Mentioning Freakonomics in a personal statement

Thank you so much for your advice.

So economics related articles - that could just be articles I've read in the Economist, Financial Times, BBC etc.? Or would it only include things like those academic economic journals?

The economist and financial times would be fine Certainly for a summer school, they wouldn't expect you to be reading academic journals yet. Unis do understand these can be difficult to access for sixth-form/college students and wouldn't expect you to have read journal articles yet.

Hello TSR! I am currently drafting a personal statement for the UNIQ summer school Economics and Management course.

So far I've only completed two economics related books, one of them being Freakonomics. I know that it's such a cliché book to read - do you think I should bother including it? I have a lot I could say about it, but should I just let them think I've only read one book? Has anyone included reading Freakonomics in a personal statement and lived to tell the tale?

I don't want them to think of me as an economics noob, that's all.

Just to add - remember to focus on the theory and why it interests you. Even if the related theory isn't mentioned explicitly

Did you actually read the OP? Your statement doesn't really appear to be replying to the question as to whether she should specifically mention reading the controversial book "Freakonomics".

What theory are you even talking about?

Just to add - remember to focus on the theory and why it interests you. Even if the related theory isn't mentioned explicitly

That would be a good idea, discussing parts I didn't agree with. Unfortunately I don't think I have enough characters left for that.

That would be a good idea, discussing parts I didn't agree with. Unfortunately I don't think I have enough characters left for that.

You can't just say that it's wrong. You would need to show why you think this - so you could say "I read X which gave me a contrasting view". But you can't just criticise published work for no reason

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Of course you can, there are sections of Freakonomics that are shockingly inept. There is a reason why it is a laughing stock amongst professional economists. If you need to read a book to be able to spot the glaring errors, then economics is probably not the subject for you.

Yes, but the OP is not a professional economist

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no but, if she wishes to show that she is cut out for economics, these are the kind of insights she needs to be making off her own back.

Freakonomics is a good test - if you read it and don't see anything wrong with its ludicrous assertions, you should probably take up some other subject.

There's a difference between realising something is wrong, and staying that in a personal statement. You cannot criticise other work without showing why it is wrong or having something to back your opinions up. If you can't see that, you're clearly not cut out for advising on personal statements

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Well obviously you explain why it is wrong

It's more than that. It needs to have a theoretical and evidence-based reason for being wrong. And anyway, it's far better to focus on good aspects of economics rather than saying 'this person is wrong because...'