for the phenomenon and explain why your economic explanation is most plausible.

Evaluation Criteria

When evaluating economic naturalist assignments, instructors typically look for:

• Interesting question: Is the observation puzzling, specific, and non-obvious?
• Clear economic explanation: Does the response effectively apply economic principles?
• Logical reasoning: Is the argument coherent and well-structured?
• Originality: Does the assignment demonstrate thoughtful observation and creativity?
• Clarity: Is the writing accessible and understandable to non-economists?
• Conciseness: Does the writer communicate efficiently without unnecessary elaboration?

The Value of Economic Naturalism

Developing economic naturalist skills goes beyond completing assignmentsit fundamentally changes how students perceive the world. The economic naturalist approach cultivates:

• A habit of mind that looks for economic explanations in ordinary events
• Improved decision-making through cost-benefit thinking
• Better understanding of policy implications and their ripple effects
• Enhanced ability to communicate economic ideas to diverse audiences
• Greater appreciation for the predictive power of economic principles

Ultimately, the economic naturalist writing assignment represents a pedagogical approach that transforms economics from an abstract discipline into a practical way of understanding and explaining the world around us. By training students to observe, question, and analyze everyday economic phenomena, these assignments develop skills that extend far beyond the classroomskills that enable more informed economic thinking throughout life.