The rhetoric of economics rhetoric of the human sciences. Economists do not mind criticism of their facts or their formalisms, because they have been trained in these to take criticism, and to dish it out. Deirdre nansen mccloskey is distinguished professor emerita of economics and of history, and professor emerita of english and of communication, adjunct in classics and philosophy, at the university of illinois at chicago. Mccloskey is an economist by training, but she has written across a wide variety of fields. She is the author of numerous books, including bourgeois equality. Economical writing by deirdre mccloskey stephen kinsella. Thirtyfive rules for clear and persuasive prose chicago guides to writing, editing, and publishing deirdre n. Economics is not a field that is known for good writing. The quality of your economic logic is what counts, not big words or complicated sentences. To update listings or check citations waiting for approval, deirdre n. These two kinds of papers reflect what the discipline considers to be legitimate economics. Donald mccloskey department of economics and of history, university of iowa. The philosopy of economics, readings, 1 st and 2 nd eds. Few writers achieve clarity without continual editing.
Most writing handbooks are exactly what they most admonish. Mccloskey the university of iowa the length of the acknowledgments here testifies to an unexplored feature of the rhetoric of economics, the role of the audience. The narrative of economic expertise, both published by the university of chicago press. The following slideshow was created by nicholas shunda when he was a doctoral student in economics and a graduate assistant with the university writing center. Ziliak, with an introduction by him and a short preface by mccloskey measurement and meaning in economics.
Chicago distribution centereconomics is not a field that is known for good writing. Somewhere around 1980, deirdre mccloskey undertook a decisive break with her intellectual past. Economical writing deirdre mccloskey 9781577660637. Economical writing donald mccloskey most people who write a lot, as do economists, have an amateurish atti tude towards writing. A dose of mccloskey banishes the dismal from the dismal science. Nelson, allan megill, and others an institution and graduate program, the project on rhetoric of inquiry. Very seldom would clearer writing in economics cost anything in art.
The state, the market, and development, to be published in mapping development economics. To make corrections to the bibliographic information of a particular item, find the technical contact on the abstract page of that item. Youll be submitting your answers to our editorial staff. If more economists were to spend the short time necessary to read this book, both the writing and the reading of economics might become a more pleasurable experience. Essentially there are two kinds of economics papers. Her conversational and witty yet always clear style is a hallmark of her classic works of economic history. Trained at harvard as an economist, she has written fourteen books and edited seven more, and has published some three hundred and sixty articles on economic theory, economic history, philosophy, rhetoric, feminism, ethics, and law.
Hayek program for advanced study in philosophy, politics, and economics. Today, it is the largest, most comprehensive business school in the greater philadelphia region, and among the largest in the world with. A daily blog about all things linguistic by gretchen mcculloch. Understanding rhetoric in economics accounting as a master metaphor for economics.
For a history of economics, see the article history of economic thought. If economists would read jane austen or george orwell, or even adam smith or thomas schelling. Adam smith, when writing about the invisible hand, explicitly noted that the character of the trader in a market was critically important to the operation of the invisible hand. Deirdre mccloskey has beautifully told this story in the bourgeois virtues. Mccloskeys books, the rhetoric of economics1985 and if youre so smart1990, have been widely discussed. Mccloskey delivers a thoughtful, fun, and very slim volume, focused on economics writing but also applicable to most nonfiction writing. Deirdre mccloskeys economical writing, originally aimed to help economists write better, is in this second edition clearly a book that should be read by scholars in every field. Later at the university of iowa, mccloskey, the john murray professor of economics and of history 19801999, published the rhetoric of economics 1985 and cofounded with john s. Anyone who cares about direct, clear expression should read this lucid, delightful gem by an author who practices what she advises. The john simon guggenheim foundation, the national endowment for the humanities, the institute for advanced study, and the university of iowa provided the financial security to write them. This book has refreshed my memory of the economicwriting style and has provides a couple of tips that are extremely helpful. Absolutely no one is impressed by a sentence they cannot understand.
Writing in economics printable version here beginning your paper. Shes also the distinguished professor of economics, history, english and communication at the university of illinois, chicago. Deirdre mccloskey is an adequate writer, which is to say, a better writer than almost all economists. Selection of the best articles and chapters by mccloskey down to 2001 on historical economics and the rhetoric of. Understanding that irony well, mccloskey has imbued economical writing with just enough wit and excursus to make it pleasurable.
Efficient ways to improve student writing strategies, ideas, and recommendations from the faculty development literature. In essence, the subject may be confusing but the writing doesnt have to be. Your own top 6 choices should be tips that you think would be most helpful in further improving your own writing. Economical writing mccloskey 1985 economic inquiry. An executive summary deirdre mccloskey university of iowa the main cause of bad writing in economics is that economists dont read good writing. In 1985, mccloskey published economical writing, a paper encouraging fellow economists to be more clear in their academic writing. The rhetorical studies of biology, economics, and mathematics over the past twenty years have used this tactic, reading even scientific texts rhetorically.
This classic text on writing about economics as a discipline is. A guide for harvard economics concentrators robert neugeboren with mireille jacobson. Claudia goldin, harvard university mccloskey tells economists to say what they have to say clearly and economically, and then shows them how. Undergraduate economics textbook and blog by arjo klamer, deirdre n. Knowledge and persuasion in economics by deirdre n. View the improvement of students writing as your responsibility. In class, mccloskey stressed the value of writing well, passing out class notes on writing. Eleanor birch, thomas borcherding, ross eckert, anthony english, clifford geertz, albert hirschman, linda kerber, charles kindleberger, meir kohn, david landes, much of the mccloskey family laura, helen, and joanne, joel mokyr, erin newton, much. Claudia goldin mccloskey tells economists to say what they have to say clearly and economically, and then shows them how.
Although good writing remains suspect among economists, deirdre mccloskey taught me long ago that good writing makes for good economics. The man in the street favors his mistaken opinions about free trade, and will not listen to professional argument. Mccloskey is the strunk and white of economics, and economic writing should be required reading for all economists. The main cause of bad writing in economics is that economists dont read. In knowledge and persuasion in economics he converses with his critics, suggesting that they too can gain from knowing their rhetoric. The rules of clear writing apply not only to the organization of the entire paper, but also to the order of paragraphs, sentences, and words. I cohost lingthusiasm, a podcast thats enthusiastic about linguistics. As usual, marguerite knoedel has been patient with my excessive number of drafts.
Still, mccloskey is certainly guilty of excessive generosity toward the authors she admires. Deirdre nansen mccloskey has been distinguished professor of economics and history and professor of english and communications at the university of illinois at chicago. Mccloskey has written a provocative book that has led me to rethink my own approach to writing. Caldwell the university of north carolina at greensboro and a. Deirdre mccloskeys economical writing, originally aimed to help economists write better, is in this second edition clearly a book that should be read by. Her thirtyone rules, offered with wit and delightful brevity, include the essential warning that though rules can help, bad rules hurt. When economic writers have finally reached the possibility curve between clarity and sub. A guide to writing in economics prepared by paul dudenhefer, writing tutor, ecoteach center and department of economics, duke university introduction 5 part i. Your choices for the two writing priorities columns may differ from each other since you may already do a good job of meeting some of what you consider to be dr. The chapters in this book address everything from the fundamental write in complete sentences to the nuanced make your writing cohere, with clear tips. John maynard keynes, 1st baron keynes of tilton 5 june 1883 21 april 1946 was a british economist whose ideas, known as keynesian economics, had a major impact on modern economic and political theory and on many governments fiscal policies. Plagiarism and citation styles in economics research methods in e.
Only economists with biographical articles in wikipedia are listed here. Mccloskey is a distinguished affiliated fellow with the f. She had a phd in economics from harvard, having trained under the legendary economic historian alexander gerschenkron and was a tenured professor at the university of chicagoat that time, perhaps the most important university worldwide in terms of its generational impact. Department of economics and of history, university of iowa. Rewrite and edit your first draftand your second one, too. Economics focuses on the behaviour and interactions of economic agents and how economies work. Apr 14, 2020 economic historian deirdre mccloskey, writing in the cambridge university press in 2004, argued that industrialization was certainly the most important event in the history of humanity since the. Im the author of because internet, a book about internet.
Buy a cheap copy of economical writing book by deirdre n. For more help see her wellknown booklet, economical writing. Except, that is, when it comes to deirdre nansen mccloskey. Donald mccloskey was a great economic historian and teacher of chicago style price theory, while deirdre mccloskey is an outstanding critic of economic methodology. If economists would read jane austen or george orwell, or even adam smith or themas schelling, in bulk, daily, habitually, they would improve. To mccloskey, a criticism of the ways in which economics is currently practiced is not to deny the importance of formalization and abstraction but rather to know its place and to never stray from the serious business of understanding the world. Mccloskey is distinguished professor of economics, history, english, and communication at the university of illinois at chicago. Writing in economics types of writing in economics essentially there are two kinds of economics papers. I am in the process of writing a book based on a careerlife of research and needed a guide to help me get back into the style of writing that is acceptable in the field of economics.
Economical writing thirtyfive rules for clear and persuasive prose book. Economists do not mind criticism of their facts or their formalisms, because they have been trained in. One of the best books for writers in the social sciences is deirdre mccloskeys economical writing, a very short, very small book that offers a number of important principles for writing. I kept the notes for many years and hopefully studied them as i attempted to become a passable writer. Mccloskey, donald, economical writing, economic inquiry, apr. How ideas, not capital or institutions, enriched the world. A guide to writing in economics prepared by paul dudenhefer, department of economics, duke university introduction 4 part i. University of wisconsin press, 1998 figures of speech and thought the real nature of the relation of figures to thought is very generally misunderstood. Thirtyfive rules for clear and persuasive prose, deirdre n. Teaching writing is not only the job of the english department alone. Only a few economists have written about economic writing. Six principles of clear, cohesive, and coherent writing 12. This is an incomplete alphabetical list by surname of notable economists, experts in the social science of economics, past and present. Read rules of this house, a handout to students in prof.
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