Written Project

Students will be responsible for a written project worth 20 percent of the course grade. The project consists of performing application-oriented exercises wherein the general economic principals learned in the course are put to practical use. You are being asked to write a one to two-page written summary that responds to a topic of your choosing. The summary should be double spaced and 12-point font. Please use Microsoft Word and hand in to the professor personally!! Do not send by email or leave in mailbox!! The project will be due on, or before, the last day of class.

Please choose one of the following topics:

1. The U.S. Federal Budget Deficit

The government’s budget deficit has grown much larger in the last two years and is expected to grow much larger. Explain why this occurred and how the deficit can affect the economy. Do you believe that it is a major concern? Provide your own theory and recommendations and describe the impact to GDP, fiscal and monetary policy. Be sure to use appropriate material from the textbook and recent current events to support your conclusions.

2. Everyone’s Gasoline Problem

We are all familiar with fluctuating prices of gasoline at the pump. Why does this happen? Research the recent history of gasoline pricing and attempt to relate any fluctuations you observe to documented supply and demand factors, as outlined in the textbook and in current events. Be sure to cite any references used.

3. Ethical Issues in Business

The news is full of articles on firms that have acted in an unethical or illegal matter pertaining to the operation and financial reporting of their company’s business dealings. Briefly discuss one of these articles and see if you can relate the issue to any of the economic principles you have learned.

4. Ticket Scalping

Most scalping laws make it illegal to sell—but not to buy—tickets at prices above those printed on the ticket. Assuming that is the case, use supply and demand analysis to explain why the equilibrium ticket price in an illegal secondary market tends to be higher than in a legal primary market.

5. Current Events Exercise

You are to respond to, discuss, or present your opinion on a recent article from a prominent news source that pertains to either the U.S. economy or another country’s economy. The issue can be on any subject if you can apply economic principles learned in the course.

6. Textbook Projects

You choose two projects from your text book that requires you to research an economic issue and supply a supported response. The project must be from a chapter covered in the course.

7. Policy Issues

By referencing news sources, establish what is the current thinking about the health of the U.S. economy and cite the major fiscal and monetary policy initiatives that are being talked about, or are underway. Be sure to point out any policy conflicts that may be present between fiscal and monetary authorities. Be sure to cite references that you use.

8. Outsourcing

Overseas “outsourcing” to China, India, and elsewhere has become major economic and political issue. Discuss this issue using a related article as support and see if you can relate the issue to an economic principle. Are there any effects on Demand or Supply related to this topic, and how would you expect this to affect the equilibrium price and equilibrium quantity for a company’s products and services that choose to outsource its production?