Delicious Data - Introduction

One very important aspect of the GCSE (and the AS Level) is description of data. Over the coming months, Innes and I will be putting some useful information on the blog that you can use to help you with your exam technique. Alongside the data we will give you tips on how to get the best marks in these sorts of questions. Today’s data, the first in our “Delicious Data” series, is on the US economy.

As you can see the data in the graph shows GDP in the USA between the beginning of 2008 and the middle of 2010. The first thing to notice is the use of Q1, Q2 etc. The Q stands for quarter as economists like to divide the year up into 4 parts, so Q1 is January, February and March.

A typical question on this piece of data would be asking you to describe the changes in US GDP between 2008 and 2010. Make sure you use figures from the graph to support your descriptions. Without figures you usually cannot get more than half marks for this type of question.

Unemployment rises again [15 Dec 2011]
Eurozone in charts [14 Dec 2011]
Delicious data - UK GDP growth [16 Nov 2011]
EU growth rates - delicious data [11 Nov 2011]
Inflation - interactive guide [18 Oct 2011]
Unemployment hot spots [8 Sep 2011]
Unemployment map [22 Jul 2011]
Going on holiday this summer? [18 Jun 2011]
Data - China, EU, UK and Germany [18 Jun 2011]
Fantastic graphics on Asia [15 Jun 2011]
EU says yes to Croatia! [10 Jun 2011]
Squeeze on family income [8 Jun 2011]
Petrol pushes cost of owning a car up [6 Jun 2011]
Inflation up again [17 May 2011]
Eurozone crisis in graphics [15 May 2011]
Blackpool’s bank holiday bonanza [23 Apr 2011]
Great short video on Eurozone interest rates and much more [7 Apr 2011]
Budget 2011 - how will it affect you? [25 Mar 2011]
Budget 2011 - how much tax? [24 Mar 2011]
Budget 2011 - government income and expenditure [23 Mar 2011]
Oil and unemployment data [21 Mar 2011]
iPhone in, shoulder of pork out [15 Mar 2011]
Great short video on interest rates [8 Mar 2011]
Videos of the week! - Teddy Bears and Specialisation [22 Feb 2011]
Standard of living - most liveable city [22 Feb 2011]
Great inflation resources [15 Feb 2011]
China overtakes Japan to go 2nd [14 Feb 2011]
Takeaways face a fat tax [4 Feb 2011]
Fun Friday - Happiness! [28 Jan 2011]
Delicious data - compare the last 4 recessions [27 Jan 2011]
Super Starter - video [26 Jan 2011]
The World on Wednesday [26 Jan 2011]
Delicious data - shock contraction in UK economy [25 Jan 2011]
Delicious data - food prices [25 Jan 2011]
1 in 5 16-24 year olds out of work [19 Jan 2011]
What do these 4 items have in common? [18 Jan 2011]
Burton’s biscuits - regional unemployment [12 Jan 2011]
VAT rise from midnight [4 Jan 2011]
How the inflation rise will affect the Christmas dinner [14 Dec 2010]
Economic growth in the Eurozone - activity [13 Dec 2010]
Great video - UK employment figures [8 Dec 2010]
The changing high street [6 Dec 2010]
Global economics - the unsung heroes [2 Dec 2010]
Household spending falls [1 Dec 2010]
Innocent smoothies and VAT [23 Nov 2010]
Great video - Why bail out Ireland [23 Nov 2010]
Royal wedding boost for UK economy [17 Nov 2010]
Inflation up again [16 Nov 2010]
How happy are you today? [16 Nov 2010]
Delicious data - income tax [14 Nov 2010]
Great exchange rates video [10 Nov 2010]
Graduate unemployment highest for 20 years [2 Nov 2010]
Delicious Data (5) - House Prices One More Time [29 Oct 2010]
World statistics day - UK data [20 Oct 2010]
Government spending cuts - what would you do [19 Oct 2010]
Great inflation video [12 Oct 2010]
Great video - Why the UK imports apples [30 Sep 2010]
Great video - UK Economic Growth [28 Sep 2010]
Delicious Data (3) - House Prices [20 Sep 2010]
Who ate all the pies? [19 Sep 2010]
Great inflation video [15 Sep 2010]
Delicious data (2) - Inflation [14 Sep 2010]
North - South divide still exists [9 Sep 2010]
Interest Rates - great video [9 Sep 2010]
Global food prices on the rise - great video [5 Sep 2010]
Great short video for year 10 economists - Darling two years on [30 Aug 2010]
New interactive guide [29 Aug 2010]
China leaps ahead of Japan [16 Aug 2010]
Global recession timeline [30 Jul 2010]
Great short video - Economy continues to grow [7 Jul 2010]
Indian interest rates rise [2 Jul 2010]
Good news if you are going on holiday to Europe [30 Jun 2010]
More inflation [28 May 2010]
Inflation revision [26 May 2010]
Boost to Blackpool following promotion [25 May 2010]
Would you be happy receiving chocolate instead of interest? [24 May 2010]
World Cup Economic Data - end of term project [23 May 2010]
Inflation revision [18 May 2010]
Taxation revision [13 May 2010]
Business Basics - What is GDP? [23 Apr 2010]
Great macro revision video [22 Apr 2010]
Wurzels lead fight against tax hike on strong cider [25 Mar 2010]
Budget - starter activity [24 Mar 2010]
UK trade deficit widens - video [10 Mar 2010]
Prices still rising [3 Mar 2010]
The pound weakens - video [3 Mar 2010]
Great short macro video [1 Mar 2010]
Great interactive data from the FT [28 Feb 2010]
Demand and supply in action - the demise of Hummer - [25 Feb 2010]
Champagne exports drop - YED in action [20 Feb 2010]
Fun Fact Friday - What’s hot and what’s not in the recession [19 Feb 2010]
International Economics in videos [14 Feb 2010]
The World on Wednesday - China and US chicken dispute [10 Feb 2010]
The National Debt in 3 minutes [4 Feb 2010]
The World on Wednesday - Greece [3 Feb 2010]
Fun Fact Friday - Fat Tax [29 Jan 2010]
Unemployment down - but concerns about the young [21 Jan 2010]
Have you noticed the rise in VAT? [8 Jan 2010]
Interest Rates and Exchange Rates - video [7 Jan 2010]
Britain falls to 25th best place to live in the world [6 Jan 2010]