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Economics Project Work

An economics project is one self-directed study with five moves: ask a clear question, collect data (survey or published figures), arrange it in a table, draw a chart, and write a conclusion in your own words. Useful tools are percentage share, mean and the largest or smallest value. Follow the CBSE guidelines and your school's circular.

🎬 Step-by-step story

  1. Start with a question. Here: what is the biggest monthly expense of 20 families? The question mark stands for what we do not know yet.
  2. Collect data. Each cube is one family's answer. We have 20 cubes in 5 columns: food, rent, travel, school and fun.
  3. Make a table. Count the cubes in each column and write the number next to its name.
  4. Draw a chart. The cubes join into bars. A taller bar means more families. The label shows the share of all answers.
  5. Conclude. The tallest bar is the biggest expense, food at 35%. The red line is the mean. Now write what it means.
  6. Free play: use the + and − buttons to change the counts and watch the share and the mean change.

Tip: drag the 3D scene to turn it. Use two fingers to zoom.

🤔 Common doubts, cleared

What makes a good question?

It is short, real, and can be answered by counting or measuring, like the question in step 0.

How many people should I ask?

Enough to see a pattern; 20 to 30 is common in school projects. Here we used 20.

Why make a table before a chart?

The table keeps the exact numbers; the chart makes them easy to compare.

Why show percentages on the bars?

Percentages let you compare even when the number of people changes.

What does the red line mean?

It is the mean. Bars above it are bigger than average, bars below are smaller.

What is an economics project?

A project is a small study that you plan and finish yourself, following the CBSE guidelines and your teacher's advice. It shows that you can apply an idea from economics to real life, collect data honestly, show it neatly and give your own conclusion. Marks are given for the file and the viva, as set by your school.

Choosing a topic and a clear question

Pick a topic that is small enough to finish and that you can study with data. Examples: how families in my street spend their income; effect of price rise of vegetables on demand; awareness about consumer rights; role of a local small industry in jobs; poverty and food needs in a locality; a look at the prices of one item over a few months.

Write the question or aim in one sentence. A good question can be answered by numbers.

Collecting data: survey and published figures

Primary data is collected by you, for example with a short questionnaire or interviews of 20 to 30 people (the sample). Use simple, polite questions and keep names private.

Secondary data is already published, for example price lists, government reports or tables of the Economic Survey. Always note the source.

Table, chart and simple analysis

Arrange the data in a table with clear headings and units. Then draw a bar chart (to compare groups), a pie chart (to show shares) or a line chart (to show change over time).

Useful numbers: percentage share = (part ÷ total) × 100. Mean = total ÷ number of items. Also note the largest, the smallest and the trend. Keep the chart clean: title, labels and units.

Conclusion, file and presentation

The conclusion answers your question in plain words using the numbers, and may say what could be done. The file usually has: cover, thanks, contents, aim, method, data table, charts, analysis, conclusion and sources. Write in your own words. In the viva be ready to explain how you collected data, what the chart shows and what you learned. Do not copy another project.

Key formulas and definitions

Worked examples

1. Of 20 families, 7 said food is their biggest expense. What percentage is this?

(7 ÷ 20) × 100 = 35%.

2. The counts for food, rent, travel, school and fun are 7, 5, 3, 3, 2. Find the mean count per item.

Total = 7 + 5 + 3 + 3 + 2 = 20. Mean = 20 ÷ 5 = 4.

3. Which chart would you use to show the price of tomatoes over 8 weeks?

A line chart, because it shows change over time.

4. Is the "price list from a government website" primary or secondary data?

Secondary data, because someone else collected and published it.

Common mistakes

Practice quiz

1. Data collected by you through a survey is:
2. Which chart shows shares of a whole best?
3. 6 out of 24 people chose bus. What percentage is this?
4. The mean of 2, 4 and 9 is:
5. What should every chart have?

Practice: answer these yourself

Type or choose your answer, then press Check. Use a hint if you are stuck; the full solution appears after you answer.

Frequently asked questions

What are good topics for an economics project?

Family spending, price rise and demand, consumer awareness, a local small industry, poverty and food needs in a locality, or price trends of an item.

How many pages should the file have?

Follow your school's instruction. A clear file of 15 to 25 pages with your own data and charts is usual.

Is it in the CBSE syllabus?

Yes. Project work is a part of CBSE Economics in Class 11 and Class 12, assessed by your school.

Related lessons

All Economics lessons