Teachers Initial Assessment of the Commentaries in IB DP Economics

Student: Luna (HL)

Article: Impact of Job-Stealing Robots, a Growing Concern at Davos
Section: Macroeconomics
Structure
1. Introduction
a. This part should summarize the article and provide link/s to the syllabus.
b. It is strongly advised to state in this part your argument/s or point/s in writing the commentary.
2. Terminology
a. Structural unemployment as an economic problem should have been introduced in the first paragraph of the
commentary. It was also not evident in the last paragraph.
b. The term manual labours is used interchangeably with robots. Are they the same concepts?
3. Diagram
a. It is strongly advised to draw your own diagram.
b. Explain how the higher demand of robots affect the value (amount of pay) of manual labours.
4. Analysis
a. Explain how the supply-side policies and income elasticities of demand (in microeconomics) are related to the
problem of structural unemployment.
b. Simply summarizing the article does not count as an effective analysis. This part should focus on explaining and
developing economic theories linked to the article.*
5. Evaluation
a. Structural unemployment in the article is a result of structural change/s in the economy. How would you relate
this concept to your article?
b. You presented the advantages and disadvantages of this shift or change in the labour market; but what could be
the most viable solution to this problem?
c. It is also advised to provide supporting documents on the effect/s of this shift in the labour market.
d. "Effective evaluation means including specific reference to the article, a critical approach & a consideration of
alternative views.**
6. Conclusion
a. The they should invest in manual labours because the demand for machineries is high leading to higher prices
for machineries part must be paraphrased to avoid ambiguity. Moreover, it does not relate to your analysis and
evaluation of the article.
b. The concluding marks were, generally, vague.
7. Rubrics Requirements
a. Provide summary portfolio coversheet with details of the source, syllabus sections, the date commentaries were
written & word counts, and also the date the article under study was published/ written/ posted.
b. Indicate the source of your article (and supporting document/s, if you have one) and make sure to use only
recognized news media source
8. Overall Comment
a. Consider editing/ proofreading
b. Be very vigilant when using cause and effect statements, most especially those that reflect certain economic
assumptions. These statements need to be substantiated and stated very clearly.
c. The article covers microeconomics and macroeconomics sections of the syllabus, but it has a strong inclination
towards micro rather than macro. So you need to decide on which aspect to focus and how to approach your
commentary.
d. Mastery of the key economic concepts/ principles and/ or theories that are related to your article is essential in
writing this commentary. Please review your micro and macro lessons.

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* May 2016 Subject Reports: Economics TZ2

** IBs IA Feedback for Economics, MISB
 Teachers Initial Assessment of the Commentaries in IB DP Economics

Student: Rayhan (HL)

Article: Australian smokers to pay more than $45 for a packet of cigarettes from 2020
Section: Microeconomics

Structure

1. Introduction
a.