Introduction
If macroeconomics had ‘keywords’ they would be: GDP, unemployment, inflation, and interest rates. GDP for example is a term that will run through all Modules of the course, and the others will make multiple appearances as we define them, understand them, and connect them to the entire economy.
Instructions
For this assignment you will visit the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, which has a large repository of economic data (https://fred.stlouisfed.org/Links to an external site.). Once there get the graphs for the variables below from 1960 to the latest available observation and DOWNLOAD as Image or PDF (you can type the code in parenthesis into the search field and takes you directly to them):
– Real Gross Domestic Product (GDPC1)
– Unemployment Rate (UNRATE)
– Inflation (CPIAUCSL; for this one go to EDIT GRAPH/Units/Percent Change from Year Ago)
– Interest Rate (DFF)
Your work has to have:
– Introduction (what is the question that you are addressing, for example, “what is macroeconomics about?” —25 points)
– Narrative (a description of how you are addressing it —50 points)
– Conclusion (what do you learn from the exercise and also ties together the two parts above —25 points)
Not counting the graphs and/or illustrations, the word-count should be around 500 words. You are free in regard to the design (font, font size, spacing, background color, etc.) The file has to be uploaded to CANVAS in PDF format.
Note: This is not a research paper. Your write-up has to be based only on the class material, so there is no bibliography section.
This assignment will go thorugh turn it in so please make sure it does not come up over 20%. If you have any questions please let me know. Thank you for your service.