Research Skills Development Program-Mentoring for Excellence
By Prof. Almudena Sevilla
Collaborators: Pilar Cuevas, PhD; Sveva Manfredi
The Science Behind the Contribution of Economics Papers
This masterclass, 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. At the end of the session, you will have a clear sense of how to ensure your paper makes it through the editor's desk.
For junior Advisors: As part of progressing in one’s career, learning to delegate is essential—not just for your own success, but to support the growth of the next generation. Delegating done well empowers mentees and frees up time and energy for mentors to focus on where they add the most value. One of the most difficult tasks to pass on is the writing of academic papers. Advisors often struggle to communicate their guidance clearly and to monitor their mentees’ progress. At the end of this session, you will have clear tools to help articulate feedback with clarity and to track progress consistently.
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.
Materials:
Mentoring for Excellence
Recordings:
Research Skills Development Program Masterclass Recording
Masterclass Presentations List
2025
- Society of the Economics of the Household Conference (SEHO), University of Zaragoza (June 2025)
- University of Alcala (May 2025)
- The City University of New York - The Graduate Center PhD Course ECO 88000 (CRN 33430) - Research Methods and Writing in Economics (New York, online) (February 25, 2025).
2024
- Universidad de Sevilla - Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales (Sevilla) (October 31, 2024).
- Università di Urbino Carlo Bo - 65th Annual Conference - Italian Economic Association (Urbino) (October 24, 2024). Link.
- Institute of Economics Science & University of Antwerp - Research Skills Program, 3rd Applied Economics Conference (Belgrade) (September 20, 2024). Link.
- University of Naples Federico II - CSEF (Naples) (April 16, 2024). Link.
- IESEG (Lille) (April 4, 2024).
2023
- Royal Economic Society - Mentoring Program (London, online) (December 14, 2023). Link.
- Paris Nanterre University - Gender Issues and Development Conference (Paris) (December 1, 2023). Link.