ONCAMPUS Assignment Brief
Academic Year 2021-22
Please read this document carefully. It includes the learning outcomes, assignment task, information about plagiarism and marking criteria. Please speak to your tutor if you have any questions.
Programme
Undergraduate Foundation Programme:
Business, Economics, Finance and Management
Module
UFPB2 – Economics and Finance
Assessment title
Economics Essay: Examine the macroeconomic performance of an economy and analyse the policies used to influence the economic cycle.
Deadline date
To be confirmed by your tutor
Weighting
This assessment counts for 30% of your overall grade for this module
Pass mark
40%
*please note your University may require a higher grade for progression.
Assignment summary
To examine the macroeconomic performance of an economy and analyse economic policies used to influence the economic cycle.
Submission of work
http://www.turnitinuk.com
Feedback
http://www.turnitinuk.com
Feedback will also be communicated back to you via your tutor. They will confirm the timescale in which you will receive your feedback.
Important details
Unless instructed otherwise by your tutor, please follow the below instructions:
Word count
1,000 to 1,500 words
File type
Word processed
Font
12 pitch font – Arial or Times New Roman
Format
Double spaced and justified
Referencing
Harvard system
Notes
Your assignment must include page numbers and word count.
You will receive a 10% penalty for this assignment if you go over the word count by more than 10%. If your assignment is significantly under the word count, you may not have answered the question in full. This will be reflected in your overall mark and feedback given by your tutor.
The word count does not include contents, end of text references or appendices.
Module learning outcomes:
On successful completion of this assessment, you will have met criteria towards the following module learning outcomes:
Knowledge based outcomes:
LO1. Recognise the Basic Economic Problem, the function of an economy and the influence of economic agents
LO3. Recognise measurements of national economic performance, economic growth and welfare, and examine how government policy may impact the economic cycle
Skills based outcomes:
• Analytical and problem solving
• Carrying out secondary research
• Time management, planning and organisational skills
• Ability to work competently, both independently and collaboratively
• Be aware of own strengths and weaknesses and understand when support is needed
Assessment criteria:
In order to successfully complete this assessment and meet criteria towards the above learning outcomes, you must satisfy the following criteria:
AC1.3 Describe the Sectors of the Economy
AC3.1 Recognise national economic performance indicators
AC3.2 Illustrate the Business cycle characteristics
AC3.3 Analyse causes of economic growth and their implications
AC3.4 Assess alternative ways of measuring welfare
AC3.5 Assess policies used to impact the economic cycle
Assignment instructions:
Choose a country to research:
• This country should not be your home country. Ask your teacher to approve the country of your choice in order to avoid overlap between different students.
• Get into the habit of following the economic news about the economy you are researching using different news sources.
• You are advised to show trends in macro performance over the last decade. Use data, tables and graphs, and/or create your own graphs and tables to present the research.
Use the following details to help structure your essay.
Task 1 – GDP and economic growth (20 marks)
• Research and comment on the GDP / GDP per capita of the chosen economy
• Explain the main reasons for the economic growth/decline over the last decade
• Describe the business/economic cycle in the context of the chosen economy
Task 2 – Unemployment (20 marks)
• Research and comment on the levels of unemployment in the economy researched
• Analyse how the Government can effectively reduce unemployment in the economy (either analyse the current policies used and/or make suggestions of policies that may be used)
Task 3 – Inflation and balance of payments (20 marks)
• Research and comment on the inflation levels and balance of payments of the economy
• Explain the impacts of inflation and the balance of payments the economic agents
Task 4 – Economic Policy (20 marks)
• Discuss the use/effectiveness of economic policy (demand or supply side policy) to impact the economic cycle (either analyse the current policies used and/or make suggestions of policies than may be used)
Task 5 – Presentation and Referencing (20 marks)
• Check your work for spelling and grammar
• Present you work in an acceptable format
• Use Harvard referencing
Extra Details about your assignment:
• You will need to provide a bibliography of at least 6 references in your essay. You will need to use Harvard referencing.
• Your report needs to show:
• Proof that you have researched and analysed information.
• Critical thinking and analysis.
• Economic theory.
• A high quality of written English and a logical flow to your essay.
Extra Guidance for your Research:
You may use the following databases to find data:
• Trading Economics
• World Bank DataBank
• United Nations Database
• International Labour Organisation (ILO) Statistics and Database
• Other sources advised by your tutor
You must not reference any user-generated sources of information such as Wikipedia or forums. You
could read these to get a general overview for your own understanding, but they should not be used in your references as they are not always reliable sources of information. If you are unsure of what is expected of you, please speak to your tutor.
Plagiarism
We expect all submitted work to be your own words (apart from in-text quotations), written in a style that reflects your English language level. If you copy other people’s work and present it as your own, this is called plagiarism and is a serious academic offence.
The full details of our policy on academic misconduct can be found at the back of the Programme Handbook.
You must complete a coursework submission sheet and attach this to the front of your assignment.
Submissions without this sheet may be rejected and may result in a mark of 0 being awarded for this assignment.
Marking criteria – Economics Essay
Incomplete/Not Attempted
Unsatisfactory
Competent
Strong
Exceptional
Total marks: 100
0-3 Marks
4-7 marks
8-11 marks
12-15 marks
16-20 marks
Task 1 GDP and economic growth (20 marks)
Research and comment on the GDP / GDP per capita of the chosen economy over the last decade.
Explain the main reasons for the economic growth/decline
Describe the economic/business cycle
AC 3.1 3.2 3.3
Work is incomplete and/or bears no/ little resemblance to the task .
Poor research and explanation of GDP / GDP per capita of the chosen economy
Limited attempt to research and provide reasons for the economic growth/decline Poor or vague description of the economic/business cycle
Basic understanding of
GDP / GDP per capita of the chosen economy with some reasonable evidence of research of the chosen economy
Some attempt to research and provide reasons for the economic growth/decline over the
Basic description of the economic/business cycle
Clear knowledge and understanding of GDP / GDP per capita of the chosen economy with some good evidence of research of the chosen economy which is presented well.
Good attempt to research and provide reasons for the economic growth/decline over the decade
Good description of the economic/business cycle which is mostly applied to the chosen economy
Excellent understanding of GDP / GDP per capita of the chosen economy with thorough evidence of research of the chosen economy which is presented in a clear and professional manner. Very good evidence of providing reasons for the economic growth/decline over the decade
Excellent description of the economic/business cycle which is applied clearly to the chosen economy
Task 2 Unemployment (20 marks)
Research and comment on the levels of unemployment in the economy researched
Analyse how the Government can effectively reduce unemployment in the economy (either analyse the current policies used and/or make suggestions of policies than may be used)
AC 3.1 3.2 3.3
Work is incomplete and/or bears no/ little resemblance to the task .
Poor understanding of unemployment in the economy researched
Limited evidence that the student understands how the Government can effectively reduce unemployment in the economy or makes few suggestions of policies than may be used
Basic understanding of unemployment and makes attempts to apply the knowledge to the country chosen to research.
Some evidence of research and basic attempts made to suggest
how the Government can reduce unemployment in the economy and/or make suggestions of policies than may be used
Clear understanding of unemployment which is well applied to the country being researched.
Good evidence of research. Evidence of clear attempts to suggest how the Government can reduce unemployment in the economy and/or make suggestions of policies than may be used
Excellent understanding of unemployment which is explained well and in the context of the chosen economy. There are coherent explanations as to
how the Government is tackling unemployment or makes very good suggestions of policies than may be used in the specific country being researched
Task 3 Inflation and balance of payments(20 marks)
Research and comment on the inflation levels and balance of payments of the economy being researched
Explain the impacts of inflation and the balance of payments on economic agents
AC 3.1 3.2 3.3
Work is incomplete and/or bears no/ little resemblance to the task .
One of the two components are missing or not detailed
Research on the inflation levels and balance of payments of the economy is limited with poor explanation of the impacts of inflation and the balance of payments on economic agents
One of the two components may be limited or vague.
Basic research evident on the inflation levels and balance of payments of the economy is limited.
Basic explanation of the impacts of inflation and the balance of payments the economic agents. May be generic in nature but makes some attempt to apply to the country being researched.
Both of the two components are included and detailed
Clear knowledge of inflation levels and balance of payments and applied, in the main, to the economy being researched.
Clear explanation of the impacts of inflation and the balance of payments on the economic agents in the country being researched
Both of the two components are included and very well explained
Excellent research on the inflation levels and balance of payments of the economy which is well presented and is specific to the economy being researched.
Excellent explanation of the impacts of inflation and the balance of payments on the economic agents in the country being researched
Task 4 Economic Policy (20 marks)
Discuss the use/effectiveness of economic policy (demand or supply side policy) to impact the economic cycle (either analyse the current policies used or make suggestions of policies than may be used)
AC 3.1 3.2 3.3
Work is incomplete and/or bears no/ little resemblance to the task .
Very limited evidence to demonstrate knowledge of demand or supply side policy. Little evidence of research of the current economic policies being used or little attempt to make suggestions of policies than may be used
Some basic evidence to demonstrate knowledge of demand or supply side policy. Basic evidence of research of the current economic policies being used in the chosen economy or some attempt to make suggestions of policies than may be used to impact the business cycle
Clear knowledge and understanding of demand or supply side policy. Good evidence of research of the current economic policies being used in the chosen economy or some attempt to make suggestions of policies than may be used to impact the business cycle. The knowledge and suggestions are , in the main, applied to the economy being researched
Excellent knowledge and understanding of demand or supply side policy is evident which is specifically in the context of the economy being researched. Excellent evidence of research of the current economic policies being used in the chosen economy or an excellent attempt to make suggestions of policies than may be used to impact the business cycle of the specific chosen country.
Presentation and
Harvard Referencing
(20 marks)
Check your work for spelling and grammar.
Present you work in an acceptable format
Use Harvard referencing
Numerous deficiencies in expression and presentation; the writer may achieve clarity (if at all) only by using a simplistic or repetitious style.
Inadequate use of research/appendix. Little or no attempt to Harvard reference
A simple basic style but with significant deficiencies in expression or format that may pose obstacles for the reader.
limited use of sources to support a point.
Attempted to use Harvard referencing
Reasonably competently written, with only minor lapses from standard grammar, with an acceptable format.
Uses a narrow variety of sources Reasonable use of sources to support points.
Used Harvard referencing throughout, with some errors
Well written, with standard spelling and grammar, in a readable style with acceptable format
Good range of sources and well organised and uses Harvard referenced with only a few mistakes.
Excellently written, with minimal spelling and grammar, Excellent format, a wide range of resources used. Harvard referenced is accurate with no or only minor mistakes.
The post Choose a country to research: • This country should not be your home country. Ask your teacher to approve the country of your choice in order to avoid overlap between different students. • Get into the habit of following the economic news about the economy you are researching using different news sources. • You are advised to show trends in macro performance over the last decade. Use data, tables and graphs, and/or create your own graphs and tables to present the research. Use the following details to help structure your essay. Task 1 – GDP and economic growth (20 marks) • Research and comment on the GDP / GDP per capita of the chosen economy • Explain the main reasons for the economic growth appeared first on My blog.
