Mentoring for Excellence
Crafting the Core: The Science behind the Contribution of Economics Papers
By Prof. Almudena Sevilla
Collaborators: Pilar Cuevas, PhD; Sveva Manfredi
Friday 20th September 3 p.m.
This session, tailored for both PhD students and early career faculty, focuses on a crucial aspect of
the mentoring process: understanding and articulating the core contribution of economics papers. It
aims to bridge the gap between advisors and advisees by providing a clear framework for identifying
the problem addressed by a paper and detailing how to effectively answer the research question.
For Advisees: While mentors often outline the objectives clearly, many students struggle with the
practical implementation of this guidance. This session will help students grasp the essence of their
research problem and develop a strategic approach to address it.
For Advisors: Advisors sometimes find it challenging to convey their advice effectively and track
their mentees' progress. This session will offer tools to articulate feedback clearly and ensure
consistent progress tracking.
By enhancing advisor-advisee interactions and optimizing the mentoring process, this hands-on
session aims to reduce extended research timelines and prevent the loss of promising economic
talent. Our ultimate goal is to level the playing field in our discipline, boost collective productivity,
and spur innovation in economic research.