Macroeconomics

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Term Paper There will be one term paper for the course that is due on the date indicated on the course syllabus/ Canvas by 11:59 pm. Please refer to syllabus for the due date. The paper is designed to assess the students’ social responsibility, knowledge of civic responsibility and the role of economics knowledge about it. The paper will also assess student’s ability to communicate the economics concepts learned in this course (SR & CS).

 For the term paper students will choose an article related to any of the topics we have covered in the online coursework. The articles could be found on msnbc.com, nytimes.com, economist.com., cnn.com. You may also find articles on local newspapers as well. Or a google search will help students find articles on the current economic events easily.

 After you pick an economics article from the internet or from local newspapers, you are required to write an analysis of the article you have selected to work on. You will find the detailed explanation on how to write an analysis of an article below.

 Students may work together for the term paper and bounce ideas off each other or discuss the articles together; however, each student must submit their individual paper written on their own. Besides, every student must pick up a different article.

 Make sure you include the article you have chosen at the end of your paper. Please copy and paste the article at the end of your paper. Do not just give a webpage link, as there may be some technical issues or subscription issues on certain websites (for example New York times, there is a limit for maximum number of free articles you can read per day) and the article would not open on my computer.

 Papers submitted without the related article the student has chosen will not be graded.

The Length  The length of the paper will be minimum 5 paragraphs and 1-3 pages, 1.5 space and 12 size fonts. If you use other resources to back up your opinion,

you must cite the resource in APA style. If you need help with APA style formatting, you may contact writing center or go online https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/apa_style/apa_formatting_and_style_guide/general_format.html The paper is your own understanding of the article based on what you have learned in class.

 Minimum of 750 words.

How to write the paper:

 Step 1: Read the article you have found on any of your resources. Make sure you comprehend the article well. Try to investigate and find out the meaning of any concept or term that you do not know that is mentioned in the article.

 Step 2: Start writing your draft. Here is how:

o Give your own paper a nice title. o The first paragraph will summarize the original article. o In the following paragraphs you will make an argument/ evaluation in your analysis using appropriate terminology. o Present your position on the topic. Do you agree or disagree with what is covered in the article? o In the last paragraphs, paragraph 4 or 5 make your recommendations. Or you may open up the floor for further questions/dicsussions

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o Please make sure you refer to the concepts/terms we have learned in this course, while you are making your analysis on the article. o Please make sure to explain how the concepts handled in the articled along with the ones we have learned in class would help students develop

personal responsibility, social responsibility and civic responsibility in the context of our economy

 There is no need for a separate cover page or abstract/ summary page. You need to give a title to your paper.

 Make sure you write your name, your course name and course section along the with the title and author of the article you have chosen to write on.

 Step 3: Copy and paste the entire article that you analyzed on your paper at the end of your Term Paper.

o Remember to add a link to your article and o Remember to write the name of the article, the author of the article, cite where it was published and the date as well.

 Step 4: Submit your term paper on Canvas under Assignments link. (You will submit it on Turnitin inside that link)

Please take a look at the following guideline about analyzing an article. It is a great resource for article analysis:

Learn How to Analyze an Article In 5 Easy Steps

Written by Jacob Thomas

Source: https://toggl.com/blog/how-to-analyze-an-article

When you surf the net looking for information, do you quickly breeze through various blog posts, or do you take the time to really dig deep and examine them?

If you’re a “breezer,” this blog post on how to analyze an article will (hopefully!) change your approach. If you consider yourself more of an “examiner”

already, this post will teach you a simple process to better analyze the information you consume.

Why analysis is so important

Before you dive in and start analyzing every article on the internet, it would behoove you (good word, behoove!) to understand why critical analysis is so

important in the first place. Otherwise, you’ll just be analyzing for the sake of it, which isn’t productive.

So why is analysis a critical step when digesting new information?

Reason 1: It will help you remember what you’ve learned Many articles throw a lot of information at the reader, really quickly. It’s easy for important details to get lost in the avalanche. But when you analyze an

article correctly, you take time to break the subject matter down into its most crucial points.

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We’ll explore this step further in a later section of this post. But for now, just ask yourself: What’s easier to remember, a few well-defined statements (main

article points), or an entire blog post worth of information?

The answer is clear.

When you analyze the articles you read, you give your mind something much more tangible and concrete to hold on to.

Reason 2: It will sharpen your critical thinking skills You can’t analyze an article without evaluating the words the author has written. This evaluation process will sharpen your critical thinking skills, which are

extremely important in all areas of life. They’re also highly valued by employers in every industry.

Critical thinking is defined as “the ability to analyze information objectively and make a reasoned judgment.”

For example, Johnny, a customer support manager, analyzes the many customer feedback surveys his department receives each month. Based on his findings,

he’s able to make the necessary updates to the company’s customer service training program.

This is critical thinking in action. This is valuable.

Reason 3: It will make you a more valuable professional The ability to analyze an article will make you a more valuable professional. If you’re able to remember more of what you read, you’ll be more knowledgeable

than your colleagues. Knowledge, as they say, is power.

If you develop your critical thinking skills, you’ll be much more adept at problem solving, identifying opportunities, and avoiding common professional

pitfalls. You’ll be able to evaluate information more efficiently and make better decisions for yourself and your company.

Both of these skills, memorization and critical thinking, will make you, as a professional, indispensable to the company you work for.

How to analyze an article like a pro

Now that you’ve been educated on the importance of article analysis, you’re now surely hellbent on learning how to do it properly.

You’ll need to learn and complete five steps to analyze an article like a pro. After you begin to employ it, you’ll quickly reap the rewards and likely enjoy the

article reading process more.

Let’s get to those steps, shall we?

Step 1: Get a feel for the article’s contents

The very first thing you need to do to successfully analyze an article is read it all the way through. Obvious? Sure, but it’s still an important step!

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Start with the title. If it’s been written well, it should convey the overarching theme the author is writing on and what the major takeaway should be. Then skim

through the subheads. These should signify the secondary points and proofs the author is using to reinforce his or her claims.

Finally, go ahead and read the entire article. But don’t just read for the sake of it. Be intentional about it. Do your best to understand where the author is

coming from and what points he/she is trying to get across.

Step 2: Investigate any information you don’t understand

If the author has done a good job writing the piece, there should be at least one bit of new information included in the article. This might be new research, a

fresh perspective, or an original approach. It may be something you don’t fully understand, especially if the topic is foreign to you.

To analyze this article properly, you need to dig deeper. Research the authority of the author, the claims they’re making, and any words you don’t understand.

The idea is to be able to fully comprehend the content contained in the article. If you don’t you won’t be able to analyze it.

Step 3: Summarize the main points in your own words

After reading the article and investigating any information that wasn’t immediately clear, you should be able to summarize the main points of the piece in your

own words. If you can’t, go back and re-read the article.

Why is summarizing important?

Because it will tell you if you have a solid handle on the information or not. To really analyze an article, you have to understand the points the author is trying

to make.

We recommend writing your summary down on a piece of paper, but this is optional. At the very least, speak your summary out loud to ensure complete

comprehension.

Step 4: Formulate your own opinion on the subject matter

Remember when we talked about critical thinking earlier? Well, this is where that skill comes into play.

What do you think of the article you just read and summarized?

Was it well-written?

Was the information presented in a clear and compelling way?

More importantly, do you agree with the conclusions the author drew?

Why or why not?

Figuring out whether you wholeheartedly accept the writer’s position, vehemently oppose it, or find yourself somewhere in the middle is the main point of this

exercise. Be sure to block out an adequate amount of time for this step!

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Once you do, you can formulate your own opinion on the topic.

Step 5: Implement your newly acquired Knowledge

After you’ve acquired new information, filtered it through your individual lens–the way you see the world and the people in it–and formed your own opinion

on the topic, you can then implement your new knowledge or process.

This is another reason why approaching every article you read with an analytical eye is so important.

You can take what you’ve learned and feel confident that it will propel you forward because you thoroughly vetted the information. Or, if you disagree with

the author of the article, you can confidently say so and adopt another approach.

Either way, you win!

Article analysis in action

That’s it, how to analyze an article in five convenient steps. Pretty simple, right? We’re glad you think so! But how about we test your newfound knowledge?

Here’s what we’d like you to do: apply everything you just learned to this blog post.

That’s right. We want you to analyze the article you just read, right now.

We promised you a little audience participation section at the beginning of the post, right? Here it is. You’ve already completed step one by reading this post.

Now you need to carry on with the other four steps.

And here’s an extra challenge, if you’re up for it: Why not try timing yourself with our time tracker during the exercise?

Do you find yourself spending more time on the text than you otherwise would (if you’re a “breezer”), or does the five-step process actually help you read

faster (if you’re an “examiner”)?

After you’ve fully analyzed this piece, post your thoughts in the comment section below. We’ll read and respond to every entry and we can’t wait to hear your

insights!

Analyze this!

As we’ve just seen, deep article analysis is an essential skill for ambitious professionals. It will help you better remember the things you read about, improve

your critical thinking skills, and make you a more valuable employee or successful business owner.

To effectively analyze an article, you first need to read it in its entirety. Do you best to understand where the author is coming from and investigate any

information that doesn’t make sense to you. This could be claims they’ve made or definitions of words they’ve used.

Next, you need to be able to summarize the main point of the article. This will tell you if you have a solid handle on the information or not. Once you’re able

to summarize the piece, you can then formulate your own opinions on the topic. Do you agree or disagree with the author? Why?

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Finally, now that you’ve adequately analyzed the article, you can implement your newly acquired knowledge. How will this new information affect your

current mindset, approach to problems, or business processes?

Don’t forget to participate and analyze this article! We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

Happy analyzing!

 If you are unsure how to get started for the assignment or how to start and write the paper or any related issue, please feel free to contact me right away.

Rubric for the Term Paper Including Points

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Criteria Novice Apprentice Proficient Distinguished

0 to 9 points 10 to 15 points 18 to 24 points 25 to 30 points

Content No submission or unrelated content to the actual article chosen.

The student displayed adequate coverage of the topic, but the details were lacking.

Student analyzed the article and the topics covered in the original article using appropriate level of details, with limited support for his/her point.

Student displayed an exceptional coverage of the content using many details and showing insightful understanding of the concepts with supporting examples and proof.

0 to 9 points 10 to 15 points 18 to 24 points 25 to 30 points

Critical thinking No submission, no proof of critical thinking analysis of the article. Points not related to the original article chosen.

Minimally analyzed the issue for basic conclusions but avoided evaluation of the whole article.

Evaluated the issues well but did not describe the overall meaning and impact of the concepts in relation to the context of economics. Conclusion is meaningful to a certain level.

Critically evaluated the issue and described the meaning of the terms in the context of economics very well. Has an appropriate conclusion with exceptional clarity. Multi layered analysis with evidence of critical thinking.

0 to 9 points 12 to 17 points 18 to 24 points 25 to 30 points

Communication No submission, unclear communication about the original topics, superficial approach

Student communicated the topics covered adequately but not very effectively. Used some kind of vague language.

Student communicated the topics covered in the article with appropriate level of details effectively and clearly. Interpreted the ideas within the article in his/her own words.

Student communicated the topic/topics covered in the article by giving examples and providing proofs from the article with considerable amount of details.

0 to 0 points 2 to 2 points 4 to 4 points 5 to 5 points

Format, Length and Overall professionalism

No submission or did not meet the length or general formatting requirements. The article was not copied and pasted at the end of the paper.

The paper met the minimum requirement for length, general grammar/syntax errors. Minimally followed APA style. The original article was sent by email.

The paper was well organized in terms of formatting, writing style and minimum level of grammatical errors. Mostly complied with APA style. The paper was submitted through the correct means. The original article was added at the end of the paper.

The paper was organized perfectly in terms of style; including a title for the paper, the length of the paper met and exceeded the requirements, the paper was free of grammar/syntax errors. APA style was used correctly. The original article was copied and pasted neatly at the end of the paper. Other resources used were listed in appropriate style

0 to 0 points 2 to 2 points 4 to 4 points 5 to 5

Social responsibility, personal responsibility, knowledge of civic responsibility and the role of economics knowledge about it

No submission or the paper did not mention at all about personal responsibility, social responsibility, knowledge of civic responsibility and the role of economics knowledge about it.

Student was able to associate personal responsibility/social responsibility/civic responsibility with the concepts covered in the article chosen. Uses limited level of creativity or originality to synthesize the economics concepts with a responsible citizen’s role in the economy.

Student associated social responsibility with the concepts covered in the article chosen. Addressed in detail on how to develop personal responsibility/ social responsibility/ civic responsibility from economics perspective. Demonstrates a good level of creativity or originality to synthesize

Student builds up an exceptional connection on how personal responsibility / social responsibility/civic responsibility could be associated with economic terms. Student shows an exceptional level of awareness of a responsible citizen’s role in the economy. Clearly demonstrates the learning outcomes of this course

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* The assignments will be submitted via Turnitin on Canvas. Late submission will not be accepted.

The following are some common problems noticed on the term papers: 1. The paper lacks focus and is not well organized. A major reason why this happens is the article students choose is really a complicated one and talk

about many different topics. After reading the article, students get confused and they cannot handle that many topics at the same time. To avoid this

problem, please make sure you pick a very simple article that you can easily understand.

2. There are not enough analyses and explanations in the paper. Many times, students state some ideas or conjectures without explaining step by step

the logic behind these ideas or conjectures.

3. The use of quotations to substitute for the explanations. A common mistake that the students make in their papers is that they use quotations from

the original articles AS the arguments. It is acceptable for students to use some ideas suggested by others, yet students should try to explain the ideas in

their own words and should not simply copy the quotations without their own explanations.

4. Choosing a piece of news from an online source instead of a real economic analysis article. The economic news contains many statistics and numbers

within their writing, but it makes it difficult for a student to analyze that news article. Therefore, students should avoid choosing statistical news articles

for their paper. If you are unsure whether the article you have chosen is a good one or not, please feel free to ask me through course messages.

5. REMEMBER: Please copy and paste the original article at the end of your paper. Please do not provide a link for your original article as some links

would not open or some links require subscription, and it would not be possible for me to read the entire article.

6. Remember to write the name of the author, publishing date and the source of the article.

Here is another resource to help you write your analysis: A Brief Overview of the Article Analysis:

https://www.gvsu.edu/cms4/asset/CC3BFEEB-C364-E1A1-A5390F221AC0FD2D/business_article_analysis_gg_final.pdf

the economics concepts with a responsible citizen’s role in the economy.

contributed to internalizing his/her role of a responsible citizen.