Analysis Of Steven Levitt And Stephen Dubner And Freakonomics

In researching the important matters in life such as how to best format an online dating profile or finding the reasoning behind why employees in large corporations tend to steal bagels, authors Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner in their book Freakonomics claim to explore â€Å"the hidden side of everything.† The previous examples provided, including the various other topics that Levitt and Dubner touch upon in their book, are likely unimportant to the average reader and as a whole are without any obvious similarities. The authors even mention the lack of a common theme. They reason it by saying that in doing so, the direction of their book would then be guided by not a set theme, but instead by their curiosities. This is the non fiction version†¦show more content†¦After gaining access to relevant data sets and adjusting for certain variables the authors then interpret the data to arrive to often several conclusions. If possible, a fourth step is added where they incl ude a follow-up to their main idea effectively concluding the chapter. The format of Freakonomics: foundation, data experimentation, interpretation, and follow-up. Previously said, the first chapter of Freakonomics best demonstrates the format of each chapter. Because of that fact, it is also the most effective in analyzing Levitt and Dubner’s central argument of that data holds the power to unveil new truths of the world. To start the argument on the similarities of teachers and sumo wrestlers, the authors, following their format, begin by establishing the foundation of this chapter: incentives. They describe incentives as â€Å"a means of urging people to do more of a good thing and less of a bad thing† (Dubner and Levitt 17). And using several examples including experiments on late fees in day cares and small stipends for blood donations, the authors ensure that the reader understands the full effect of incentives: they explain the differences between the three type s of incentives, their applications in daily life, and the possible adverse effects of switching between two types of incentives despite any initial positive intentions. The authorsShow MoreRelatedChapter 3 : Conventional Wisdom1091 Words   |  5 PagesChapter 3: Conventional Wisdom Freakonomics was one of the best novels that I have ever read! I am truly amazed at how Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner compared their study and research to the economy that we live in today. Out of all of the chapters in Freakonomics, Chapter 3: Conventional Wisdom, is the one that stood out the most. This particular topic relates to the world in many different ways. Conventional wisdom is often wrong. Conventional wisdom can be described as the ideas or beliefsRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Freakonomics 1027 Words   |  5 PagesLanguage and Composition 3 August 2016 Freakonomics 1. Give the title, author, genre, and date of original publication. Freakonomics is the title of this nonfiction book; it was written by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. On April 12, 2005, by HarperCollins. 2. What is author’s purpose for writing the book? Write a paragraph summarizing the main argument or purpose. In this unique book, economist Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, an award-winning author and journalist teamRead MoreA Rogue Economist Explores The Hidden Side Of Everything By Steven Levitt Essay1537 Words   |  7 PagesAfter reading Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner, it opened my eyes to the most interesting approach to the world. The book name in itself is an odd and unique title. 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Levitt DubnerRead MoreApplication of Freakonomics to Project Management1806 Words   |  8 PagesA Book Review of Freakonomics and Application to Project Management November 2010 Project Management Summary The idea to write Freakonomics began in 2003 when journalist and award winning author Stephen Dubner wrote a profile of economist Steven Levitt for the New York Times Magazine. At the time, Levitt, an Economics professor at the University of Chicago, was focusing his research efforts on answering unique and sometimes controversial questions concerning topics such as crime,Read MoreAnalysis Of Freakonomics958 Words   |  4 PagesThe movie â€Å"Freakonomics† by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner was a great way to bring light into the science of economics. The authors Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner would give two subjects that are unrelated to each other to give viewers an understanding of Freakonomics. This was a great idea because I would have never thought that a teacher and a sumo wrestler would have anything in common. Additionally, in the beginning of the movie the authors mention three types of incentives, whichRead MoreAnalysis Of The Book Freakonomics By Steven D. Levitt1639 Words   |  7 PagesFreakonomics written by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. Copyright, 2005 by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner. A non-fiction book about the intertwining discourses of pop culture and economics. Steven David Levitt is an American economist who is well known for his work that specifically focuses on crime, and the connection between legalized abortion and the effect it has on crime rates. Mr. Levitt is currently the â€Å"William B. Ogden Distinguished Service Professor of Economics† at theRead MoreSteven Levitt And The Link Between Legalized And Crime Rates1537 Words   |  7 Pages Steven Levitt was born May 29th, 1967 in Chicago. Levitt is an american economist that is known best from his podcasts, and books, Freakonomics and Superfreakonomics co-authored with Stephen Dubner. Steven Levitt is also known to study some very different topics such as crime and the link between legalized abortion and crime rates. Levitt attended the University of Chicago, the Chicago school of economics, and he attended Harvard University to receive his Bachelor s Degree and went on to MIT forRead MoreThe Book Freakonomics By Steven D. Levitt2418 Words   |  10 Pages The book Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt and Stephen J. Dubner consists of a series of essays in which a journalist and an economist work collectively to find, by applying everyday economic principles, how the world truly works, which reveals some fascinating truths about the world. Some background history of the authors, Steven D. Levitt interviewed Stephen J. Dubner for New York Times Magazine and this is where they initially met and became good friends. With them having similar ideals aboutRead MoreAn Analysis of Freakonomics, by Steven D. Levitt1585 Words   |  7 Pagesthe best way of describing the unconventional method preferred by economist, Steven D. Levitt. While most economists measure social situations and present the data as numbers a nd graphs Levitt takes anomalies within the data to reveal truths obscured. It’s Levitt’s sociological take on economics that has set him apart from his peers with his heavy focus on incentives, choices, and the consequences they have. Freakonomics mirrors Levitt’s method since it’s a collection of stories he has uncovered or