Department of Accounting, Finance, and Economics
ECON 321-558 – MONEY, BANKING, AND THE FINANCIAL SYSTEM – Spring 2022
Instructor: Dr. Thaddee Badibanga
DATA VISUALIZATION HANDS-ON ASSIGNMENT
DUE DATE: May 10, 2022
Problem Statement
You are tasked with analyzing whether COVID-19 has increase racial disparities in home
ownerships by comparing the pre COVID-19 period (1994-2019) to the COVID-19 period
(2020-2021).
Part 1
– Before analyzing the data please briefly explain the Real Gross Domestic Product growth
rates from 1994 to 2021 along with the Unemployment rate by race from 1994 to 2021.
This data can be found on https://fred.stlouisfed.org (please note that you will have to edit
the Real GDP graph and change your measurement from Billions of dollars to percentage
change).
– Next identify on a graph and explain in writing the major economic, social or health
breaks that occurred between 1994 and 2021 (examples of breaks include recessions and
COVID-19 related economic shut). Be sure to explain why those breaks occurred and
how the economy was impacted. The FRED graphs are expected to be incorporated in
your report.
Preliminary Questions to answer before writing narrative
1. Define Growth rate? How do you calculate the Growth rate?
2. Define Unemployment Rate? How do you calculate the Unemployment Rate?
3. What is the formula for finding the percentage change?
4. What is a home ownership? To follow, plot a graph and write an explanation of the important economic, social, or health breaks that occurred between 1994 and 2021 (examples of breaks include recessions and the COVID-19-related economic shutdown). Make sure to explain why the interruptions happened and how they had an impact on the economy. It is intended that the FRED graphs will be included in your final report.
Before you begin writing your narrative, you should answer some preliminary questions.
1. What is the definition of growth rate? What formula do you use to compute the growth rate?
2. What is the definition of the unemployment rate? What is the formula for calculating the unemployment rate?
3: What is the formula for calculating the percent change?
4. What is the definition of home ownership?
Part 2
5. Create visualization of home ownerships across racial groups. The home ownership file
contains the percent of families owning homes by race over the period 1994-2021. You
can use Excel, SPSS or Tableau to create the charts for your visualization.
6. Analyze racial disparities in home ownership prior to the COVID-19 period (1994-2019).
How did the 2007-2009 impact those racial disparities. Which racial group(s) was (were)
the most affected.
7. Analyze racial disparities in home ownership during the COVID-19 period (2020-2021).
How did the COVID-19 impact those racial disparities? Which racial group(s) was (were)
the most affected.
8. Compare the impact of the 2007-2009 financial crisis on the home ownership to that of
the COVID-19. Which impact did aggravate racial disparities in home ownership (i.e. the
average rate of growth of home ownership during the 2 periods can help to determine the
biggest impact).
9. Research factors that may explain racial disparities in home ownership prior and during
the COVID-19. Is unemployment one of such factors? Create visualization and plot
unemployment and home ownership by race to determine. Can you think about other
macroeconomic factors that may also explain those disparities?
10. Write a brief narrative comparing your results.
11. Your final written report must be submitted by Sunday May 3, 2020 at 11:59 PM. It must
be written using the APA style (https://apastyle.apa.org/index) must be at most 4 pages
excluding title page, appendix (tables and graphs) and references