TRIMESTER 1, 2017: BUS700 ECONOMICS Paired-Assignment
1. General information
Assessment Type: Critical Review – 2500 words report - Paired Research Project
Purpose: To enable students to research, critically analyse and evaluate the macroeconomic performance of Australia. This assessment contributes to Learning Outcomes (a) and (c).
Value: 20%
Word limit: 2500 Words
Due Date: 11:59pm, Friday of Week 10
Submission: Soft copy uploaded to Moodle and Turnitin – Word .doc or .docx Topic: Evaluation of Macroeconomic performance of Australia.
Task Details: Students will complete a research-based analysis and evaluation of the macroeconomic performance of Australia from 1990 to 2015/16.
2. Students will follow the following procedure
2.1 Obtain data on key macroeconomic indicators: real GDP, interest rates, unemployment rate, CPI and inflation rate, exchange rate, exports and imports.
2.2 Produce summary statistics (in tabular form) of real GDP growth rates, inflation rates, unemployment rates, exchange rates, real interest rates and the rate of change of net exports (NX) and briefly comment on each variable.
2.3 Produce pair-wise graphs of real GDP growth rates, inflation rates, unemployment rates, exchange rates, real interest rates and the rate of change of net exports (NX).
2.4 Use the information obtained in (2.2) and (2.3) above to answer the following questions:
Critically analyse and discuss plausible economic explanations, including the role of government policy (fiscal or monetary), for the salient relationships between real GDP growth and other indicators.
Based on your summary statistics, graphs and analysis and discussion above, write a short prediction of the macroeconomic outlook of Australia. Is Australia likely to experience a recession or expansion soon?
3. Research requirements, presentation and source of data
3.1 Research requirements: Students need to support their analysis with a minimum of 10 academic journal articles plus the text. Students aiming for a Credit or higher grade will need to use more sources. Articles should be relevant and recent. Non-academic journal
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BUS700 T117 Paired Assignment
sources may also be used, but relevant and validity should be clarified with the lecturer/tutor.
3.2 Presentation: Report format – 2500 words report – in Word.doc or .docx format Title page, executive summary, table of contents, appropriate headings and subheadings, recommendations/findings/conclusions, in-text referencing and reference list (Harvard – Anglia style), attachments if relevant. Single spaced, font Times New Roman
12pt, Calibri 11pt or Arial 10pt.
3.3 Source of Data: Data may be obtained many credible sources, including: (1) abs.gov.au;
(2) rba.gov.au; (3) imf.org.
4. Other information to note
4.1 This assignment is paired-assignment and students must form a pair (2 people) for the assignment. One person or more than two-people assignment will not be accepted, unless permission is granted by lecturer for special circumstances.
4.2 Names and ID numbers of students in the group must be clearly printed on the Assignment Cover Sheet. A member, who has not contributed to the discussion and assignment, must be marked as “Not contributed” in a bracket following the student’s name and ID.
4.3 You must follow an appropriate format explained below. Not following appropriate format will cause a loss of some marks.
• All analytical contents must be clearly typed and printed. Hand-written report will NOT be accepted.
• Appropriate heading or sub-title of each section must be typed and used.
• You must analyse, explain and show how and why you draw your conclusion.
• You must also draw and include appropriate and relevant graphs and tables together in your explanation. Draw them using Microsoft Power Point/Word/Excel, NOT handdrawn.
4.4 Plagiarism (copying the paper from other group) is a serious violation of copy right. It will be penalized and attract a VERY heavy loss of marks – “Fail”.
• It is not difficult to identify the contents that are copied from other group(s).
• Make sure that your team does not show your work to other group(s). Both who show the work and who copy the work will lose their marks heavily and fail in the assessment.
4.5 Only ONE COPY of the research work from each group is required to be submitted.
4.6 Make sure that the two of you in your group discuss and work together, read and check everything in the research paper before submission, once completed.
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