Instructions for Final Paper

Instructions for Final Paper

Econ 110G

This class requires a final paper and a brief presentation (4-5 minutes). The paper should be about five pages in length and should focus on a clear question about economics and some aspect of the material covered in the class. You should use at least one data source (for example, the Bureau of Labor Statistics at bls.gov, the Census Bureau at consus.gov, the Bureau of Economic Analysis at bea.gov) and the paper should include at least one table or chart.

You must also use at least three articles outside of the assigned readings.

Possible topics for your paper would include questions such as:

What are the levels of unemployment across different demographic groups (by age, ethnicity, gender) and what might that mean for your own job prospects?

How does income inequality affect the economy?

What are the economic policies of the current administration?

How has the Affordable Care Act worked since it started in 2014?

What are the job prospects forecast for today’s college graduates?

What are the prospects for bringing back high-paying jobs to the US in coal/manufacturing, etc.?

Should the federal minimum wage be raised to $15/hour?

These are just a few suggestions and we will talk about other possibilities and your own ideas in class. You may also want to do research on the economies of countries besides the US.

Grades will be based on the following criteria:

You have formulated a clear question.

Your paper answers the question and draws a clear conclusion.

You make good use of sources and quotations to support points and show the current state of discussion/debate on your topic.

The quality of your writing is high, consistent with being a college student.

Your paper is well organized, so that a reader can easily follow your logic and research.

You use data to support conclusions.

You use reliable, high-quality sources of information.

You use at least three sources outside of the assigned readings. You also include at least one table or chart using data to support points.