General information
Assessment Type: Critical Review – 2500 words report - Team (Pair) Research Project
Purpose: To enable students to research, critically analyse and evaluate the macroeconomic performance of Australia. This assessment contributes to Learning Outcomes b, c and d.
Value: 20%
Word limit: 2500 Words
Due Date: 11:59pm, Friday 25 May 2018, Week 10
Submission: Soft copy uploaded to Moodle and Turnitin – Word .doc or .docx
Topic: Evaluation of Macroeconomic performance of Australia and USA.
Task Details: Students will complete a research-based analysis and evaluation of the macroeconomic performance of Australia 1990 to 2015/16.
2. Students will follow the following procedure:
(1) Obtain data on key macroeconomic indicators: real GDP growth, interest rates (Cash rate), unemployment rate, consumer price index (CPI), exchange rates, and exports and imports.
(2) Discuss the relationship between Australia’s real GDP growth rate and inflation rate, and real GDP growth rate and unemployment rate. Is there evidence of the business cycle? Illustrate your discussion with summary statistics and pairwise graphs of real GDP growth rate – inflation rate, and real GDP growth rate – unemployment rate.
(3) Discuss the relationship between net exports (i.e., exports minus imports) and the real exchange rates between USA and Australia. Illustrate your discussion with summary statistics and pairwise graphs of the real exchange rates and net exports growth.
(4) Discuss the relationship between Australia’s Cash rates and the Federal Reserve Fund’s rates in USA. Do movements in the Federal Reserve Fund’s rates net drive movements in the Cash rates? Illustrate your discussion with summary statistics and pairwise graphs of the Cash rates and the Federal Reserve Fund’s rates.
(5) 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?
BUS700 Economics T118 Paired Assignment
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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 sources may also may be used, but relevance 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 sub-headings, 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) http://databank.worldbank.org/data/reports.aspx?source= world-development-indicators
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 does not contribute 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 your team member does not show your work to another 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.