Reference no: EM133084052 , Length: word count:2000
Assignment essays
1. Examine recent trends in the gender pay gap in the UK labour market and discuss how your findings relate to relevant theories of labour market discrimination.
2. Examine recent trends in regional migration and regional pay differences within the UK and discuss how your findings relate to relevant theories of labour migration.
You are asked to write two academic style essays (maximum 1,000 words each). Both included in one submission file (including a cover sheet).
Each essay should contain an introduction, a main body (with sections) and a conclusion. For illustration, the guidance is on the first essay, but the same principles apply to both essays.
Essay structure
Introduction: Main body is a general term for the main portion of your essay
You could explicitly name the sections in the main body (e.g., for the 1st essay: ‘recent trends in UK gender pay gap', ‘gender pay gap: theory', ‘interpretation of evidence'), but it is a short essay (may not be needed).
Conclusion
This should be kept also fairly brief since you have only 1,000 words.
The conclusion should succinctly summarise what the essay intended to convey. To connect to the introduction, a comment could be included on how some misconceptions about the gender pay gap relate to evidence.
Main body
This is the substantive part of your essay, so clearly you need to dedicate the most words to this section. It is up to you how you structure the main body (how many sections).
But you must address two aspects in each of the essays:
1. Examine recent trends in the gender pay gap in the UK labour market and discuss how your findings relate to relevant theories of labour market discrimination.
2. Examine recent trends in regional migration and regional pay differences within the UK and discuss how your findings relate to relevant theories of labour migration.
The essay should also include data as evidence, such as current data from ONS, findings/regression tables from literature (no need to run your own regressions).
Should include a reasonably detailed discussion on what the gender pay gap is, how it is measured, and what relevant theories are. Find relevant definitions/descriptions in the literature and reflect/explain them in your own words. To demonstrate in-depth knowledge, expand on them where you can. For example, a description of methods used to measure the gender pay gap can be expanded with a description of the strengths and limitations of these methods.
Descriptions of the theory may be expanded by elaborating on the assumptions, scope, and limitations. This could help when comparing theory and evidence.
Contrasted aspect(s) should be concretely identified when contrasting theory and evidence. For example, when analysing the evidence, a key aspect is whether and how the socioeconomic differences have been accounted for and why this is important for a meaningful comparison to theory. The main body should demonstrate insightful and independent thinking.
Note: 1000 Words each Question