The data assignment of the course involves gathering and summarizing macroeconomic data in a 10–15 minute video presentation (just write 5 pages paper, 1500 words and graphs ).  The country I choo

The data assignment of the course involves gathering and summarizing macroeconomic data 

in a 10–15 minute video presentation (just write 5 pages paper, 1500 words and graphs ).  The country I choose is China.

. Your presentation will include summaries of the following macroeconomic 

indicators. 

1. GDP (MER) 

2. GDP (PPP) 

3. Per Capita GDP (PPP) 

4. Consumer Inflation 

5. Unemployment 

6. Currency/Exchange Rate 

7. Exchange Rate System (Fixed, Float, Dirty Float, Currency Union) 

8. Trade 

A. Imports as a percentage of GDP 

B. Exports as a percentage of GDP 

C. Total Trade (Imports + Exports) as a percentage of GDP 

In addition, you should conclude your presentation with an analysis of the major economic 

opportunities and challenges facing the country you selected. 

I am assuming that you will be using Microsoft Office (Word, Excel and PowerPoint) to create 

your presentation. You will start by downloading raw data from potential data sources listed on 

page 4. Most likely you will use Excel to create your own tables, graphs and exhibits that 

summarize your data in a way that makes sense in your presentation. Since presenting 

summarized data is visual in nature, you will next imbed the graphics that summarize these 

macroeconomic indictors into a PowerPoint presentation. 

Specific Graphics that must be included 

You have considerable leeway in developing the graphics for your presentation. However, to 

provide some structure and to guarantee that you are creating the appropriate graphics to 

represent the data you are presenting, you must include the following specific graphics. 

1. Table/tables that summarizes data items 1–8 listed above. 

2. Time series graphs of 

A. GDP for at least 5 years 

B. Consumer Inflation for at least 5 years 

C. Unemployment for at least 5 years 

D. Exchange rate of the country’s1 currency against the dollar for at least 5 years. 

E. Trade (imports and exports) for at least 5 years. 

3. Assessment of the country’s per capita GDP in relation to level of development 

(underdeveloped, developing or developed). 

4. Provide the sources of your data in the exhibits you create. 

5. Bullet pointed summary of the country’s key economic opportunities and challenges. 

Note: Other graphics are not only acceptable but encouraged. 

1 For the student who selects the United States, please provide a time series graph of the Dollar Index for five years. 

3 

Econ 301 (Data Analysis) 

Assignment 1 – Individual Presentation (Country Video) 

Potential Data Sources 

OECD: https://data.OECD.org/ 

https://www.oecd-ilibrary.org/economics/country-statistical-profiles-key-

tables-from-oecd_20752288 

CIA World Fact Book https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/ 

World Bank: https://data.worldbank.org/ 

FRED (Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis) https://fred.stlouisfed.org/ 

Your Audience 

Assume that your audience are your colleagues (upper division students) in economics. As such, 

we assume that they are familiar with major macroeconomic indicators and economic 

terminology. 

Tips 

1. Start early 

2. Familiarize yourself with the data that is available 

3. Think of what that data is telling you about the country you have selected. 

4. Create graphics in your presentation that your “audience” can see. (Remember when you 

make your video, your PowerPoint presentation will be in the background behind you.) 

5. Bullet points should be talking points, and not the actual text of your presentation. 

6. Rule of thumb is that it takes 1 minute per slide to cover the content on that slide. 

(Especially dense slides can take considerably longer.) 

7. Rehearse your presentation a few times before recording it so that you are familiar with 

what you are going to say. 

Closing Comment 

You must create the graphics in your presentation. Screen grabs from other sources are not 

acceptable. The purpose of this project is to show you and others that you are capable of using 

computers to work with economic data to create your own summaries (tables, charts and graphs) 

and create a coherent presentation. Using the work created by others does not demonstrate that 

ability.