Position Statement 1 Mathematics & Economics Essay

The article needs to find a lot of information. The reference must be written on the last page. Thanks. Then I will have examples given by the teacher and the requirements for writing this article in the uploaded file.

Some Possible Topics for Position Statements 1 and 2

Position Statement #1 (Due Monday, March 16th)

• Should the minimum wage be eliminated, left alone, or increased?  If you believe it should be increased, state how much it should be increased and why.


• Should the U.S abolish the death penalty? Yes or No


• Should the U.S. commit more resources to the global warming issue? Yes or No


• Should the U.S. energy policy include a carbon tax? Yes or No


• Should the Federal Income Tax system be more progressive (reduce income inequality)?

Yes or No

• Should the federal government be doing more to reduce poverty in the U.S.?  Yes or No, and if so, what should they do?


• Should Social Security be privatized? Yes or No

(If you argue that it should be privatized, define what you mean by privatization.)   

• What should be done to fix the social security problem? (Remember to use economic arguments)


• Do illegal immigrants hurt the U.S. economy? Yes or No, and what should the government do about it (what changes should be made)?


• Do restrictions on immigration limit growth and innovation in the U.S.? Yes or No

Position Statement #2 (Due Monday, April 13th)

• Does the size of the student debt present an economic problem to the U.S. economy? Yes or No


• Should the U.S. have nationalized health care? Yes or No.  If you answer “yes”, how should it be structured?


• Should Obamacare be repealed? Yes or No.  If you answer “yes”, what should replace it?


• Should the U.S. Government be the “single buyer” of drugs to offset the market power of the large pharmaceutical companies? Yes or No


• Should the U.S. Government do more to control the prices of pharmaceutical drugs? Yes or No


• Should U.S. farm subsidies be reduced or eliminated? Yes or No


• Should the U.S. subsidize the development of biofuels (e.g., ethanol)? Yes or No


• Should the U.S. eliminate food tariffs and subsidies that have harmful effects on underdeveloped countries? Yes or No


• Do U.S. trade tariffs help the U.S. economically? Yes or No


• Is Fair Trade policy superior to Free Trade policy? Yes or No

(If you choose this, be sure to define what you mean by fair trade.)

• Is Amazon good for the American economy? Yes or No


• Should the U.S be more aggressive in antitrust actions against large companies? Yes or No


• Does the size of the national debt present an economic problem to the U.S.? Yes or No

Other topics are permitted.  If there is another topic or issue you would like to present, please see me for approval.

The American Economy: ECON 0858

Evaluating Information Sources

A guide to library sources for this General Education course

• Recommended Sources


• Databases


• Pro & Con Postions


• Statistics


• Get Help


• Evaluating Information Sources

Evaluating Information Sources

Your sources should both be credible (trustworthy) and appropriate (consistent with your research purpose)!

Below you will find information and questions that will help you think about sources. You need not answer each and every question to determine the usefulness of a source. Rather, use your critical reasoning skills to ask what you think are the most pertinent questions about each source.

[Note: Library databases have been "pre-selected" by librarians for their utility in finding credible sources. For this reason, they are an excellent place to start your research. Of course, you can use search engines (such as Google and Bing) to find credible sources on the (free) Internet but the challenge of ensuring their credibility is often greater.]

Understand the Context of Your Information Sources

Why is Context important? Context helps to reveal the intellectual and editorial conditions under which a source is written and published.

·         Credible publishers and web sites carefully vet authors and sources before publishing them.

·         Credible authors generally have experience and expertise in the areas about which they are writing.

·         The intended purpose of a source provides insight on the possible bias or limited perspective of a source.

·         Publication dates are always important. Sometimes information becomes outdated, sometimes current or recent sources are necessary. Knowing a publication date allows the researcher to search for information before or after that date.

Questions to ask about context:

·         What is the publication or web site in which the source (article) appears? Does it publish other articles on the same topic?

·         Who is the author? What are the author's credentials? Does the author frequently write about this subject?

·         Is your source from a newspaper, magazine, journal, or web site? Who is the intended audience of this source? The general public? The scholarly / research community?

·         What is the purpose of this source? To provide information, data, or facts? Entertainment or a sales pitch? To advocate for a political or economic position?

·         When was this source published? Does your topic require a more recent source?

Understand the Content of Your Information Sources

The Content provides the actual facts, information, data, or argument

·         A credible source in a credible publication is well-written, grammatical, and reports facts accurately.

·         If the author makes an argument, it should be coherent. The argument is much stronger if the author provides persuasive evidence to back it up.

·         The evidence, including data and metrics, should fit the facts of the argument.

·         A credible source refers to, links to, or cites credible individuals or sources.

Questions you should ask about content:

·         Is the source well-written? Are there grammatical errors?

·         Does your source make an argument? Does it make sense?

·         What kinds of evidence support the argument? If numerical data is included, do you understand it? Does it support the argument?

·         Does the author cite sources? What kinds of sources are they?

·         Are there links? Where do the links lead and what do they tell you about your source?

Paley Library Resources for ECON 0858

            http://guides.temple.edu/americaneconomy

ECON 0858 (The American Economy) Spring 2020

Sections 006, 007, 008, 011, 012, 013, 014, 015, and 016

Position Statements (two Position Statements are required:  The first is due Monday, March 16th, and the second is due Monday, April 13th)

Your Position Statements are to be no more than a three to four page detailed outline on the topics you select.  I suggest going to the writing center for some help and guidance in putting together your Position Statements.

In your Position Statement outlines you need to include: (1) your topic, (2) your position on the topic, (3) economic arguments against your position, (4) economic arguments supporting your position, (5) a brief concluding paragraph, and (6) at least three appropriate citations NOT including the textbooks.  ALSO, YOU MUST include 2 to 3 sentences explaining why you believe each of your citations (minimum of 3 of your citations) to be credible. For additional guidance read “evaluating information sources” provided as a separate document in this module.  Steps (3) and (4) must be done in outline form using complete sentences.

Unless your TA says otherwise, you are to submit on Canvas an electronic copy of your Position Statements on the dates they are due (be sure to save a copy IN CASE OF ANY POSSIBLE PROBLEMS).  Points will be deducted if a Position Statement is handed in late.

Your grade in part will be a function of the economic arguments you present both against and for your position and your economic reasoning in support of your position.  For more detail, check the rubric which is on Canvas.  Your tone should be that of an economic policy maker (e.g., the chair of the Council of Economic Advisors, or the President of a branch of the Federal Reserve System), or an expert economic consultant witness testifying for a client.  The point is that you should not get involved in emotional arguments that are not based on economic reasoning.

IMPORTANT:

• Be sure your paper is in detailed outline form (check the examples)


• This is an economics ISSUES class.  Use economics to support your points.


• Use real data (properly cited) to support your ARGUMENt.


• Use multiple reliable sources other than the textbook.


• Be sure to support at least three of your cited publications.

Possible topics that you may select for your Position Statements are listed in another document in this module.