Prepare a current event journal analyzing a recent news article (within last three months) that addresses one of the topics we have discussed in Chapters 13 through 18.
Specifics: A one to two page (double-spaced) typewritten journal entry shall accompany the article. Each journal entry must: (1) identify the microeconomic issue addressed in the article; (2) apply the microeconomic principles we have addressed in class to the facts presented in the article; (3) provide analysis or critique of how the issue was, or should be, handled; (4) the article must have been published within the last 6 months; and (5) cite the article using MLA formatting.
I would recommend the following template to fulfill the requirements:
I. Summary of Article
I want to know what the article is discussing. This should be a brief summary but enough to explain the important aspects of the article (e.g., who, what, where, why, when, how).
II. Identify Issue
Shortly after summarizing the article, you’ll need to identify the economic concept that is addressed in the article. If the article references an economic term or theory, define all the relevant terms. If you’re discussing an article that does not explicitly discuss an economic issue, identify the economic theory and define all relevant terms. [The best source for definitions is our text].
III. Application
After you’ve summarized the article and identified and explained the economic concept(s), you’ll need to apply the concept(s). In order to successfully complete this portion of the journal, you should specifically show how the economic concepts/theories help explain the events in the article. You may also wish to show whether the economic theory predicts how the future events will unfold. Additionally, you may (but are not required) utilize any of the models/graphs discussed in this unit to help apply the concepts to the article