 While a lecturer at Queen's, he was appointed as the editor of "The Queen's Journal" and is largely credited with moving the paper from a strict focus on campus matters to a more mixed discussion on all university interests, particularly to broaden the readership amongst alumni.He is credited with establishing the first card catalogue at the Queen's Library.Regarded as the father of professional economics in Canada, Shortt took a historical approach as differentiated from economic theory, as he believed that the economics of nations depend on natural resources, geographic location, and specific economic attributes.