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Extra-credit assignment
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Economics 
department

 First and second writing assignments: current legal controversies. Section B of the Wall Street Journal has a regular feature called "Law" (sometimes called "Legal Beat"). It appears most days and examines recent court decisions, often at the Supreme Court level, and other legal evelopments. Your assignment is to write an economic analysis of one of these developments in the law. (If there is a series of related cases you may write about all of them.) In two to three double-spaced, typed pages, you are to (1) explain clearly the legal decision or development, (2) describe the relevant economic issues, and (3) critique the decision or development using economic analysis. (Include a copy of your source article or articles.) You will write two of these. 

First assignment due February 1 
Second assignment due March 2

Third writing assignment: analysis of contracts. Pick one or more contracts you are familiar with and write a two- to three-page double-spaced, typed paper analyzing the contract(s) using the theory of contracts developed in class. Pick the contract(s) from either your own work or life experience or your family's business. The paper should include a detailed description of the contract(s) analyzed. Include a copy of your contract. You will also give a brief in-class presentation of your paper. 

Assignment due April 18

Fourth writing assignment: analysis of regulation. Discuss a current or historical regulation in a two- to three-page written analysis. Describe the regulation and its origins. Present the public-interest rationale, and discuss possible private-interest explanations. Who benefits from this regulation, and who is hurt? What are some possible unintended consequences? Explain whether you think this regulation, on balance, is or was desirable. 

Assignment due April 27

General suggestions. Please take your time and write carefully. While based on economic and legal principles, your paper should be intelligible to an intelligent layman. Avoid jargon and unnecessarily complex terms wherever possible. (I especially dislike words and phrases on Lake Superior State University's famous banished words list.) Strive for clarity, simplicity, and directness. For additional tips see my friend Timothy Terrell's list of Top Ten Boo-Boos on Papers.

Note on Plagiarism and Cheating. Plagiarism and cheating are serious offenses. UGA's Academic Honesty Policy contains strong prohibitions on plagiarism and unauthorized assistance. I strongly urge you to read this
before beginning your assignments.