A collection of tools, data sources, and learning materials I recommend to students and use in my own research. Students starting out: begin with the Learn to Code and Economics Data sections.
Learn to Code
π£ Julia Academy
Free courses for programming, machine learning, and data science. Start here if you have never coded before.
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π QuantEcon
Open lectures on quantitative economics with Julia and Python β the single best bridge between economics and programming.
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π» Learn C++
Tutorials for when you need serious speed (structural models, large simulations).
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π Coding for Economists
Arthur Turrellβs free book: Python, data, and good practice β written for economists.
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π₯οΈ The Missing Semester
MITβs crash course in the computing skills nobody teaches: shell, git, editors.
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Economics Data
πΊπΈ FRED
Federal Reserve Economic Data β the first stop for macro time series. Free, with API access.
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π¬π§ ONS & Bank of England
UK official statistics and the Bankβs interactive statistical database.
π ONS Β· BoE Database
π World Bank Open Data
Cross-country development and macro indicators.
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Math and Statistics Notes
π Math & Probability Notes
Lecture materials and notes on probability theory.
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π Bayesian Econometrics
Applied Bayesian Econometrics for Central Bankers β practical and code-driven.
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LaTeX & Writing
βοΈ Overleaf
Online LaTeX editor β what you will write your dissertation in.
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π LaTeX Table Generator
Easy table builder for LaTeX.
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βοΈ Hemingway Editor
Improve clarity and readability of writing.
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π€ QuillBot
Paraphrasing and writing assistant.
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References Tools
π DOI / BibTeX
Find and format DOIs for references.
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π§ Litmaps
Visual literature mapping tool.
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π ResearchRabbit
Discover and map academic papers.
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Writing Economics
Essential reading before you write a dissertation, thesis, or paper.
βοΈ Economical Writing
Deirdre McCloskeyβs principles of clear economics writing, in a short PDF.
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π Writing Tips for PhD Students
John Cochraneβs famous guide β blunt, practical, and just as useful for a dissertation.
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π― The Introduction Formula
Keith Headβs recipe for the hardest part of any paper: the introduction.
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πͺ Four Steps to an Applied Micro Paper
Jesse Shapiroβs systematic method for going from question to paper.
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Presenting Your Work
π€ Academic Presenting: How to Get It Right
David Ubilavaβs practical guide to presenting a paper.
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π Ten Guidelines for Better Tables
Jon Schwabish on turning unreadable tables into convincing ones.
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π Data Visualization
Kieran Healyβs free book on making figures that actually communicate.
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πΌοΈ Best Figures in Economics
Paul Goldsmith-Pinkhamβs gallery of great figures β steal ideas from the best.
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Doing Research
π An Unofficial Guide to Empirical Work
Amy Finkelstein on how empirical research actually gets done β false starts included.
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π§ The Economist as Plumber
Esther Duflo on economics as practical problem-solving.
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π§ Tips for Economists
Masayuki Kudamatsuβs encyclopedic collection of advice for every stage.
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π Econ Grad Advice
Curated guidance if you are considering or starting a PhD in economics.
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AI for Research
π€ Guides to AI Coding Agents
Claes BΓ€ckmanβs hands-on guides to Claude Code, Codex, and agentic workflows for research.
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π Getting Started with Claude Code
Paul Goldsmith-Pinkhamβs introduction for economists β from empty folder to figure.
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π οΈ AI, Git, and LaTeX Tech Stack
Kevin Bryanβs guide to a modern research toolkit.
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Funding, Jobs & Research Opportunities
π° INOMICS
Economics jobs, funding, and summer schools β useful for MSc students planning a PhD.
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π EconJobMarket
The central platform for academic economics job applications.
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π Research Professional
Funding and research opportunities database.
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Several links on this page are drawn from Claes BΓ€ckmanβs excellent resources collection, which is worth exploring in full.