writing-assignment-to-analyze-the-econ-article

Purpose: In this assignment, you will write a critical evaluation of the article “Don’t Ask

Me About My Salary History” by Kristin Wong (2019). You will analyze the article and

relate it to the experiences of people around you.

Steps:

1. Read “Don’t Ask Me About My Salary History”. In one paragraph, briefly

summarize the paper’s primary conclusion and the evidence the author uses to

support her hypothesis.

2. Explain the difference between taste-based and statistical discrimination. Will the

proposed policy change hiring patterns if firms have taste-based discrimination

against women? What if firms statistically discriminate against women? Provide

economic reasoning in your answers to these questions.

3. Do you think this policy will help to close the gender wage gap? Do policies that

intend to reduce discrimination always have their intended consequence? Refer to

a paper on our reading list to answer the second question.

4. Talk to 2 people who have worked for at least 5 years—people you know well

enough to have a conversation about wage negotiations. Discuss with each of

these people their experiences negotiating their wages. Were they asked about

their past salaries? Do they think their salary was tied to assumptions about how

much they had previously earned? How do their experiences compare with those

described in the paper?

5. Revise your draft.

 Check: does each paragraph express one clear idea? Do you tell the reader

what that idea is in a topic sentence?

 To make sure that your writing is concise and clear, take a word count of

each paragraph, and then cut 10% of the words.

 Print your draft and read it out loud to help you identify spots where the

language or ideas could be clearer.