Identify the measure behind a headline
See this course’s project requirements
An economic-news brief with source cards, inflation and real-pay calculations, labor-force analysis, rate scenarios and clear limits.
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What to include
- An indicator source card with units, periods and populations.
- An inflation calculation and a corrected headline explanation. A nominal-versus-real pay comparison with scope notes.
- A labor-force calculation and a careful interpretation of a rate change.
- A rate-news translation with a fixed/variable comparison.
- A source-based economic-news brief with calculations and limits.
Review and revise
Use these criteria to check your work and choose what to improve.
- Calculations reconcile to the supplied records, with units and dates labeled.
- Assumptions and missing information are visible, including the changed scenario.
- The recommendation follows the evidence and explains an important limitation.
- The six lesson outputs form a usable handoff that another learner can check.
Want more background?
The idea in everyday life
Three fictional headlines: H1 “Price index rises 4% over one year”; H2 “Unemployment is 8% of the labor force”; H3 “Policy target rises 0.25 percentage points.” These are practice figures, not current news.
Economic indicators answer defined questions for particular populations and periods. Read those labels before interpreting a change.
Identify the measure behind a headline — worked practice
Economic indicators answer defined questions for particular populations and periods. Read those labels before interpreting a change.
Three fictional headlines: H1 “Price index rises 4% over one year”; H2 “Unemployment is 8% of the labor force”; H3 “Policy target rises 0.25 percentage points.” These are practice figures, not current news.
1. Identify H1
Label it PRICES and record one-year comparison.
You should see: H1 describes a price measure over time.
A rate of change needs a period.
2. Identify H2
Label it JOBS and record labor-force denominator.
You should see: H2 is not 8% of everyone.
Population definitions matter.
3. Identify H3
Label it POLICY and retain percentage-point units.
You should see: H3 describes a policy-rate change.
A policy target is not every consumer’s loan rate.
4. Create source card
Assign BLS prices, BLS unemployment and Federal Reserve policy pages to the headlines.
You should see: Three matching primary-source routes.
The agency’s definition helps check a headline.
What to finish
An indicator source card with units, periods and populations.
Watch for this
Interpreting a percentage before identifying its denominator.
How can I tell I understand it?
Explain your calculation or classification and reproduce the changed case without copying the worked result.
Quick knowledge check
Answer all 3 questions. Get at least 2 right and the lesson completes automatically.
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Answer all 3 questions above and get at least 2 right. You can review the explanations and try again.
Go to the knowledge checkOptional course overview video
The Consumer Price Index and Why Your Participation is Important
From BLS Videos. Watch here or open it on YouTube .
Optional course overview. Follow the written steps below at your own pace.Tools, templates, and lesson sources
Tools and templates
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Sources and further reading
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Source & access notes · checked 2026-09-12
Inspected price-index meaning, percent changes, population coverage and limitations.
Access: Public page inspected without a sign-in; linked services may have separate requirements.
Reuse: Link to the original. Free reading does not imply permission to reproduce the page; lessons and fixtures here are original.
Source & access notes · checked 2026-09-12
Inspected employed/unemployed/not-in-labor-force definitions and rate denominator.
Access: Public page inspected without a sign-in; linked services may have separate requirements.
Reuse: Link to the original. Free reading does not imply permission to reproduce the page; lessons and fixtures here are original.
Source & access notes · checked 2026-09-12
Inspected policy implementation and target federal funds range; course does not quote current rates.
Access: Public page inspected without a sign-in; linked services may have separate requirements.
Reuse: Link to the original. Free reading does not imply permission to reproduce the page; lessons and fixtures here are original.
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