Economic Research
by Hermann MaxPrologue to the first edition Prologue to the second edition Prologue to the third edition Introduction A. The Intention of this Book B. The Importance of Economic Investigation C. The Teaching of Investigation D. The Centers of Economic Investigation E. The Formation of the Investigator First Part THE METHODOLOGY OF INVESTIGATION A. The basic conditions of all science 1. The concepts 2. The system 3. The method B. Object and objective of economic science C. The methods of economic investigation 1. Analysis 2. Synthesis 3. Induction 4. Deduction 5. Objectivism 6. Subjectivism 7. The method of historical investigation a) Critical analysis of data b) Mental reconstruction of facts of the past c) Written exposition 8. The historical method of investigation a) The economy is only one of many aspects of human social life b) The development of an economy and of its institutions does not depend only on internal forces c) The study of economic history should teach the relativity in time and place of economic truths d) Similarly the measures of practical politics can have only a limited importance e) Method of historical comparison 9. The static method 10. The dynamic method 11. Microeconomics and macroeconomics D. Auxiliary methods 1. Mathematics 2. Statistics 3. Accounting E. How to select the method. Bibliography - Pt. I. Second Part THE TECHNIQUE OF INVESTIGATION A. Selection and Formulation of the Theme 1. General observations 2. A clear definition of the topic a) The topic should not be of a general character b) The limitation of the topic c) The possibility of obtaining sufficient documentation d) The newsworthiness of the theme is not an indispensable condition e) The scientific character of the topic is not subject to any restrictive preconditions f) What is essential in a senior thesis g) The title of a thesis 3. Formalities with which the student should comply B. Preparatory Works 1. Preparation of a working plan 2. The division of the material a) The introduction b) The exposition c) The summary of the conclusions 3. Model of a provisional schema 4. The techniques of thinking C. Collection, Arrangement, and Preservation of Data and Examples 1. The sources of information a) Reading books b) Journal articles c) Newspapers d) Documents in archives e) Personal interviews f) Explorations on the ground g) The technique of using surveys 2. Bibliographic notes and "memory aids" 3. Files 4. Systematization of the informational material 5. Archive of statistics and graphics 6. The translations D. The Execution of Works of Investigation 1. The exposition of the theme a) Revision of the provisional outline b) Editing rules c) Corrections and modifications of the draft 2. Formalities which should be observed a) Use of certain orthographic symbols b) The footnotes c) Citations and references d) The use of abbreviations, acronyms and capital letters e) Positioning of tables and graphics f) The appendices g) The indices h) The numbering of the pages E. Presentation and Publication of Investigatory Works 1. Arrangements for giving final shape to the work a) Final revision of the manuscript b) Layout of the parts comprising the work 2. Editing and printing a) Typescripts b) Xeroxed copies c) Printed version d) The technique of correcting typescripts and printing proofs 3. Some additional advice a) Preparation of reports b) The use of periods and commas in numbers c) Miscellaneous Appendix - Symbols for editing proofs [Reflections concerning topics for investigation, by Manfred Max-Neef] Bibliography - Pt. II.