Individual Assignment
Assignment Question:
Examine the three economic indicators (e.g. economic growth, unemployment and inflation)
for the past five years for a country of your choice. Explain how these indicators have
changed pre- and post-Covid-19. Provide two policy recommendations on how the country
could improve their economy given the onset of Covid-19.
Purpose of the Assignment:
The purpose of the assignment is to demonstrate both a theoretical and practical
understanding of macroeconomics and it draws upon several topics covered in the unit.
Students will need to present the figures on the economic indicators in an appropriate manner
and provide evidence to support their arguments. Students should consider real life events
and the theoretical concepts taught in this unit in their discussions on the policy
recommendations on how the country could improve their economy.
Assignment Details:
The assignment is worth 30 percent of the unit.
Students are required to submit their assignment via LMS.
The assignment needs to be typed using a font size of 12 and 1.5 spacing.
Turnitin software will be used to detect plagiarism (see below).
The word limit for the assignment is 2,000 words and a word count must be clearly
displayed on the cover sheet of the assignment. There is no leeway in the word limit.
It is a maximum of 2,000 words.
The assignment must be referenced correctly and contain a reference list (See UWA’s
guide on referencing: https://guides.library.uwa.edu.au/referencinguwa). The
recommended referencing style is the APA style.
Figures, headings, data tables, footnotes, references and the reference list can be
excluded from the word count.
Students should refer to the unit outline regarding penalties for late submission of the
assignment and for penalties for going over the word limit.
2 Data:
Students should present the data on the economic indicators in an appropriate manner (e.g.
figures, graphs or a table). Students need to clearly identify the source of the data. Students
may which to compare these indicators with other countries to give an overall picture of how
the country’s economy has fared since the onset of Covid-19. Students may wish to consider
monthly, quarterly or annual data though monthly data will provide a clear picture of changes
pre- and post-Covid-19. Students should generate figures and tables themselves rather than
cut and paste them directly from the data’s websites.
Potential websites where students could obtain information on economic indicators from
include:
National Statistics Offices (e.g. Australian Bureau of Statistics, Statistics Singapore,
U.S Bureau of Economic Analysis, United Kingdom’s Office for National Statistics)
International Monetary Fund
Trading Economics
Reserve Bank of Australia
Where possible, students should use the latest data available to examine the changes in the
indicators since start of the global pandemic (Covid-19). Some large statistical houses may
not have the most recent data (for example, the latest data on many of the World Bank’s
economic indicators are for 2019, which prior to the global pandemic). Students are advised
to look at the National Statistical Office for the country of their choice to get the most recent
data.
Plagiarism:
Turnitin software will be used to detect any plagiarism and the level of originality of the
assignment and any form of plagiarism will not be accepted and will be heavily penalised.
Student Services provides an online plagiarism portal that includes a definition of plagiarism
and a link to FAQs:
https://ipoint.uwa.edu.au/app/answers/detail/a_id/329/kw/plagiarism
More information about ‘Turnitin’ can be found at http://turnitin.com/static/index.html.
Suggested Structure:
A proposed structure for the assignment is as follows – the assignment should have headings
for each section:
Cover page which includes the word count, student’s name and student number and
the student’s tutor and tutorial time.
Introduction – this should include the purpose of the assignment and (i.e. what the
assignment sets out to do) and a brief discussion on your chosen country. You should
include some background discussion of the country.
Analysis of the three economic indicators for the past five years, pre- and post-Covid19, – this should include a presentation of the data and discussion on how the
indicators have changed. The discussion also needs to include reasons for the changes
in the indicators, drawing on theoretical and real life events.
Policy recommendations – this section should contain at least two recommendations
on how the economy of the chosen country could be improved. These
recommendations should be based on the concepts taught in this unit and should be
valid for the country.
Conclusion – this should be a brief paragraph summarising what the assignment has
covered.
Reference list.
Marking Structure:
Ten marks of the assignment are allocated to the presentation of the assignment based on:
How well the assignment is written and structured, including whether it is succinct, is
within the word limit and uses appropriate grammar.
How well the assignment is referenced and that claims are supported with references.
Twenty marks are allocated to the analysis of the economic indicators for the chosen country
based on:
The discussion and analysis of the economic indicators for the chosen country over
the past five years, pre- and post-Covid-19.
The presentation of the data and research on the economic indicators.
Validity of the policy recommendations.