ECO100 – Principles of Economics
Assignment 2: Final Report
Due Week 10, worth 200 points
This assignment is aligned to this course outcome:
•
Apply macroeconomic concepts to current and personal economic events and decisions.
In addition to writing about macroeconomic concepts, it's equally important to be able to convey your
understanding of these concepts by communicating them to others. In the workplace you might do this by
writing briefs (like you did for Assignment 1), creating presentations, or writing reports for your manager or
team.
This Final Report assignment will be a Word document (approximately 3 pages) that builds off your
previous Economic Brief and selected industry.
For this assignment, you'll examine at least one of the macroeconomic indicators or policies below within
the context of the industry you have previously selected.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
GDP growth
Unemployment rates
Inflation rates
Interest rates
International trade policy and issues related to trade balances, trade restrictions, etc.
Government fiscal policy and issues related to taxation, government spending, and budget
deficits
FED (central bank) monetary policy and issues related to the FED’s mission to stabilize the
economy
Macroeconomic Resources for Industry and Economy
These resources are available to help you find the size and growth rate of your industry in the U.S.
economy and/or relative to GDP:
•
Real GDP – Click on Section 1, then table 1.1.6 (click on MODIFY to change the year range and
frequency). Data is from Bureau of Economic Analysis (bea.gov).
•
% change in Real GDP – Click on Section1, then table 1.1.1 (click on MODIFY to change the
year range and frequency). Data is from Bureau of Economic Analysis (bea.gov).
•
GDP by Industry – 2008 to 2017 annual data (click on MODIFY to change the year range and
frequency). Data is from Bureau of Economic Analysis (bea.gov).
•
% change in GDP by industry – 2008 to 2017 annual data (click on MODIFY to change the year
range and frequency). Data is from Bureau of Economic Analysis (bea.gov).
These resources are available to help you measure and track macroeconomic indicators and outcomes
of macroeconomic policies:
•
Unemployment rates – Data is from Bureau of Labor Statistics (bls.gov).
•
Inflation rates as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Data is from Bureau of Labor
Statistics (bls.gov).
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Page 1 of 4
ECO100 – Principles of Economics
•
% Change in Real Exports and Imports – Click on Section 4, then table 4.2.1 (click on MODIFY
to change the year range and frequency). Data is from Bureau of Economic Analysis (bea.gov).
•
Government receipts, expenditures, and savings – Click on Section 3, then table 3.1 for total
government and table 3.2 for federal government. (Click on MODIFY to change the year range
and frequency.) Data is from the Bureau of Economic Analysis (bea.gov).
•
FED Funds Interest Rates. Data is from Trading Economics (tradingeconomics.com).
Preparation
1. To begin this assignment, recall the industry you selected in Assignment 1.
2. Use the industry GDP resources above to assess the size and growth rate of this industry.
3. Next, identify a newsworthy macroeconomic indicator or policy that may impact your selected
industry. Use the macroeconomic resources above to find patterns and trends.
4. It will also be important to review relevant chapters from The Little Book of Economics, the
OpenStax: Principles of Macroeconomics chapter readings, and your prior discussion board
questions and responses.
Instructions
Prepare a Final Report that is approximately two to three (2-3) pages long in which you:
1. Assess your selected industry’s relative size and growth rate in the economy.
2. Identify at least one newsworthy macroeconomic indicator or policy that is important for the
industry to monitor, e.g., GDP, unemployment, inflation rates, interest rates, trade policy,
government taxation and spending decisions, and/or FED decisions.
3. Explain why this macroeconomic indicator or policy is important and how it may impact your
selected industry.
4. Describe a recent trend in the macroeconomic indicator or policy. Include a graph, chart, or table
that illustrates the observed trend.
5. Conclude with a forecast for the industry based on whether the trend identified in part 4 is
expected to continue. Provide support for your conclusion.
6. This course requires use of Strayer Writing Standards (SWS). The format is different compared to
other Strayer University courses. Please take a moment to review the SWS documentation for
details. (Note: You’ll be prompted to enter your Blackboard login credentials to view these
standards.)
o Your brief should include a cover page.
o Your brief should be two to three (2-3) pages in length (not including the cover page),
double-spaced, 12-point font.
o Your report should include a minimum of two (2) references/citations in the text.
© 2018 Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information
and may not be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of
Strayer University.
Page 2 of 4
ECO100 – Principles of Economics
Assignment 2 Rubric
Grading for this assignment will be based on the quality of your responses in addressing each of the
points below, using the following rubric:
Points: 200
Criteria
1. Assesses the
size and/or
growth rate of
the industry
relative to the
national
economy.
Weight: 10%
2. Identifies at least
one newsworthy
macroeconomic
indicator or
policy that the
industry should
monitor.
Weight: 20%
3. Explains why the
macroeconomic
indicator or
policy selected in
part 2 is
important and
how it may
impact the
industry.
Weight: 30%
4. Describes a
recent trend in
the macroeconomic
indicator or
policy in part 2.
Includes a graph,
table, or chart
that illustrates
the observed
trend.
Weight: 20%
Exemplary
90–100% A
The student
correctly and
thoroughly
assesses both
the relative size
and relative
growth rate of
the industry in
the national
economy.
The student
correctly
identifies one or
more
macroeconomic
indicators or
policies that the
industry should
monitor and
provides strong
supporting
details.
The student
correctly and
thoroughly
explains why the
macroeconomic
indicator and/or
policy in part 2 is
important and
how it may
impact the
industry.
The student
correctly and
thoroughly
describes a
recent trend in
the macroeconomic
indicator and/or
policy in part 2.
Includes a graph,
table, or chart
that illustrates
the observed
trend.
Assignment 2: Final Report
Fair
Meets Minimum
Expectations
70–79% C
60–69% D
The student
The student
The student
correctly
partially
attempted to
assesses the
assesses the
assess the size
size and/or
size and/or
and/or growth
growth rate of
growth rate of
rate of the
the industry in
the industry in
industry in the
the national
the national
national
economy.
economy.
economy.
Excludes some
Excludes major
minor details.
details.
The student
The student
The student
correctly
correctly
attempted to
identifies a
identifies a
identify a
macroeconomic
macroeconomic
macroeconomic
indicator or
indicator or
indicator or
policy that the
policy that the
policy that the
industry should
industry should
industry should
monitor and
monitor but does monitor. No
provides strong
not provide
sufficient
supporting
sufficient
supporting
details.
supporting
details were
details.
provided.
Proficient
80–89% B
The student
correctly
explains why the
macroeconomic
indicator and/or
policy in part 2 is
important and
how it may
impact the
industry.
Excludes minor
details.
The student
correctly
describes a
recent trend in
the macroeconomic
indicator and/or
policy in part 2.
Includes a graph,
table, or chart
that illustrates
the observed
trend.
The student
partially explains
why the
macroeconomic
indicator and/or
policy in part 2 is
important and
how it may
impact the
industry.
Excludes major
details.
The student
partially
describes a
recent trend in
the macroeconomic
indicator and/or
policy in part 2.
Includes a graph,
table, or chart
that may or may
not illustrate the
observed trend.
Unacceptable
Below 60% F
The student did
not assess the
size of the
industry or its
growth rate in
the national
economy.
The student did
not identify a
macroeconomic
indicator or
policy that the
industry should
monitor.
The student
attempted to
explain why the
macroeconomic
indicator and/or
policy in part 2 is
important and/or
how it may
impact the
industry.
The student did
not explain why
the macroeconomic
indicator and/or
policy in part 2 is
important or how
it may impact the
industry.
The student
attempted to
describe a recent
trend in the
macroeconomic
indicator and/or
policy in part 2.
No graph, table,
or chart that
illustrates the
trend was
provided.
The student did
not describe a
recent trend in
the macroeconomic
indicator and/or
policy in part 2.
No graph, table,
or chart that
illustrates the
trend was
provided.
© 2018 Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information
and may not be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of
Strayer University.
Page 3 of 4
ECO100 – Principles of Economics
Criteria
5. Concludes with a
forecast for the
industry based
on whether the
observed trend is
expected to
continue.
Provides strong
support for the
forecast.
Weight: 10%
6. Uses (SWS)
Strayer Writing
Standards to
write
professionally
and cite sources.
Meets two-page
minimum.
Meets two
minimum
reference/citation
requirement.
Exemplary
90–100% A
Proficient
80–89% B
Fair
70–79% C
Meets Minimum
Expectations
60–69% D
The student
concludes with
an attempted
forecast for the
industry which
may or may not
have been
supported.
Unacceptable
Below 60% F
The student
concludes with a
correct and
thorough
forecast for the
industry based
on whether the
observed trend is
expected to
continue.
The student
concludes with a
correct forecast
for the industry
based on
whether the
observed trend is
expected to
continue.
The student
concludes with a
partially correct
forecast for the
industry based
on whether the
observed trend is
expected to
continue.
Provides strong
support for the
forecast.
Provides
reasonable
support for the
forecast.
May or may not
have provided
reasonable
support for the
forecast.
Followed all
writing
standards.
Followed most
writing
standards.
Followed some
writing
standards.
Followed few
writing
standards.
Followed few to
no writing
standards.
Meets page
minimum.
Meets page
minimum.
May not meet
page minimum.
May not meet
page minimum.
Did not meet
page minimum.
Meets minimum
reference/citation
requirement.
Meets minimum
reference/citation
requirement.
May not meet
minimum
reference/citation
requirement.
May not meet
minimum
reference/citation
requirement.
Did not meet
minimum
reference/citation
requirement.
The student did
not conclude
with a forecast
for the industry.
Weight: 10%
© 2018 Strayer University. All Rights Reserved. This document contains Strayer University confidential and proprietary information
and may not be copied, further distributed, or otherwise disclosed in whole or in part, without the expressed written permission of
Strayer University.
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