iconomix

Swiss National Bank

Category 1: Essay on iconomix challenge question

Do you work with iconomix modules in the classroom? Why not have your students answer a challenge question and submit their individual or group work to the iconomix award?

Who can participate?

The contest is open to all students of Swiss upper secondary schools.

An essay entered in category 1 has to be based on a current challenge questionhttp://www.iconomix.ch/en/award/category-1/challenge-questions/ and meet a few requirements with regard to form and content.

For further details, see the conditions for participationhttp://www.iconomix.ch/en/award/category-1/conditions-for-participation/.

How to enter

Students may submit their essays online via the www.iconomix-award.chwww.iconomix-award.ch student website.

As a teacher, you can also submit your students’ essays by post. To do so, please complete the submission form for category 1(91 KB)http://www.iconomix.ch/fileadmin/docs/award/form_cat1_en.doc and send it to the following postal address:

Swiss National Bank (SNB)
iconomix award
Börsenstrasse 15
P.O. Box
CH-8022 Zurich

What happens next?

We will confirm receipt of a submission within a few days and state whether the requirements with regard to form and content have been met.

If this is the case, students will receive a short written report (feedback report) from an expert in the field within four working weeks. At the same time, the essay will be included in the iconomix factsheet series.

At the end of March, students whose submissions are particularly good will receive an invitation to the iconomix eventhttp://www.iconomix.ch/en/award/event-and-prizes/. At the event, they will meet other students with similar interests and discuss their work with two economists.

Prizes

Each participant in the iconomix event will receive one of the following awards:

  • A bronze iconomix award and CHF 100 for good work.
  • A silver iconomix award and CHF 300 for very good work.
  • A gold iconomix award and CHF 600 for outstanding work.

Award winners will also receive a certificate from the Swiss National Bank.

Assessment criteria

The quality of the essay and the students’ argumentation in the discussion with the experts are given equal consideration. Quality in this context refers to the economic reasoning and the originality of the text.

For the assessment of the submissions, the educational background of the participants is taken into account. Factors such as the type of school they attend (part-time or full-time) and the weighting of economics in their curriculum (taught as a general subject/introductory course or as an advanced course/major) are considered.

Gold and silver will not necessarily be awarded in each sub-category.

Submission deadline

The closing date for submissions is 1 March 2011.

All entries that are submitted after 1 March 2011 will automatically be entered for the 2012 iconomix award.

Date and location of iconomix event

The event will take place in Berne on Saturday, 8 May 2010. For further details, go to event and prizeshttp://www.iconomix.ch/en/award/event-and-prizes/. Invitations will be sent out about one month prior to the event.

Key

Categories

The iconomix award comprises two categories. Category 1 consists of an essay on one of the iconomix challenge questions. Category 2 is a recognised project undertaken independently by the students on a subject of their choice.

Challenge questions

Every iconomix module includes a challenge question. Each of these questions provides the ideal starting point for a short essay that can be entered in category 1.

Topics of choice

In category 2, students can submit projects that are approved by their school and deal with economics. This may comprise written or non-written work (e.g. an essay or a film). If non-written work is submitted, brief documentation of the process is required (as for other school work at this level).

Independent projects

The independent projects are referred to differently at the various types of Swiss upper secondary schools. For a detailed list, please refer to the German or French versions of this website.

Factsheet

Any approved submission will be published in the form of a factsheet on the iconomix-award website. A factsheet contains important information on the submission, including the author’s details (name and place of residence), a brief description of the content and an extract from the feedback report written by an expert in the field.

www.iconomix-award.ch

The purpose of this website is to promote the iconomix award among students. Unlike www.iconomix.ch, it is aimed at students and has its own look and feel.