ECOn 6 7 8

ECO202 – Microeconomics

Unit 7 Assignment: Inequality

Due: Sunday by 11:59 pm at the end of Unit 7.

Is inequality in the U.S. rising or falling?

As we have seen, our economic well-being depends on many factors: income, wealth, pre-or

post-tax earnings, family size and whether or not earnings postponed to the future.

Consequently, it isn’t surprising that politicians can find data to support nearly any position

about whether Americans are getting poorer or richer. In this week’s assignment, you will

investigate the use of data by two economists who reach entirely opposite conclusions.

Steven Pearlstein, conservative business columnist for the Washington Post, argues that the

middle class continues to do well.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/29/AR2007052902001.html

On the other hand, Jared Berstein, writing in the liberal The American Prospect magazine

maintains that living standards have slipped for the middle class.

http://www.epinet.org/content.cfm/webfeatures_econindicators_income20040826

Or:

http://prospect.org/article/squeeze-0

Respond to the following key questions:

1. What are the strongest arguments presented by each side?

2. What are the weakest arguments presented by each side?

3. What additional data would you like to have in order to determine who is correct?

Your final product will be a paper that:

 Addresses each of the four questions above in total.

 Is APA fortatted.

 The body is to be 2 pages minimum.

The requirements for your assignment are:

1. Answer each question fully

2. Define the overall subject of each question.

3. Cite at least three (3) resources from this week’s materials.

Students: Be sure to read the criteria and review the grading rubric on the next page, by

which your paper/project will be evaluated, before you write, and again after you write.

Evaluation Rubric for Unit 7 Assignment

CRITERIA Deficient Proficient Exemplary Points

Earned

Overview of the

Topic 0-13 Points

Does not provide an

adequate overview

or is missing.

14-27 Points

Overview is

presented, though

may not be clear or

complete.

28-40 Points Overview is clearly

presented including

all criteria outlined

above.

Complete

Answers 0-11 Points Questions

unanswered and/or

poorly answered.

12-23 Points All questions

answered with 1-2

sentence inputs.

24-35 Points

All questions

answered with depth

and clarity.

References to

Course Materials 0-5 Points Less than 3

references, no

assimilation to the

questions.

6-10 Points 3 references,

minimal

assimilation to the

questions.

11-15 Points 4 or more references

and assimilations

show depth and

clarity.

APA Format 0-1 Point Format has errors

that impede

professional

presentation; and/or

APA not followed,

reference page

missing.

2-3 Points APA format and

reference page has

few errors that do

not impede

professional

presentation.

4-5 Points APA format and

reference page is

clear, professional,

and error free.

Writing Quality 0-1 Point More than 7 writing

errors, to include

spelling and

punctuation.

2-3 Points More than 4 writing

errors, to include

spelling and

punctuation.

4-5 Points No writing errors.

Total 100