School of Economics
Undergraduate assessment brief
Unit: EFIM10026 The Economy
Assessment’s contribution to unit: 30%
Release Date: 13/11/2025
Submission Date: 10/12/2025 at 11:00am
Feedback Released: 14/01/2026
Students are strongly advised to submit their work ahead of the deadline. Should you have a problem with submission
to Blackboard you should email [email protected] for guidance immediately.
• Your answer should not exceed 1500 words. Exceeding this word-limit will incur a penalty. You should include an
accurate word count on the front cover of the assignment. Details relating to penalties are at the end of this
document.
• Assignments handed in after the deadline, without a pre-arranged extension, will be subject to late penalties.
Details relating to penalties are at the end of this document.
• A reference list/bibliography is recommended. This list does not contribute to the word count. Information on
referencing can be found via our library.
• Please use Arial or Calibri font at 12-point.
• Your assignment should be combined into a single document and submitted in pdf format with a document
name containing your student number.
• You may include photographs or scans of your own hand-drawn, labelled diagrams or calculations. We would
advise you to generate your own diagrams but if you include diagrams or pictures that you have not produced
yourself, or are modified versions of existing images, you should ensure you reference them appropriately.
Figures and tables should normally be included inline in the text.
• Your answer will be assessed using the University Marking Criteria. For this assignment we particularly focus on
the criteria of Knowledge and understanding, Intellectual skills, Scholarly, Research and Disciplinary Practices,
and Communication under Professional and life skills.
This is a piece of COURSEWORK that contributes to your Unit mark and you can:
• Use resources to support you in completing your answer.
• Draw upon a range of accepted resources including, your own notes, lecture slides/recordings, course material,
textbooks, journal articles, online resources. ALL work should be written in your own words.
• Ask for help from your personal tutors or academic lecturers if you do not understand an aspect of the
coursework.
• Broad discussion with your tutors, fellow students, friends and family on the assessment topic and your
ideas/approach may help you to further your knowledge and understanding.
• Use your network of family and friends to gain support and encouragement during the assessment period.
Please remember this is a formal assessment and you should behave in a manner consistent with our values. This means
you cannot:
• Allow others to directly contribute to your written answer by revising or adding to the academic content. This is
collusion and is against University Regulations.
• Share your assessment with others or ask others to share their work with you.
• Copy and paste any material (text, images, coding, calculations) from other sources, including teaching material
and shared revision notes directly into your answer without appropriate acknowledgement. This is plagiarism
and is against University Regulations.
• Pay another person or company to complete the assessment for you. This is contract cheating and is against
University Regulations.
COURSEWORK BRIEF
Read the following extracts and complete the task:
In June to August 2023, the estimated number of vacancies fell by 64,000 to 989,000, the 14th consecutive
period to show a fall on the quarter since May to July 2022 and the first time vacancies have been under 1
million since May to July 2021…… Annual growth in regular pay (excluding bonuses) was 7.8% in May to July
2023, the same as the previous 3-month period and is the highest regular annual growth rate since comparable
records began in 2001.
ONS (2023). Labour market overview, UK: September 2023. Office for National Statistics.
Migration has been part of the human experience since the earliest days of civilization. Homo sapiens left
Africa’s Omo Valley some 200,000 years ago, and since then humans have never ceased to move, producing
distinct cultures, languages, and ethnicities. Migration has proved to be a powerful force for development,
improving the lives of hundreds of millions of migrants, their families, and the societies in which they live across
the world. But there are challenges as well — for migrants, their countries of origin, and their countries of
destination.
World Bank. (2023). World Development Report 2023: Migrants, Refugees, and Societies. The World Bank.
TASK: As a research analyst for the UK Government Economic Service, you've identified significant labour
shortages impacting the hospitality sector.
(i) Explain how labour shortages in the affected industries lead to increased consumer prices.
(ii) Analyse the product market dynamics and the implications for individual choices.
(iii) Discuss the broader impact on the labour market and economic growth.
Your report should be between 1300 – 1500 words in length and should abide by the instructions and follow
the further guidance section provided within this document.
FURTHER GUIDANCE
CONTENT:
Your analysis must draw on the following economic concepts and models:
• Firms with price-setting power
• Profit maximisation
• Constrained optimisation
• Decomposition of Price Effect
• Economic growth
You can use additional material introduced in this unit where appropriate.
STRUCTURE:
Your report should not exceed 1500 words in total and it should consist of three parts:
• Main Report:
◊ The main report should provide an intuitive answer to the above question, targeted at a professional
audience who are not familiar with economics.
◊ It will use the conclusions from the technical appendix in a way that is informative and appropriate for
the audience and will also likely draw on data to inform the argument (possibly accompanied by graphs)
and further reading from good quality sources (for example, academic journals and not high school
revision websites).
◊ It will contain an introduction and a conclusion, as well as the argument.
◊ This section is expected to be approximately the same length as the technical appendix, but the exact
division of words is at your discretion, as long as you do not exceed 1500 words in total.
• Technical Appendix:
◊ This section should be used to show and explain the formal model(s) you use in your argument in the
main report and should be targeted at an audience with some knowledge of economics.
◊ This section will likely contain a combination of diagrams, some mathematical notation and paragraphs
of text (not bullet points) to explain the models and what they show.
◊ This section is expected to be approximately the same length as the main report, but the exact division
of words is at your discretion, as long as you do not exceed 1500 words in total.
• References:
• If you reference papers in your answers, the in-text citations should be included in the first two parts
while the reference list should be provided at the end of the report. References are not included in the
word count.
HOW THIS WORK WILL BE ASSESSED
Work will be marked in line with the university marking criteria (which can be found at the end of this brief).
This work will be marked with a particular focus on:
1. Correct Economics (70%): Are graphical and/or mathematical models listed in the further guidance used
correctly? Is it clear how the models inform the narrative of the argument to explain economic behaviour? Is
the link between further reading and the models in the technical appendix understood and clearly explained?
2. Appropriate Communication Style (25%): Is an appropriate style of communication used in each section? Is
the main report clear, logical and accessible to a non-specialist audience? Is the technical appendix clearly and
logically explained for a specialist audience?
3. Presentation (5%): Is formal referencing used appropriately (including in-text citations, data sources for any
graphs generated and a formal reference list at the end)? Are images labelled correctly (i.e. “Figure 1”) and used
in the discussion in the text?
>>>>> END OF COURSEWORK BRIEF<<<<<
READ THE FOLLOWING PAGES FOR DETAILS ON PLAGIARISM, LATE PENALTIES,
WORD COUNT PENALTIES, REFERENCING AND UNIVERSITY MARKING CRITERIA
Penalties for late work
Assignments handed in after the deadline, without a pre-arranged extension will be subject to the following
penalty:
• A fixed absolute penalty of 10 marks is applied for each 24-hour period work is submitted after the
agreed deadline. Please note, weekend days count towards the calculation of late penalties. Public
holidays in England, and University closure days do not.
• A mark of zero is automatically applied to work submitted late such that at least four such 24-hour
periods have elapsed.
Penalties for work over the maximum word count
You are expected to include a word-count on the first page of the assignment. Footnotes should be avoided.
• Direct quotations will count towards the word-count
• Reference lists/bibliographies will not count within the word-count
• Coversheets will not count within the word counts
• Tables and figures (i.e. diagrams) will not count within the word counts.
If you are found to have put an inaccurate word-count on your submission, a penalty of 5 marks may be
imposed, over and above the penalties below:
Assessment exceeds word limit by up to Penalty deducted from intellectual mark
(percentage of maximum)
5% 5 marks
10% 10 marks
15% 15 marks
20% 20 marks
25% 30 marks
More than 25% Mark of zero applied
For example, for a 2,000 word assignment, if a student handed in a piece of work consisting of 2,050 words,
your mark would be reduced by 5 marks. This is because the piece of work is between 0% and 5% over the
maximum limit.
Academic Integrity
In academic writing, plagiarism is the inclusion of any idea or any language from someone else without giving
due credit by citing and referencing that source in your work. This applies if the source is print or electronic,
published or unpublished, another student’s work, or any other person.
The University's Examination Regulations state that “Any thesis, dissertation, essay, or other course work must
be the student’s own work and must not contain plagiarised material. Any instance of plagiarism in such
coursework will be treated as an offence under these regulations.” (Section 3.1).
The Examination Regulations give information on the University's procedures for dealing with cases of
plagiarism in undergraduate programmes (Section 4)
More information about plagiarism, and how to avoid it is available from the Library website.
School of Economics policy on the use of artificial intelligence in coursework
- You may use artificial intelligence to support your learning and coursework. For example, you can use
artificial intelligence to explore concepts, suggest study plans or relevant literature, or provide general
feedback on your draft.
- You may not use artificial intelligence to write any part of an assignment for you. This includes original
drafting but also text that results from prompts like “Improve the writing in this paragraph.” Your
assignment should never contain passages, sentences or phrases that are taken word-for-word from
artificial intelligence output. Just as for other sources, the exception is if you put this text in quotation
marks and cite the original (artificial intelligence) source.
- You may not write any part of your assignment in another language and use automated tools or a
translator to translate it into English. We expect our students to be able to communicate in written as
well as spoken English.
- You are advised never to take output from artificial intelligence tools at face value. Always fact-check
any information it provides and cite reputable sources, such as peer-reviewed publications, in your
coursework. And be aware that the economic reasoning in artificial intelligence output is often poor
and would in many cases receive a low mark if submitted as coursework, even if re-written in your
own words.
Referencing
If you reference papers in your answers, you should reference them using a consistent referencing system, such
as the Harvard referencing system; you should normally cite sources in the text. As a general rule, you should
avoid using footnotes to reference.
• If you include a quote, it should be in quotation marks, and a page number included in the in-text
reference.
• Whilst you should normally avoid larger quotes, if you include them, you should also indent the text.
If you cite a paper in your essay, you should also include a full reference to the paper in the reference list at
the end of the paper.
• Do not list papers in your reference list that you have not referenced in the paper
University marking criteria
Level 4 (First-year undergraduate level)
Marks 0-19 20-39 40-49 50-59 60-69 70-79 80-100
Knowledge and understanding
Content Knowledge is very Knowledge is Demonstrated Demonstrated Demonstrated Excellent knowledge Exceptional
knowledge inadequate, without inadequate, without breadth and depth breadth and depth breadth and depth and understanding knowledge and
any breadth or depth, the required of introductory of introductory of introductory of the introductory understanding of
BSP 1a, 1b, 9a with major breadth or depth, knowledge and knowledge and knowledge and material, beyond introductory
deficiencies in key with deficiencies in understanding understanding. understanding, what has been material,
areas. key areas. though with some showing a clear, taught. significantly beyond
limitations. critical insight in what has been
relevant contexts. taught.
Intellectual skills
Use of evidence Limited or no use of Not demonstrating Some ability to Ability to interpret Ability to evaluate, Ability to Excellent ability to
and sources directed reading. an ability to interpret and and comment on interpret, and thoroughly evaluate, interpret,
interpret or comment on directed reading. comment on evaluate, interpret, and comment on
BSP 1b, 9a comment on directed reading. directed reading. and comment on directed and
directed reading. directed reading. independent
reading.
Logical argument Unsubstantiate d Limited or no use of Some use of the Use of the reading Consistent use of Consistent use of Consistent use of
and evaluation of arguments and the reading to reading to develop to develop lines of the reading to directed and directed and
perspectives limited or no develop lines of lines of argument argument and make develop clear lines independent independent
reference to basic argument and make and make some sound judgements of argument and reading to develop reading to develop
BSP 1b theories and judgements in judgements in in accordance with make sound clear lines of strong lines of
concepts. accordance with accordance with basic theories and judgements in argument and make argument and make
basic theories and basic theories and concepts. accordance with sound judgements sound judgements
concepts. concepts. basic theories and in accordance with in accordance with
concepts. basic theories and basic theories and
concepts. concepts.
Problem-solving No recognition of No recognition of Recognition of Some evaluation of Evaluating the Thoroughly Excellent and
problems in the field different different the appropriateness appropriateness of evaluating the nuanced evaluation
BSP 3a, 3b of study. approaches to approaches to of different different appropriateness of of the
solving problems in solving problems in approaches to approaches to different appropriateness of
the field of study. the field of study. solving problems in solving problems in approaches to different
the field of study. the field of study. solving problems in approaches to
the field of study. solving problems in
the field of study.
Scholarly, Research and Disciplinary Practices
Specialist skills The student has not The student has not The student has The student has The student has The student has The student has
and techniques demonstrated any demonstrated demonstrated consistently consistently consistently consistently
evidence of sufficient evidence evidence of demonstrated the demonstrated an demonstrated an demonstrated an
BSP 1a, 3c foundational of foundational developing and development and informed and informed and informed and
discipline specific discipline specific applying informed effective application innovative exceptionally
skills development or skills development foundational application of of foundational application of the innovative
application. and application for discipline- specific foundational discipline-specific discipline’s application of the
higher level study skills. discipline- specific skills and evidence foundational skills discipline’s
skills. of developing and as well as the foundational skills
applying the main informed and the capable and
methods of enquiry. application of the effective application
discipline’s main of its main methods
methods of enquiry. of enquiry.
Research Very little or no Limited evidence of Some evidence of Can collect and Can collect and Can collect and Can collect and
evidence of ability to ability to undertake ability to collect interpret interpret interpret interpret
BSP 2a, 3c undertake straightforward appropriate data/ appropriate data/ appropriate data/ appropriate data appropriate data/
straightforward research tasks, even information and information and information and and successfully information and
research- related with guidance. undertake undertake successfully undertake research undertake research
tasks, even with straightforward straightforward Undertake tasks with a degree tasks with
guidance. research tasks with research tasks with straightforward of autonomy. autonomy and
external guidance. external guidance. research tasks with exceptional success.
limited guidance.
Academic skills Academic conventions Academic Some academic Academic Good use of Consistently Consistently
largely ignored. conventions used conventions evident conventions academic accurate use of accurate and
BSP 1a, 2a, 4b weakly. and largely generally sound. conventions. academic assured use of
consistent, but with conventions. academic
some weaknesses. conventions.
Professional and life skills
Teamwork Little or no Shows limited Shows ability to Contributes well Works effectively Consistently Shows outstanding
demonstration of ability to work work with others within a team within a team demonstrates ability to work and
BSP 5a, 5b, 5c, 6a ability to work within within a team and contribute complementing and recognising the effective lead a team with
a team setting. setting. productively as a respecting the value and teamworking and creativity and
member of a team. contributions of contributions of leadership skills and flexibility that is
others. Shows some others. Able to able to ensure responsive to group
ability to lead and manage conflict. teams work members’ interests
organise teamwork. effectively to meet and the obligations
their obligations and goals of the
and goals. Ability to team. Ability to
manage conflict. manage conflict.
Insight Shows very limited Displays limited Shows some ability Shows ability to Confident in self- Demonstrates Shows confidence in
awareness of own awareness of own to identify own reflect on own reflection and ability to assess own assessing own
BSP 7b, 8a, 8b strengths and strengths or strengths and strengths and expressing own strengths and strengths and
weaknesses. weaknesses. weaknesses. weaknesses and strengths and weaknesses. weaknesses. Ability
Emerging capacity shows ability to weaknesses and Demonstrates to identify an
to plan self- identify steps for able to plan self- ability to identify a effective
development to self-development to development to programme of self- programme of self-
improve practical improve practical improve practical development to development to
and professional and professional and professional improve practical improve practical
skills. skills. skills. and professional and professional
skills. skills. Can provide
useful feedback to
others.
Communication Shows very limited Shows limited Shows some Ability to Can communicate Can communicate Can communicate
awareness of the awareness of the awareness of ways communicate effectively to a effectively to a effectively to a
BSP 5b, 9a ways communication ways that communication appropriately to a range of audiences, range of audiences, range of audiences
needs to be adapted communication needs to be range of audiences using a wide range using a wide range in an engaging and
for different needs to be adapted for and shows some of media as of media as professional
audiences. adapted for different audiences. ability to deploy appropriate. appropriate. manner, using a
different audiences. different media as wide range of media
appropriate. as appropriate.
Self management Shows very limited Shows limited Shows some Shows self Demonstrates good Works Works
evidence of self evidence of self evidence of self organisational skills self organisational autonomously autonomously
BSP 4a organisational skills organisational skills organisational skills and behaviours. Has skills and demonstrating very demonstrating
and behaviours and and behaviours and and behaviours. a professional behaviours. Has a good self outstanding self
ability to meet ability to meet Ability to complete attitude to professional organisational skills organisational skills
deadlines. deadlines. most tasks by completing most attitude to and behaviours. Has and behaviours. Has
deadlines. tasks. completing tasks. a professional a professional
attitude to attitude to
completing tasks. completing all tasks.
Note: Because the marking criteria consider a number of dimensions, it is unlikely that a single piece of work fits nicely into all of the descriptions above. For example, a piece of work may
have excellent presentation, but due to significant errors, and major deficiencies, the piece of work may still be awarded the lower grade.
