INTO City, University of London

International Foundation Programme (Business & Humanities)

ECONOMICS
September 2017 intake
Economics Coursework Summative Assignment

ASSIGNMENT SET in w/c 15th January 2018

ASSIGNMENT DUE IN: BY 10am Monday, 5th March 2018
1. Instructions

1.1. Your Economics coursework is a project.

1.2. You need to choose a real life economic problem you want to research, and
make it into a research question.

1.3. It may be a case study of an individual company or an industry, consumer

behaviour, market failure recent government policies of a country of your
choice, economic development in a certain country, or a specific current or
recent economic situation.

1.4. You have to submit your research question to your tutor for approval via
email by 22nd January 2018 or in person during the Skills class in w/c 15th
January 2018.

1.5. If you fail to do so, or if the teacher does not approve your research question,
you may be randomly allocated a question to research.

1.6. If you have been allocated a research question, you will score a ‘zero’ for
this criterion (please see Section 2.2 further in this document).

1.7. After your question has been approved or after you have been allocated a
question you will not be allowed to change it.

1.8. Your paper should consist of the following parts:

 Introduction:
 background information (e.g. brief explanation of the area of
economics the chosen or allocated problem belongs to, such as
micro-, macro- or international economics, or a question
bridging these areas of economics, narrowing up to a more
specific area, such as analysis of supply and demand factors,
or fiscal policies)
 thesis statement (which exactly problem your essay will be
discussing)

 Main part:
Part 1: Theoretical background

 definitions of key terms and

 explanation of relevant economic laws

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Part 2: Application of the theory to the problem

 Causes of the problem

 Statement and evaluation of (potential) impacts (both in the short run and in the
long run)
 Existing solutions currently applied and their evaluation (both in the short run and
in the long run)
 Suggestion of other solutions and their evaluation (both in the short run and in the
long run)

 Conclusion:

 Stating the best solution

 Explaining why it is the best solution

 Reference list (following Harvard referencing format, in alphabetical order)

1.9. Expectations:

 Word count: the essay should be about 2000 words in length.

Essays which are below 1300 words are highly unlikely to discuss the
problem to the expected depth.

If an essay exceeds 2500 words, the tutor will stop marking after the first
2500 words.

 Use of sources

You are expected to use:

 Essentials of Economics by John Sloman and Dean Garratt

and at least:

 One other academic source (book or academic journal article)

for Part 1;
 One reliable database (for example, https://www.ons.gov.uk/ or
https://ec.europa.eu/info/statistics_en) for Part 2.

 You may use more sources than that.

 In addition, you may use a company or industry reports.

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  Journalistic sources should be limited to broadsheets and may only be used
to evidence that the problem exists (i.e. it is widely discussed) but not for
statistics or support of an argument.

 Wikipedia, Investopedia, Economicshelp, Pettinger, online revision notes for

exams in Economics, BBC bitesize, blogs (even from ac.uk sites) and other
similar sources are not acceptable for academic coursework, and their use
will result in lower mark awarded for the research criterion.

 Use ACCAA tool you know from your EAP classes to assess suitability of
your sources for an academic coursework essay.

 Use City University of London library, INTO City LRC, JStore and
government data bases to find suitable data and theoretical support for your
arguments.

 You need to cite them in the text and include them in your Reference List.

 All referencing is expected to follow Harvard referencing system.

NB: Please see your Student Handbook and further in this document for
more details on referencing and anti-plagiarism techniques.

 Use of graphs, diagrams and data

 If you are using a diagram to illustrate a specific question you are

researching, you are expected to adapt the generic diagram illustrating an
economic law to how this law manifests itself in this particular case.

 Only relevant graphs, diagrams and/or data score marks.

 Marks are allocated for:

 Labelling diagrams/table/graph (e.g. Figure 1. Law of

diminishing marginal returns or: Table 2. Data for Years 2015-
2017.)
 Labelling the axes/rows/columns (if applicable)
 Curves (if applicable)
 Labelling the curves (if applicable)

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  Graphs, diagrams and data are sources and should be referenced
appropriately. Failure to do so will be treated as a case of plagiarism.

 If you use a diagram and/or data in the form of a graph or a table, you are
expected to comment on them verbally.

 Avoid describing the data you use as a graph or table; instead, evaluate it or
comment on a trend or a specific expected or unexpected piece of data.

 Only relevant diagrams score marks.

 Format

 You are expected to use the headings in the paper (see them in boldface in
1.7 above and in 2.1 below).

 Your coursework has to be typed, Ariel font size 12, double-spaced.

 Overall

 You are also expected to use the skills you learned during your EAP and
Study Skills classes to do research, reference your sources, develop and
support your arguments, and to structure your coursework essay.

1.10. Draft submission and feedback on it:

 You will be submitting the first draft of your coursework essay via
Turnitin (compulsory – part) by 10am on 5th February 2018.

 A Turnitin link for your draft submission will become available on your
Economics Turnitin page at the same time when the task sheet is made
available, i.e. w/c 15th January 2018.

 Feedback on your draft will be provided via Turnitin.

 If you have not submitted the draft via Turnitin as expected, 5 marks will be
deducted from the mark for the summative submission for this assignment.

2. Guidelines

2.1. Suggested word count

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 Introduction [200 - 250 words]

 background information (e.g. brief explanation of the area of

economics the chosen or allocated problem belongs to, such as
but not limited to micro-, macro- or international economics, or
bridging these areas of economics)
 thesis statement (which exactly problem your essay will be
discussing)

 Main part:
Part 1: Theoretical background [300 - 500 words]

 definitions of key terms

 explanation of relevant economic laws
 what are your expectations (hypothesis)

Part 2: Application of the theory to the problem [800 - 1150 words]

 Causes of the problem

 Statement and evaluation of (potential) impacts (both in the short run and in the
long run)
 Existing solutions currently applied and their evaluation (both in the short run and
in the long run)
 Suggestion of other solutions and their evaluation (both in the short run and in the
long run)

 Conclusion [200 - 300 words]:

 Stating the best solution

 Explaining why it is the best solution
 Optional: limitations of your research

 Reference list (following Harvard referencing format, in alphabetical order is

excluded from the word count)

2.2. How you will be assessed

You will be assessed for the following criteria: Structure, Research Question,
Part 1, Part 2, Use of Language, and Research and Use of Sources.

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Each criterion will be assessed according to the number of learning outcomes
you achieved (listed below) and the level you achieved them to.

Structure: 10% weighting

 Introduction
 has been written
 is relevant
 there is background information
 there is a thesis statement
 Thesis statement summarises the paper well
 Body paragraphs
 Paper has been written in paragraphs
 Topic sentences summarise the paragraphs
 Topic sentences are relevant to the task
 Conclusion
 has been written
 is relevant
 answers the question in the task
 provides a relevant critical comment/rationale for the answer

Research question: 5% weighting

 The area of economics the research is related to is clearly stated

 A current or recent economics issue has been identified
 The research question is focused
Part 1 (knowledge): 10% weighting

 Was attempted
 Defines the key terms
 Explains relevant economic law

Part 2 (application, analysis and evaluation): 50% weighting

 Was attempted
 States the causes of the problem
 States at least one (potential) short run impact
 Evaluates the stated (potential) short run impact(s)
 States at least one (potential) long run impact
 Evaluates the stated (potential) long run impact(s)
 States at least one short run solution currently applied
 Evaluates the stated short run solution(s) currently applied
 States at least one long run solution currently applied

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 Evaluates the stated long run solution(s) currently applied
 Suggests at least one short run solution
 Evaluates the suggested short run solution(s)
 Suggests at least one long run solution
 Evaluates the suggested long run solution(s)
Use of language: 5% weighting

 Vocabulary errors do not impede communication

 Grammar errors do not impede communication
Research and Use of sources: 20%

(NB: suspected plagiarism will be dealt with according to the Academic Misconduct
policy and procedures and may incur other penalties than just mark reduction
for this criterion)

 Sources have been used in the paper

 Sources are relevant
 A variety of reliable sources has been used (e.g. academic journal articles,
reliable data bases, case studies rather than just one type of sources) as per the
task expectations
 The number of sources used is as per the task expectations
 Each source has been cited in the text
 In-text citations are accurate according to the Harvard referencing system
 Each source has been referenced in the Reference List
 Reference List entries are accurate according to the Harvard referencing system
 The Reference List is in alphabetical order
 Sources have been used reasonably naturally (i.e. mainly paraphrased and/or
summarised with no overreliance on direct quotations and integrated if
appropriate)

2.3. Submission

The final version of the essay must be submitted via Turnitin link on your
Economics Moodle page by 10.00am Monday 5th March 2018.

Failure to complete the submission before the deadline will result in penalties being
applied (please see your Student Handbook for details).

2.4. What to include

 A cover page with (1) your first name and family name; (2) student ID; (3)
your Foundation group; (4) the research question as a title; (5) the word
count (excluding reference list) and (6) the submission date.

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  Any sources should be referenced according to Harvard referencing
conventions (Please consult Cite Them Right – available online through the
City University library).
 Students should bear in mind that instances of plagiarism (copying material
from any text without giving the reference) and collusion (copying work
written by another person or including in your assignment any work that is not
your own) are taken very seriously. Please refer to the student handbook
for details of penalties.

2.5. Details for late submission of assignment

Work submitted Number of Marks Deducted

On the due date after 10.00am 5
On the day following the due date 10
On either the 2nd or 3rd day after the due date 20
On the 4th day after the due date or later All marks deducted

2.6. Turnitin instructions/plagiarism

Coursework is to be uploaded to the Turnitin Assignment (summative –

compulsory – part) through the link on your class Economics Moodle page, in
order to maintain academic integrity and high standards of coursework.

You will need to be logged in as yourself, and to upload your work to your specific
course and your lecturer. It is very important not to upload to another course or
another lecturer.

The Turnitin link for this Assignment will be open two weeks before the essay
deadline for editing and proofreading. When starting your assignment, please refer
to the Plagiarism Moodle page, where you should watch the videos and do the
activities.

You can, and should, edit your essay as many times as you like before the deadline.
Before your Similarity Report is ready, you will see the word ‘pending’.

If you cannot see this word, and see a small Turnitin logo instead, it means you
have not submitted the assignment. Check all the details of the procedure and try
again.

Please remember that Apple devices may be incompatible with the Turnitin; to
avoid this, you may choose to use a laptop available for you in the centre, e.g.
in the LRC self-study area.

Submissions take up to 24 hours, whereas resubmissions will always take 24

hours.

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When you have uploaded your final draft, which is suggested no later than 24 hours
before the deadline, you will receive an electronic receipt of submission.

The time of online submission explained above is considered the time of

submission.

For more information about plagiarism and Turnitin, you should explore the
Plagiarism Moodle Page, and read your Handbook.

For technical problems with log-ins contact the IT helpdesk

intocity.itsupport@intoglobal.com.

For problems relating to Turnitin/Originality Reports, contact the Plagiarism &

Collusion team intocity.plagiarism@into.uk.com.

2.7. Academic Misconduct in Coursework

The university takes a serious view of academic misconduct and will act to ensure
that students found breaching its guidelines are dealt with severely. This action can
lead to expulsion from the university. This is in the interests of the vast majority of
students who work hard for their degree through their own efforts, and is essential in
safeguarding the integrity of the university's awards.

To prepare you for your undergraduate course, we follow the procedure similar to
the one applied at the university.

The following are all types of academic misconduct. Remember that this is not an
exhaustive list, and there may be other behaviour that may be seen as misconduct:

1. Plagiarism: passing off the ideas or words of someone else as though they were
your own. It applies equally to the work of other students as to published sources
and can include:

• Submitting as one's own an assignment that another person has completed.

• Downloading information, text, artwork, graphics or other material from the internet
and presenting it as one's own without acknowledgment.
• Quoting, summarising or paraphrasing material from any source without
acknowledgment.
• Resubmitting your own work as if it were a new piece of work
• Taking ideas, or the way in which you think about an issue, from one or more
sources without acknowledgment. If the ordering of evidence and argument, or the
organisation of material, reflects one or more particular source(s), then this must be
stated and a reference given.
• Contributing little or nothing to a group assignment and then claiming an equal
share of the marks.

2. Cheating: either by copying from other students or using unauthorised notes or

other aids.

3. Collusion: this means students working together to create and submit a similar
or identical assignment or assessment without authority from their tutor or School.
Students who plagiarise other students’ work and students who allow their work to
be plagiarised will both be subject to penalties.

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This does not include those times when students are asked to undertake group-
work and may legitimately work together. Please ask your tutor if you are unsure.

4. Impersonation: where a person assumes the identity of another person with the
intention of gaining unfair advantage for that person.

5. Falsification or fabrication: inventing or altering data or references.

6. Duplication or self-plagiarism: preparing a correctly cited and referenced

assignment from individual research and then submitting part or all of that work in
for more than one assignment

7. Ghosting: submitting as your own work that has been done in whole or in part by
another person on your behalf, or deliberately making or seeking to make available
material to another student for it to be used by the other student. Investigating the
possibility of using another person’s work can also be counted as academic
misconduct.

8. Disruption: preventing an assessment from being conducted in an orderly and

appropriate manner.

Inaccurate referencing is considered Poor Academic Practice; however, repeated

Poor Academic Practice may be treated as Academic Misconduct.

2.8. Good practice: how to avoid plagiarism

Producing work with the aim of honesty and respect for academic knowledge

Quoting

Never copy anything (including the work of other students) without explicit
acknowledgement. Quotation directly from a book or paper is entirely acceptable
provided that it is referenced correctly.

This means that:

• All quotations must be clearly identified either by enclosure in quotation marks

(inverted commas) or by paragraph indentation.
• Sources must be identified using one of the prescribed formats.
• Sources used must be listed in a bibliography or reference section at the end of
each piece of work.

The quoted section should not be too long. For short pieces of work (under 5000
words) it is better to quote a short phrase or a sentence to illustrate your point. It is
also a good idea to comment on/interpret the quotation to show you understanding
the author’s meaning.

Paraphrasing
Paraphrasing means putting someone else’s ideas into your own words.
Paraphrasing is entirely acceptable provided that it is referenced. It does NOT mean
copying whole sentences or phrases and replacing some words with others of

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similar meaning. A general rule for acceptable paraphrasing is that an
acknowledgement be made in every paragraph. There are many ways in which such
acknowledgements can be made (e.g. “Smith goes on to argue that...” or “Smith
provides further proof that...”). As with quotation, full details of the source used must
be given at the end of the text.

Plagiarism can occur through laziness or poor note-taking. It is not enough to just
cite an article once and then continue to use it throughout the rest of your work
without proper references. If you do not make a correct citation every time you refer
to or quote someone else then you are plagiarising. It is also unacceptable to just
list material you have read at the end of your work and not in the body of the text
itself – you must provide full referencing (in-text referencing) within your work.

Note: any student who is unclear about the rules regarding the use and referencing
of other people’s work or ideas should seek advice from their Tutor or Plagiarism
Officer.

Penalties

Please see the Plagiarism Moodle page for details of the procedure to check papers
for originality and the penalties you may be subject to in case of Plagiarism and/or
Collusion.

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