AE4 Extended essay planner

Content

Click the links below to jump to the relevant part of the document.

PlanNotes3.Grouping notes4.Outline

Planning Procedure

Select a topic for your extended essay.

Choose a question for your essay.

Identify the instruction, topic and limiting words in your question.  

Make notes of what you need to include in the content of your essay. 

Extended essay question 

Assess the importance of GDP in measuring Australia’s economic wellbeing.

Instruction words: 

Assess Plan:

What is GDP

What are the alternative definitions of GDP?

How do you determine the GDP of a country?

Identify the various uses of GDP

Why would a nation choose to use GDP as a measure of wellbeing?

What options are available?

What is the strongest among the alternatives to determining wellbeing of Australia?

Define happiness index

Does the GDP really measure wellbeing?

Are the drawbacks to using it?

Advantages?

Final conclusion?

Topic words:  Importance, GDP Limiting words: 

Assessment, importance, Measuring, Australia’s economic wellbeing Notes

Reference:

Joseph E. Stiglitz. (2020，August 1). GDP Is the Wrong Tool for Measuring What Matters. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/gdp-is-the-wrong-tool-for-measuring-what-matters/

Questions or prompts based on your plan:

Other measurements of economic-wellness Notes from the source:

Evaluation:

The article takes a negative tone on the use of GDP as a measure of public welfare.

Summary:

Dissects the reasons why its use should be stopped or improved to include other indicators beyond market activities

Useful on GDP importance

A very useful source in understand what GDP is and how it is used as a measure of economic and societal welfare all over the world.

The article is also very relevant to the study questions as it highlights the use of GDP and provides an insight into why it should be improved or supplemented to ensure that total welfare of a society is well captured.

Reference:

Aitken, A. (2019). Measuring welfare beyond GDP. National Institute economic review, 249, R3-R16. https://doi.org/10.1177/002795011924900110Questions or prompts based on your plan

Other measurements of economic-wellness Notes from the source:

Summary:

The article provides a very detailed review of GDP as a measure of economic welfare, asserting how it is misused in that regard. It sheds light on the proper use of GDP and why it should not be used without the inclusion of other critical indicators that reflect overall progress of a society.

Evaluation:

The style used to present the article is very difficult to follow. However, the explanation and discussions are very rich and informative. The content is relevant and up to date and will be critical in providing a starting point to answer the research question

Reference:

Kenny, D. C., Costanza, R., Dowsley, T., Jackson, N., Josol, J., Kubiszewski, I., … & Thompson, J. (2019). Australia’s genuine progress indicator revisited (1962–2013). Ecological Economics, 158, 1-10 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2018.11.025 Questions or prompts based on your plan

GDP and Australia Notes from the source:

Summary:

The authors look at how Australia has continued to measure progress and wellbeing from the mid-20th century up to 2013. It then proceeds to attempt to provide a genuine progress indicator by combining other measures to supplement the use of GDP. It mentions the long term use of Measures of Australia’s Progress (MAP) in Australia including a collection of alternative indicators. It then discusses the GDP and its pros and cons in measuring public welfare.

Evaluation:

This article not only discusses the importance of GDP as an indicator of progress and wellbeing in Australia but also looks at alternatives including the inclusion of ecological factors and other relevant concepts.

Reference:

Trewin, D. (2001). Measuring wellbeing. Australian Bureau of Statistics. https://www.governanceinstitute.edu.au/magma/media/upload/ckeditor/files/Well-being%20presentation.pdf

Questions or prompts based on your plan

Other measurements of economic-wellness Notes from the source:

Summary:

This article discusses approaches to measuring progress and wellbeing. It also looks at the modalities foe developing measures of wellbeing and focuses its case on Australia. It compares the use of GDP in Australia with the Australian National Development Index. For comparative purposes it briefly looks at how New Zealand measures progress and provides recommendations for the future. This source is important because it focuses on Australia’s perspective of the GDP against other measures.

Evaluation:

The article looks at the measures of wellbeing relevant to Australia and attempts to introduce measures outside of financial and economic status. Defines GDP and its application in Australia and compares wellbeing of the country with New Zealand in terms of GDP, and finally looks at a suite of indicators and other subject measures of wellbeing.

Grouping notes

Plan question:

Sources

Themes Trewin (2001) Aitken (2019) Kenny et al. (2019) Joseph (2020)

GDP and eco wellbeing Not measuring eco wellbeing Not measuring eco wellbeing Not measuring eco wellbeing Not measuring eco wellbeing

Other measurements GDP is superior to other measures Mentions WHR as a better indicator GDO is better indicator Australian National Development Index

Use of GDP Use of GDP is practical Use of GDP is not practical Use of GDP is impractical Use of GDP is practical but requires complementary measures

My position: GDP is not an adequate measure of economic wellbeing in Australia

Plan question:

Sources

Themes My position:

Plan question:

Sources

Themes My position:

Outline

Introduction

(Draft)

Body 1 T E E L Body 2

T E E L Body 3 T E E L Body 4

T E E L Body 5 T E E L Body 6

T E E L Body 7 T E E L Conclusion

(Draft)