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Presentation Topics for Macroeconomics
1. Explain Gross Domestic Product and Gross National Product (Income). What’s the
difference? Use chapter 13 to help explain the key parts (GNP – include the formula and
all of its parts.) I have a worksheet that you can assign students to complete at the end of
your presentation.
Expand our understanding by giving facts/figures from history (1850 to 1900 after
industry took hold during the Gilded Age, for example…this shows huge
booms/expansion that results from mechanization and increased efficiency…or pre &
post WWII…huge leaps there for obvious reasons). How about from 1975 to 1995 …
after the internet and cell phones took America by storm? Did we see huge leaps in our
economy as a result…why / why not? You don’t have to include all of these in your
presentation…I’m just sayin
Current figures would be good too. Compare ours with other countries…maybe
Germany and/or China and Nigeria?
Also, explain Real GDP and Real GDP Per Capita. Why would economists look at these
figures as a more accurate determination of our economic health?
>>You will present on Tuesday, January 21.
2. Explain poverty in the United States. Use chapter 14 to help us understand
distribution of income – where does the U.S. rank in this category?
Include number and rate of poverty, and per capita income by state.
Expand your presentation by comparing our rates of poverty and distribution of income
to those of other countries (what is considered the poverty line here versus, say, Vietnam
or El Salvador?) Is poverty a problem (in the U.S.? Worldwide? Why/why not? Give
some shocking statistics that may put things in perspective…example = over 1 Billion
people worldwide currently (2014) “live” on a dollar a day!)
3. Distinguish between supply-side (increasing aggregate supply) and demand-side
economics (increasing aggregate demand). Give real-world examples to help us
understand the two concepts (Ch. 16). Both sides have common goals. They simply
have different ideas about how to accomplish those goals. Explain how fiscal policy is
the primary tool with which the government tries to manipulate these aggregates. The
visual on page 450 is key. So is the Laffer curve on 451, so explain that too. Also,
explain the Keynesian Framework and the role of government in stabilizing the economy.
This is a very polarizing, political issue. Make sure we understand which political party
is generally in favor of supply-side and which is in favor of demand-side. Use historical
examples to prove your point. Include which side you agree with and why.
4. Explain international trade, absolute advantage and comparative advantage using realworld examples to help us understand. I know it’s pretty basic, but be sure to cover
imports vs. exports and use examples from the text to illustrate/support your definitions.
The last part (p. 470 - Gains from Trade) is an important part to help explain the benefits
that go along with “doing what you’re good at”.
http://www.econedlink.org/lessons/index.php?lid=794&type=educator
5. Explain the barriers to international trade. Include definitions and arguments for
protectionism vs. free trade. Who benefits and who gets hurt by both? Use examples to
prove your point. Use NAFTA as an example to support your explanation.
6. Explain how foreign currency is used in trade. Include examples of the exchange rate.
Explain the difference b/t fixed and flexible (floating) exchange rates.
7. Explain trade deficit and surplus. Is having a trade deficit a problem? And what might
be the solution to that problem? Use the United States and current figures to explain.
8. Explain business cycles (recession / expansion) and their parts (peak / trough). Explain
the phases of the business cycle and identify causes, including major indicators
economists use to predict coming good or bad times. It may help us understand what
you’re talking about if you use historical examples to prove your point…G.Depress.;
boom of 50s or 80s. Also, include the most recent recession we experienced and the
current outlook for our economy…have we ‘recovered’?...the prognosis for the near
future (where we’re headed)…make some predictions of your own.
9. Explain unemployment in the U.S. How is a person determined to be unemployed?
Explain the different kinds of unemployment. Include the concept of ‘full employment’.
10. Explain the Misery Index, stagflation, and the costs of economic instability. (Ch. 16,
Section1)
11. What is meant by ‘developing countries’? What obstacles are keeping them from
becoming ‘developed countries’? Explain using one country as an example.
12. Explain the importance of conserving nonrenewable resources. What are some ways
people are using renewable energy? What is the major incentive to pollute? How are
‘carbon credits’ used as a way to incentivize ‘green’ practices?
Group Requirements:
a. Power point pres. of at least 10 slides.
b. Note cards must be used and turned in after presentation.
c. At least 10 + minutes in length.