Each student will be randomly assigned one of the general topics outlined below. The student must then choose an original, unique specific topic by finding a real-world example of the general topic. For instance, a student could choose Microsoft as an example of an unregulated monopoly. Students may not use specific topics mentioned in the textbook, and no two students may have the same specific topic.

NOTE: Instructors may add requirements to those listed below and for grading purposes may add criteria not listed in the Core Assessment Rubric.

General Topics

MONOPOLY (UNREGULATED): Analyze the structure of a private, unregulated firm that is a monopoly or has been a monopoly in the recent past. Show graphically and explain how the firm fulfills the characteristics of monopoly. Identify the causes of monopolization and discuss the firm's pricing and profits. Discuss the impacts of the firm's pricing on consumer choice.

MONOPOLISTIC COMPETITION: Analyze the structure of a monopolistically competitive industry. Show graphically and explain how the industry fulfills the characteristics of monopolistic competition. Discuss the industry's pricing, profitability, and future trends in industry structure.

OLIGOPOLY: Analyze the structure of an oligopolistic industry. (Be sure to discuss the entire industry, not a single firm.) Identify why it is oligopolistic and discuss pricing strategies, profitability, and the relationship between firms within the industry. Show graphically and explain briefly the kinked demand curve model and discuss whether the industry's pricing fits the model.

REGULATION OF NATURAL MONOPOLIES: Analyze the structure of a regulated natural monopoly (e.g., a public utility). Identify why it is a natural monopoly and show this graphically. Discuss its profitability and how the regulatory agency controls the firm's pricing.

Paper Format 0 1,500 1,700 words, not including the reference (Works Cited) page. Verify this with word-count in Microsoft Word and include the actual word count typed at the bottom of the last page of text, before the reference page. 0 The paper should be typed, double-spaced, on white paper, with page numbers centered at the bottom of the page. 0 The title page should contain the following in this order: general topic: specic topic, student's name, course name, date. 0 The paper should be completed and uploaded in Unit 7. Research Sources Students should use at least four different acceptable research sources excluding the course textbook. The quality and quantity of these references will determine the amount of points earned for research, Acceptable Sources: In general, citations from Internet websites will NOT count as an acceptable source unless the citation is from a U5. government website. The Internet can be used to nd on-Iine versions of publications, but such citations should be made only for articles that are published in paper form (i.e., can be found in a library). For instance, you could use a New York Times article that is downloaded from the Internet. Encyclopedias and abstracts are not valid sources. Cutting and pasting information from the Internet is plagiarism. Recommended Sources 0 The Wall Street Journal 0 New York Times online (email notices of this are available for free) 0 CNN Financial News online 0 The Economist (magazine) 0 The National Review 0 The National Bureau of Economic Research 0 any academic and nonacademic journals 0 library books 0 government publications (e.g., those of Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Economic Research, Commerce Department, U.S. Census, etc.)