A normative statement expresses an opinion in terms of the hypothetical. A normative statement is typically characterized by words like "would," "could" or "should." An example of a normative statement is "The president should receive a higher salary." A positive statement is the stark opposite of a normative statement. A positive statement is not value charged; it is stated factually. An example of a positive statement is "The president receives the salary he does because he is not responsible for any living expenses."
Normative economics is economics through a lens of "what should be." In other words, value is infused into the study of economics from a sociopolitical standpoint.
There is often overlap in positive and normative elements in economics. The University of North Carolina suggests that many economists would agree that the death penalty serves as a crime deterrent, though many -- and some of the same -- economists would suggest that the death penalty should not be administered.