Select and read a news article that relates to one (or more) of the microeconomic topics from the above lists.
Choose a news article from one of the news sources available from the St. Thomas library Digital News resources: https://libguides.stthomas.edu/digitalnewsLinks to an external site.. (If you do not have a personal subscription to any of these news sites, you can access them for free using the link above.) Please feel free to talk with me in advance if you would like to use a different news source.
An opinion article, editorial, column, blog, etc. is not a “news” article. Please be sure to select a news article.
Prepare a short paper that includes the following components:
[~1/2 page] Briefly summarize the important issues and concepts discussed in the news article. For example, what is the main idea of the article? What issue(s) does the journalist want to convey to the reader?
[~1 page] Describe how your chosen news article relates to the microeconomic concepts we’ve discussed in class and critique its economic analysis. For example, what specific microeconomic concepts does the journalist (intentionally or not) refer to? How is the journalist’s analysis consistent or inconsistent with the microeconomic theories and principles we’ve discussed in class? (Concepts like inflation, GDP, or interest rates are macroeconomic concepts. We have never discussed these concepts in class, so please do not write about them.)
In this section, you must integrate at least one economic graph into your analysis. Your graph(s) should be part of your analysis; the graph(s) should not simply be an afterthought added to the end of your paper.
An example of an “economic graph” is any graph that you have seen me draw in economics class, e.g., PPC, demand/supply, budget line/indifference curves, marginal benefit/cost, etc. In contrast, a line graph that displays GDP over time is NOT an example of an “economic graph”. If you have any questions about what constitutes an “economic graph,” please ask.
An easy way to include an economic graph in your document is to draw it on paper, take a picture of it with your phone, and import the picture into your document. Alternatively, you could draw the graph electronically (e.g., drawing it using a tablet or constructing it in PowerPoint) and import the picture into your document.
[~1/2 page] Explain why you chose your article. For example, why did you find the article interesting? How did the article either challenge or affirm your understanding of the issue at hand?
Include a copy of your news article (or URL to your news article) with your short paper.
If you choose to include a URL, be sure to verify that your URL leads to exactly your news article. (For example, a URL of “www.nytimes.com” is insufficient because that will lead to the front page of the New York Times, not a specific news article.) If I click on the URL and I do not reach your news article, you will not receive credit for this component of the assignment.
Your paper should conform to the following formatting requirements:
~two pages in length
single spacing (e.g., not double spacing)
“normal” margins (e.g., one-inch margins)
“normal” font type/size (e.g., 11- or 12-point variable width font, like Arial, Helvetica, Calibri, etc.)
You are allowed and encouraged to discuss your articles and papers with other students—however, you must each submit your own original work.
Submit your document via Canvas in Word format.
* Links to some articles are below
https://www-economist-com.ezproxy.stthomas.edu/finance-and-economics/2024/01/17/what-economists-have-learnt-from-the-post-pandemic-business-cycle
https://www-economist-com.ezproxy.stthomas.edu/leaders/2021/10/09/the-world-economys-shortage-problem
https://www-economist-com.ezproxy.stthomas.edu/by-invitation/2022/05/11/angel-ubide-expects-inflation-to-subside-if-supply-shocks-fade
