Saturday, November 10, 2007

david romer's rules

  • Don't clutter up your life with other activities;
    just write.
  • Don't carry out a thorough and comprehensive search of the literature;
    just write.
  • Don't attempt to make sure that every page you write shows the full extent of your professional skills;
    just write.
  • Don't write a well-organized, well-integrated, unified dissertation;
    just write.
  • Don't think profound thoughts that shake the intellectual foundations of the discipline;
    just write.
  • If you don't have a paper started by the spring of your third year,
    be alarmed.
  • If you don't have a paper largely drafted by the fall of your fourth year,
    panic.
  • Have three new ideas a week while you are getting started.
  • Don't try to game the profession,
    work on what interests you.
  • Good papers in economics have three characteristics:
    • A viewpoint.
    • A lever.
    • A result.

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