By conducting economics research, students can gain a deeper understanding of economic principles and the workings of social and economic phenomena, thereby enhancing their knowledge of the world. Additionally, unique and in-depth research experience is a significant plus during college applications, especially for top-tier universities, as it demonstrates the student’s academic interest and potential. Below are some innovative research ideas suggested by Embark's economics mentors that are suitable for high school students. Let's take a look.

15 Pioneering Economics Project Ideas For High School Students

1. Polarization in the Chinese Labor Market and Its Impact

This project plans to verify the existence of polarization in the Chinese labor market based on the ALM theory and analyze its trend over time. Furthermore, the project aims to explore the impact of labor market polarization on social mobility among different strata and the balanced development of various regions through regression analysis, machine learning, and other research methods.

2. Factors Influencing the Chinese Marriage Market

This research project aims to analyze the effects of population policies, socioeconomic factors, and other elements on the marriage market outcomes. The project further examines the impact of the marriage market on economic development, human capital enhancement, and various measures of economic and social development. The research results will have significant policy implications. The project mentor already has extensive data resources available for students, eliminating the need for them to collect data themselves.

3. Gender Differences in Voluntary Unemployment: Insights from the Chinese Labor Dynamics Survey

Voluntary unemployment can occur for various reasons, such as returning to school or caring for family. This study will use CLDS data to analyze the frequency, duration, and reasons for voluntary unemployment by gender. Work experience is a major factor contributing to gender wage disparities, and voluntary unemployment creates gaps in work experience. By analyzing the gender differences in voluntary unemployment, this research aims to explore gender differences in worker behavior and the channels through which these differences form.

4. Superstar Behavior and Fan Satisfaction

This project focuses on how superstar behavior can stimulate fans' purchasing behavior and increase fan satisfaction. For instance, a concert performance with dancing or interactions might greatly interest fans. This project aims to analyze the role of superstar behavior in boosting ticket sales and other product sales and provide recommendations based on the findings. The research methods include econometric modeling, data surveys, organization, and analysis. This plan is suitable for students interested in cultural economics.

5. Exploring the Relationship Between Social Sentiments and Consumer Behavior Using NLP Methods

This research proposal aims to use natural language processing (NLP) methods to explore the relationship between social sentiments and consumer behavior. By analyzing and understanding the emotions expressed in large-scale text data, the study investigates the link between social emotional states and individual consumption decisions.

6. Impact of Digital Empowerment on the Non-Agricultural Employment Transition of Rural Labor Force

This project aims to study the impact of digital technology application in rural households on family labor employment and labor force transition. The study aims to assess the impact of digital empowerment on the non-agricultural employment transition of rural household labor and further explore its impact on household income levels.

7. Does Currency Depreciation Significantly Increase Exports?

This project will explore the relationship between currency depreciation and exports. Firstly, it will examine whether the relationship between depreciation and exports has changed over time. Secondly, it will explore the recent relationship between currency depreciation and exports, discussing factors such as the position in the industrial chain, the short-term and long-term impacts of depreciation on exports, industry effects, and more.

8. China's Foreign Trade and Its Impact

To which countries does China’s foreign investment flow? What characteristics do the recipient countries of Chinese foreign investment have? Does foreign investment increase bilateral trade volume? Our project will attempt to answer these questions and accurately describe and explain the level and characteristics of China's foreign trade.

9. Circuit Breaker Mechanism and Information Cascades in Financial Markets

This project aims to incorporate the circuit breaker mechanism into a competitive market learning model to identify the possible or nearly certain conditions for information cascades. The project will conduct both theoretical analysis and empirical testing, with the latter focusing on stock data, especially during times following circuit breakers.

10. Behavioral Decision-Making and Urban Economics: Quantitative Analysis of Different Cities' Movie Preferences and Economic Impacts of Migration

This project aims to explore the relationship between movie ratings and box office performance through data scraping techniques and data analysis methods. From this starting point, it will use econometric methods to investigate socially significant issues such as the degree of audience divergence in movie preferences and the regional characteristics of movie preferences.

11. Research on Factors Influencing International Gold Prices

This study establishes a model of factors influencing gold prices to analyze the supply and demand conditions of the world gold market, discovering the relationships between various factors and gold prices.

12. Research on the Relationship Between Capital Structure and Corporate Value of Chinese Internet-Listed Companies

This project establishes relevant mathematical models and uses empirical research methods to study the relationship between the capital structure and corporate value of companies, deriving the relationship between independent measures of capital structure, such as return on net assets and debt-to-asset ratio.

13. Temporal and Spatial Evolution and Influencing Factors Analysis of Ecological Civilization Construction in the Yangtze River Economic Belt

This project takes the Yangtze River Economic Belt as the research sample, constructs a comprehensive index system, and uses quantitative evaluation methods to measure the status of ecological civilization construction in the Yangtze River Economic Belt. It also uses econometric methods to empirically test the influencing factors that may affect ecological civilization construction in the region.

14. Dynamic Competition in the Development of Online Platforms

Technology and the internet have allowed online platforms to develop rapidly. Different innovative business models based on two-sided platforms have disrupted traditional industries. Under this broad topic, the project can explore how the first-movers and second-movers design dynamic competition strategies from the perspectives of two-sided market pricing and market size, such as the competition between Pinduoduo and Taobao.

15. Analysis of Factors Influencing China**’s Comparative Advantage**

This project aims to analyze the future development trends of labor-intensive, capital-intensive, and technology-intensive products' comparative advantages and the comprehensive development trends of comparative advantages based on regression models of major influencing factors. Finally, the project will propose effective policy recommendations to consolidate and enhance China's comparative advantage.

Another option—Embark Exploration Program

After reading these economic research ideas, have you been inspired to do research? If you are in a confused stage of wanting to start an economics journey but don't know where to start, you might consider joining Embark Exploration Program. In this project, our professional mentors will tailor research topics and research plans based on your learning situation. Through this process, you will not only gain an unforgettable economics research experience but also have one-on-one exchanges with mentors from world-renowned universities to help you with your research in all aspects.

For more details and to start the application, please click here.