Paper Assignment

Spring 2010

Economics 1120

General Instructions

1. A short paper is required of ALL students. This paper will be due on May 6 in class. There will be a box for each section. You may submit your paper directly to your TA if you want to hand it in early. KEEP A COPY OF THE PAPER FOR YOURSELF. THIS IS WORTH REPEATING: KEEP A COPY OF THE PAPER FOR YOURSELF!!!!!!!

You have a month to do this assignment. There will be no extensions.

2. The paper should be a maximum of FOUR PAGES single sided, double spaced (not including graphs or tables). TA’s will be instructed not to read past the fourth page.

3. The object of the paper is to critically analyze a news article which will be available for you to read by April 6. Each TA’s sections will be assigned a different article. All grading will be scored on a curve equalized between sections.

4. Each paper has some discussion questions included with it which should be covered in your paper. In addition, discuss the following points (Make sure to CLEARLY STATE ANY ASSUMPTIONS NECESSARY TO SUPPORT YOUR ANALYSIS):

a. What is the main thrust of the article? What is the most important point conveyed?

b. Use the analytical apparatus covered in the course to ILLUSTRATE GRAPHICALLY the economic phenomena discussed in the article. (For example, if the article speaks about monetary policy, illustrate that with the graphical analysis showing the relation between money supply and the interest rate, and the relation between that market and national income.) In most papers the more specific questions relating to each paper will require you to do this, but make sure that you include the graphs relevant to what your paper is about.

c. In your opinion, has the author of the article used correct analysis or is there some error which makes his/her conclusions suspect? If there is an error, state exactly what it is and how you would correct it.

These papers are to be done individually. You should not discuss it with each other. If you have questions, ask your TA but the expectation is that you will write your paper without assistance.

Paper Topics for Each TA and Links to Articles

Jeremy’s sections on Tuesdays

12:20PM - 01:10PM STL 341

01:25PM - 02:15PM STL 341

02:30PM - 03:20PM STL 341

Link to Jeremy’s paper

Julia’s sections on Wednesdays

08:00AM - 08:50AM IVS 108

09:05AM - 09:55AM IVS 108

10:10AM - 11:00AM IVS 108

Link to Julia’s paper

Xinli’s sections on Thursdays