Introduction: In the first stage of this project you will analyze a current economic issue or problem (Micro first semester and macro second semester). You will be analyzing four articles from the popular press. Then you will write a paper in which you address what might be done to address the issue or solve the problem. This part of the project is based to a great extent on the internal assessment that is part of the IB Economics syllabus. The second part of the project will involve you creating a video related to the ideas that you wrote about in your paper.
November 2/3: Topic summary and articles
Please start a Google Word Doc and put it in the Drop Box.
At the top of the document write a one paragraph summary of your topic.
Then identify the four articles you intend to use. Please provide a link to each article and a short summary of the article explaining how it relates to your topic.
How do I choose an article?
You should avoid using articles from the Economist and the Wall Street Journal. Your extract should be related to at least one of the concepts/theories that we have studied in class. It should be relatively short. You should try to choose an article that does not have much analysis and evaluation. You are responsible for the analysis and evaluation.
The articles must come from four DIFFERENT sources.
The articles can be from newspapers, magazines, journals and the internet.
The articles cannot be from television or radio broadcasts.
If your articles is from the internet, news media websites are the only appropriate sources.
The article must be published no more than one year before the writing of the commentary.
November 6/11: Article paragraphs
On the same Google Doc write a one paragraph analysis of each article (four paragraphs total). Each of the four paragraphs should be about 100 words long and use at least one graph.
November 16/17: Outlines
On the same Google doc outline your paper.
A good outline will:
Identify the topic that you plan to write about. For example, you could identify price floors, negative externalities or excise taxes as topics.
Identify the terms that you will probably define in your commentary. You do need to have them defined in the outline.
Identify the diagrams that you most likely use in your commentary. For example, a commentary on pollution will most likely use a graph depicting the effects of a negative externality on a market.
Identify a few ways that you may evaluate the commentary. Click here for more explanation on how to evaluate in an economics.
November 24/25: Final Papers Due
Submit your final paper to Turnitin.com. Check your email for the details of how to do this.
Each commentary should be 650-750 words. The following are not included in the word count:
• Acknowledgments
• Contents page
• Diagrams
• Labels—of five words or fewer
• Headings on diagrams—of 10 words or fewer
• Tables of statistical data
• Equations, formulae and calculations
• Citations/references
Your goal is to create a video that informs and entertains your audience. It should be engaging enough that those who watch it will want to comment and are drawn into a conversation or debate about your ideas. Use the examples below to help you get an idea of what we expect.
December 2/3: The script of your video must be written and submitted. You should be aiming for a length of about 7-10 minutes. A good model for this medium is the Crash Course series by John Green.
December 8/9: Your video must be complete and posted to YouTube.
2014-2015 (Semester 1)
2014-2015 (Semester 2)