An exploration of Robert Frank's ‘The Economic Naturalist’ in the classroom

This paper evaluates a pedagogical method pioneered by Robert Frank: ‘The Economic Naturalist Writing Assignment’, in which students pose an interesting question based on an event they have personally observed, then use economic principles to solve the question in no more than 500 words—free of algebra, graphs and complex jargon. The paper concludes with a sample of questions (and answers) posed by students when I piloted this writing assignment. It is hoped that this paper will serve as a practical case study for aspiring lecturers who wish to create a more stimulating learning environment.