<p>Your supervisor might want for you to come up with a research question yourself, maybe because that's part of the assignment. At the thesis, you should be able to demonstrate independent thinking rather than being told what to do for an assignment, and your supervisor might want you to do some more research on your own. However, it is also part of his/her job to give you guidance on the relevant fields where s/he considers your skills fit best. </p>

<p>Since you want to research on macro, check which papers were part of the recommended readings for that subject and ask your supervisor if s/he would recommend you to start there. </p>

<p>Another way to get ideas is to scout the papers in economics search engines. The <a href="https://ideas.repec.org/cgi-bin/htsearch?form=extended&amp;wm=wrd&amp;dt=range&amp;ul=%25%2Fp%2F%25&amp;q=Macroeconomics&amp;cmd=Search%21&amp;wf=0F00&amp;s=C&amp;db=01%2F01%2F2008&amp;de=31%2F12%2F2018" rel="nofollow noreferrer">IDEAS/RePEc</a> can be a good starting point. You can look for topics and sort by citations.
Elsevier also has a list of <a href="https://www.journals.elsevier.com/research-in-economics/most-cited-articles" rel="nofollow noreferrer">most cited work in economics since 2013</a>. Keep in mind that importance in academic terms is usually often measured by number of citations. </p>

<p>If you want a more mainstream reading, I'm sure a google search will also help you find articles like this <a href="https://qz.com/1158930/13-economists-on-the-best-research-of-2017/" rel="nofollow noreferrer">list of 2017's most important researches</a>.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-19T08:41:03.300Z
2018-04-19T08:41:03.300Z
JoaoBotelho
<p>I have to write my bachelor thesis in the coming months and I was planning on replicating one of the leading papers of the last years in the field of macro economics. Problem is that I am insufficiently acquainted with the literature and my supervisor does not want to help me in any way with regards to the topic/research question. My hope is that the community could advise me on what the most important/influential papers have been the last 5 or so years in the field. Any help is appreciated. </p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-18T19:58:12.840Z
"my supervisor does not want to help me in any way with regards to the topic/research question" This seems extremely unlikely. Surely she at least recommended a subtopic.
Giskard
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-04-18T19:59:00.057Z
Giving a better picture of your skillset would also be crucial, there are some papers that are beyond the average Economics BA level. (This may also be a reason why your supervisor is reluctant, perhaps she does not know what econometrics methods & economic models you are comfortable with either.)
Giskard
<macroeconomics><fiscal-policy><research>
Advice for finding literature for thesis
confused student
# Advice for finding literature for thesis

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-04-18)

I have to write my bachelor thesis in the coming months and I was planning on replicating one of the leading papers of the last years in the field of macro economics. Problem is that I am insufficiently acquainted with the literature and my supervisor does not want to help me in any way with regards to the topic/research question. My hope is that the community could advise me on what the most important/influential papers have been the last 5 or so years in the field. Any help is appreciated.

**Tags:** macroeconomics, fiscal-policy, research

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: "my supervisor does not want to help me in any way with regards to the topic/research question" This seems extremely unlikely. Surely she at least recommended a subtopic.  
> **username_1**: Giving a better picture of your skillset would also be crucial, there are some papers that are beyond the average Economics BA level. (This may also be a reason why your supervisor is reluctant, perhaps she does not know what econometrics methods & economic models you are comfortable with either.)  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-04-19. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

Your supervisor might want for you to come up with a research question yourself, maybe because that's part of the assignment. At the thesis, you should be able to demonstrate independent thinking rather than being told what to do for an assignment, and your supervisor might want you to do some more research on your own. However, it is also part of his/her job to give you guidance on the relevant fields where s/he considers your skills fit best.

Since you want to research on macro, check which papers were part of the recommended readings for that subject and ask your supervisor if s/he would recommend you to start there.

Another way to get ideas is to scout the papers in economics search engines. The [IDEAS/RePEc](https://ideas.repec.org/cgi-bin/htsearch?form=extended&wm=wrd&dt=range&ul=%25%2Fp%2F%25&q=Macroeconomics&cmd=Search%21&wf=0F00&s=C&db=01%2F01%2F2008&de=31%2F12%2F2018) can be a good starting point. You can look for topics and sort by citations.
Elsevier also has a list of [most cited work in economics since 2013](https://www.journals.elsevier.com/research-in-economics/most-cited-articles). Keep in mind that importance in academic terms is usually often measured by number of citations.

If you want a more mainstream reading, I'm sure a google search will also help you find articles like this [list of 2017's most important researches](https://qz.com/1158930/13-economists-on-the-best-research-of-2017/).


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