Research Topic Abstract Assigned: 10/20/05  Due: 10/25/05

  1. Recall that research is just a word for trying to figure something out. There are no formulas or recipes. There are no short cuts. 
  2. On 9/13/05, we went over a method for generating a topic. (See item week3.htm item 2 for details.) Considerations included:
    1. Background reading (e.g., Rosen, 1993) 
    2. Motivation
    3. Connection to motivation and "do-ability."
    4. It takes diligence, persistence, and cleverness to move your topic forward  
  3. You are now to connect your background reading to your proposed topic. 
    1. Your topic must be centered on a person, place, or event in time. 
    2. You will write up a one- to two-page abstract of your topic.  
    3. Your abstract should be double-spaced and should include references. An example is presented below. 
    4. Make a copy of your abstract for me. You keep the original. 
    5. You will present your abstract in class next week.
  4. Here is an example based on the idea I originally presents on 9/13. I have single spaced the abstract so it will fit on one page. 

Research Idea Abstract  --- B. Gerstman --- 10/20/05

In reading Rosen (1993), I was drawn to early developments about the collection of population-based health statistics. Several names were mentioned, including John Graunt (pp. 87 - 88) and William Petty (pp. 88 - 89). I already know a bit about Graunt, but want to learn more. Graunt was one of the first demographers and epidemiologists.  His work Natural and Political Observations up the Bills of Mortality (1662) is available on the web and has been the subject of much scholarly research.  

I know very little about William Petty,  but did complete an initial Google search . I was surprised to find large amounts of high quality information on this man. Petty was a physician who and a merchantalist. Mercantilism is an important theme in Chapter IV of Rosen (1993). My understanding of mercantilism is primitive, but has to do with viewing populations (i.e., people and their health)  in terms of their financial worth. It was therefore not surprising to find Petty mentioned as an inventor of econometrics. It seems to me that if I studied Petty, I'd have to be prepared to do an analysis of public health, economics, and politics. 

John Graunt (1620-1674) (http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~stephan/Graunt/bills.html) Photo of W.Petty from McMaster William Petty (1623-1687) (http://cepa.newschool.edu/het/profiles/petty.htm)

References

Fonseca, G. L. Sir William Petty, 1623-1687. Retrieved October 19, 2005, from http://cepa.newschool.edu/het/profiles/petty.htm

Graunt, J. (1662). Natural and political observations mentioned in a following index and made upon the bills of mortality (Web Reprint). Retrieved October 20, 2005, from http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~stephan/Graunt/bills.html

Rosen, G. (1993). A History of Public Health (revised ed.). Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press.