Short paper assignment due on Wednesday, 10/27
Write on your paper the bibliographic information for your article.
Find an article dated within the last six weeks.
Subject of article: Recent or anticipated level of consumer spending, and what is affecting it
Submit the article.
Staple all your pages together.
Underline or highlight in the article the points that you draw from it.
The “paper”:
Four “bullets,” each with a point from the article
For each, first indicate whether this point repeats, extends, or counters what we said in class
For example:

Repeat: Consumer spending makes up approximately two-thirds of all spending in the US economy.
Strong consumer demand is critical to a strong economy (pg 1).

Extends: Consumer demand is currently extremely robust. Consequently, businesses are very confident
concerning the coming holiday buying season (pg 2).

Extends: …

Extends: …
Then state a conclusion: Overall this article supports and extends our class discussion.
Include a bibliography.
To state what is (I hope now) obvious: This assignment is not to be done in essay form. Rather, follow the
instructions above. Also, expect another assignment for Monday.
Short paper assignment due on Wednesday, 10/27
Write on your paper the bibliographic information for your article.
Find an article dated within the last six weeks.
Subject of article: Recent or anticipated level of consumer spending, and what is affecting it
Submit the article.
Staple all your pages together.
Underline or highlight in the article the points that you draw from it.
The “paper”:
Four “bullets,” each with a point from the article
For each, first indicate whether this point repeats, extends, or counters what we said in class
For example:

Repeat: Consumer spending makes up approximately two-thirds of all spending in the US economy.
Strong consumer demand is critical to a strong economy (pg 1).

Extends: Consumer demand is currently extremely robust. Consequently, businesses are very confident
concerning the coming holiday buying season (pg 2).

Extends: …

Extends: …
Then state a conclusion: Overall this article supports and extends our class discussion.
Include a bibliography.
To state what is (I hope now) obvious: This assignment is not to be done in essay form. Rather, follow the
instructions above. Also, expect another assignment for Monday.
AFFLENZA ASSIGNMENT
Follow this template, beginning with chapter 3. The chapter 3 assignment is due on Monday, October 20.
First, succinctly state the main argument of the chapter. For example, from chapter 1 you might have
written:
Main argument: Americans shop often and excessively.
Then provide three items from the chapter that support the main argument, and provide a page number for
each of these items. For example,
Americans spend six hours each week shopping and only 40 minutes each week playing with their
children (page 14).
Then briefly comment on the chapter. Here you have lots of latitude. For examples, you may indicate
what grabbed your attention and why, how the information relates to you personally, what question(s) it
prompts for you, or you may make a criticism or express doubt.
Your entire assignment is not to exceed one page.
Honor code: You are welcome to talk with one another about the reading and the main argument.
However, when you turn in the paper and sign the honor code, you are indicating that you read the chapter
and that you wrote your paper independently.
Papers are due at the beginning of class. (I don’t want anyone to miss any part of class because they are
finishing up their assignment!) Late penalty: One letter grade. Also, I will not accept papers later than the
next class period.
How I will grade: I will grade many assignments as I did the first one. However, often I will simply note in
my grade book that you completed the assignment. Your overall grade for these papers will be the
average of the graded assignments, assuming that you submit all of them on time. If you miss one/some,
your grade will be reduced. Altogether these count 5 percent of your semester grade.
Paper assignment for Macroeconomics
Pick any question of interest related to our study of the economy and write a short paper.
Please be in conversation with me about your topic, and I want to approve your direction before you get
too far underway. Submit your question to me in writing by the beginning of class on Thursday, November
7 at the latest. The paper is due at the beginning of class on Thursday, November 14; there will be a late
penalty.
Here is a rough template of how the paper will be graded:
Macroeconomics Research Paper: The Current Performance of the US Economy
Hard copy of the paper is due at the beginning of class on Wednesday, November 11.
Indicate the unemployment rate, inflation rate, where we are in the business cycle, and whatever other
related topics that you wish to include.
Note: I am not asking about how the economy is expected to perform in the future, but how well it
is performing now.
Note: I am your audience, and assume that I know all that we have covered in class. This means,
for example, do not define “unemployment” or “GDP.”
Clearly indicate your conclusion of how well the economy is currently performing, backed up by your
research, which may include the assessment of the writers whom you read.
Note: For the purpose of this paper, assume the traditional values as reflected by McEachern.
Use very recent issues of magazines and newspapers as your sources. Obvious examples include The
Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, and Business Week. Also, go on-line to government sites
for the latest data.
www.bls.gov/cpi
Cite four different sources. For notes (i.e., foot notes or endnotes) and bibliography, carefully follow a
style manual, and indicate which one it is.
Write 2 1/2 to 4 pages of text. Use standard sized fonts and margins, double-space, number your
pages of text, and staple your pages together. Carefully attend to the writing mechanics of grammar,
sentence structure, spelling, paragraphing, etc.
Honor code for the assignment: You may share ideas but not references. Write your paper
independently of others. You are welcome to use the resources of the Writing Center.
Points
5
Turn in by beginning of class on November 7 a question that I find acceptable. I recommend that
you consult with me in advance.
10
Begin your paper with a careful statement of the question that your paper will answer.
55
Body of the paper: Relate answers/information from at least three different sources, write to your
topic, organization, etc.
10
Write a careful, explicit conclusion or summary at the end of the paper.
10
Writing mechanics of grammar, sentence structure, spelling, paragraphing, etc.
5
For notes and bibliography, carefully follow a style manual, and indicate which one it is.
5
Paper length should be at least three full pages of text and at most four full pages. Use standard
sized fonts and margins, double-space, number your pages of text, staple your pages together.
Honor code for the assignment: You may share ideas but not references. Write your paper independently
of others. You are welcome to use the resources of the Writing Center.
Key to comments:
(1)
“Comma or period generally belongs inside of quotation marks.”
(2) If within a paragraph, you have more than one consecutive reference to the same source,
you need only one citation after the last reference.
(3) Is this a sentence?
(4) Awkward sentence
(5)
Citation needed
Tell them to go to recent issues of …
Do web cites earlier in the semester.