THE "ECONOMIC VOTE" PROJECT

*When you buy a product or a service, you are supporting that company and its product. You as a consumer have power. Our collective decisions to buy or not buy certain products determine what businesses succeed and can influence how they operate. After all, if a business has no or few consumers, it will not survive.

*Project Overview: This project is designed so that you can gather information about a particular product and the company that provides it. You will work with one other student. Both of you will research this product and alternatives to it using a variety of sources including the Internet. You will make a Power Point presentation to the class trying to persuade others to buy or boycott your researched product.

Step 1 ­ Choosing A Product:

In order to find sufficient information, pick a well known product such as a Big Mac, Tide detergent, Shell gasoline, PG&E electricity or Ford Explorer. You want to be able to find arguments for and against these products, and then decide for yourself whether you recommend buying or boycotting the product. You may want to first research a few companies and/or products and then narrow it down to one product from one company. You must get your product choice approved before you begin detailed research.

Step 2 ­ Research on Internet:

a. To find a specific company, try www. "company's name". com

b. Then find other viewpoints on that company and your selected product.

Go to a search engine, and type in company name, product name, type of product, alternatives to that product, etc. that will help you locate relevant information.

(Recommended search engine: Altavista- www.altavista.com)

You need to find information on:

i. The product life cycle ­ as much as possible on the process from natural resources to disposal and the use of land, labor and capital in that cycle

ii. Alternatives to the product that will have different impacts on the environment and/or people than your main product and/or are made by companies with different practices

iii.The company's practices and policies ­ giving to charity, hiring policy, etc.

Step 3 ­ Prepare Notes for Teaching Aid

*Highlight and organize research notes for presentation.

-Narrow down research information to what you feel is most important to argue for or against the product.

-Organize information into 8-10 key points that support either buying or boycotting the product.

***Be sure to include some topics dealing with alternatives to the product, as well as the product life cycle and company practices.

Step 4 ­ Prepare The Power Point Slides (4 maximum)

They must consist of the following:

a. Creative Title ­ relates to product/company and your argument

b. Eight to ten key points to buy or boycott that you will be able to discuss in class

·Key points should be briefly worded (a few words or sentence for each)

·See other criteria in Step 3

c. Three images minimum to help promote sales (or boycott) pitch

They can be any of the following:

· Website graphic downloaded, pasted and credit given to source (title,URL)

· Clip art from Power Point collection

· Self-created graphic

d. Annotated Bibliography turned in separately, handwritten is fine

·Minimum of four sources, from multiple perspectives, and at least two from the Internet.

i. Standard part

For websites use the following format::

Author (if known). Publisher (i.e.: organization/company). Title of website (whether homepage or section). URL.

e.g.:

Smith, Fred. United Loggers. "The Truth about Logging and the Spotted Owl". www.loggers.org/sled/edh.html

For magazines, pamphlets or books use standard bibliography form .

ii. Annotated part

For each source, specify the following:

· What is the possible bias of this source? Explain in two - four sentences.

· In general, what information did you use for your project?

Step 5 ­ Prepare for Presentation

Review research notes and prepare explanations to go along with Power Point outline.

Be sure to divide presentation evenly with partner.

It is recommended that you use notes during presentation. Notes should not be longer than one page, and you MUST write them in your own words and turn in any notes you used during presentation.