Microeconomic Op-Ed Writing Assignment

Course Code, Name, Level and Enrollment: ECO105Y, Introduction to Economics for Non-Specialists, first-year undergraduate, 500-1000 students.Learning Outcomes: understand and apply basic economic concepts to everyday life; craft a sound argument about an economic issue of genuine personal interest; present a reasoned argument to a general audience.Assignment preparation: students watch a series of video tutorials: how to read critically, how to (re-)write an abstract, and how to (re-)write an op-ed. Students have completed a shorter writing assignment to build to this more complex task (see Article Abstract, also included in this collection).Peer review: Students submit a draft of their op-ed to peerScholar, an online peer review mechanism, both giving and receiving feedback on the assignment. Students also submit a self-reflection at the conclusion of the assignment cycle.Other notes: Assignment description includes rubric.This assignment requires students to write an opinion piece for a general audience: an op-ed. Writers choose an article, editorial or opinion piece from a recent online publication that involves a controversial microeconomic issue of genuine personal interest, Canadian or international. In response, students write their own commentary in which they take a position on the issue, supporting their position by making an argument based on sound economic reasoning