ELOY GOMEZ
PRINCIPLES OF MACROECONOMICS
ECON 2301-047
SUMMER I 2009
COURSE INFORMATION
SYNONYM: 35015
LECTURE:
Mon/Tues/Wed/Thur 08:40 AM - 10:30 AM, Room TBA
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
Office:
Room 1029, Pinnacle Campus,
Phone: Office: 512-223-1795 x 26259 cell: 817-235-7206 (for emergencies only)
E-mail: egomez2@austincc.edu or egomez@austinrr.com
Office Hours: 10:30-11:00 AM Tues,
Wed, & Thur @
COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Principles of Macroeconomics deals with consumers as a whole, producers as a whole, the effects of government spending and taxation policies and the effects of the monetary policy carried out by the Federal Reserve Bank. Macroeconomics is concerned with unemployment, inflation, and the business cycle.
Principles of Maroeconomics is a 3 credit hour course, and consists of 7.03 lecture hours per week for 5 weeks. Class attendance is mandatory.
REQUIRED
TEXTS/MATERIALS:
¿ Required: Macroeconomics,
17th Ed, McConnel, Brue, & Flynn, McGraw-Hill, Irwin
SCANS COMPETENCIES:
SCANS is the Secretary’s Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills. Please go to http://www.austincc.edu/mkt/scans.htm#whatis for complete definitions and explanation of SCANS. This list summarizes the SCANS competencies addressed in this particular course.
1. Student exhibits responsibility: Exerts a high level of effort and perseverance toward goal attainment, works hard to become excellent at doing tasks by setting high standards, paying attention to details, working well and displaying a high level of concentration even when assigned an unpleasant task; and displays high standards of attendance, punctuality, enthusiasm, vitality and optimism in approaching and completing tasks.
2. Student acquires information: Identifies need for data, obtains them from existing sources or creates them, and evaluates their relevance and accuracy. Competently performing the tasks for acquiring data and evaluating information includes posing analytical questions to determine specific information needs, selecting possible information and evaluating its appropriateness, and determining when new information must be created.
3. Student communicates information: Selects and analyzes information and communicates the result to others using oral, written, graphic, pictorial, or multi-media methods. Competently performing the tasks of communicating and interpreting information to others includes determining information to be communicated, identifying the best methods to present information (i.e. overheads, handouts, etc.), and if necessary, converting to desired format and conveying information to others through a variety of means including oral presentation and written communication.
INSTRUCTIONAL METHODOLOGY:
The objectives of this course will be met by incorporating a variety of instructional methods. These include lecture, class exams and quizzes, class problem-solving, written analysis, spreadsheet, and word processing.
COURSE RATIONALE:
This course is meant to give students insight into the dynamics of our national economy. The knowledge gained in the course will make students better informed citizens and allow them to follow the debates over national economic policy reported in the news media. This course is also a foundation course that will prepare students to be successful in upper division finance, marketing, business administration, economics, government, and social work courses.
COMMON COURSES LEARNING OBJECTIVES/OUTCOMES:
Students who complete this course will be able to understand:
-the meaning of unemployment and inflation data and how that data is collected and computed;
-the meaning and components of the National Income Accounts, especially GDP;
-the meaning of the business cycle and its phases;
-and to manipulate the basic Aggregate Supply, Aggregate Demand model of the macro economy;
-how fiscal policy operates, its tools, and its advantages and drawbacks;
-how a fractional reserve banking system works;
-how monetary policy operates, its tools, and its advantages and drawbacks.
ACC
POLICIES
Academic
Freedom Statement:
Each student is strongly
encouraged to participate in class. In any classroom situation that includes
discussion and critical thinking, there are bound to be many differing
viewpoints. These differences enhance the learning experience and create an
atmosphere where students and instructors alike will be encouraged to think and
learn. On sensitive and volatile topics, students may sometimes disagree not
only with each other but also with the instructor. It is expected that faculty
and students will respect the views of others when expressed in classroom
discussions. (See Student Handbook: www.austincc.edu/handbook)
Student Discipline: Classroom behavior should support and enhance learning. Behavior that
disrupts the learning process will be dealt with appropriately, which may
include having the student leave class for the rest of that day. In serious
cases, disruptive behavior may lead to a student being withdrawn from the
class. ACC's policy on student discipline can be found in the Student
Handbook: www.austincc.edu/handbook
Scholastic Dishonesty:
Acts prohibited by the college for which discipline may be
administered include scholastic dishonesty, including but not limited to
cheating on an exam or quiz, plagiarizing, unauthorized collaboration with
another in preparing outside work. Academic work submitted by students shall be
the result of their thought, research or self-expression. Academic work is
defined as, but not limited to tests, quizzes, whether taken electronically or
on paper; projects, either individual or group; classroom presentations, and
homework. Electronic devices may not be
used for exams unless specifically authorized by the instructor. Penalties for scholastic dishonesty will
depend upon the nature of the violation and may range from lowering a grade on one
assignment to an F in the course and/or expulsion from this institution.
See Student
Handbook: www.austincc.edu/handbook
Students with Disabilities Statement: Each ACC campus offers support services for students with documented physical or psychological disabilities. Students with disabilities must request reasonable accommodations through the Office for Students with Disabilities on the campus where they expect to take the majority of their classes. Students are encouraged to make their requests three weeks before the start of the semester. (See Student Handbook: www.austincc.edu/handbook)
Grade Change Policies: Click on this link to view the
policy. See Student Handbook: www.austincc.edu/handbook/policies2.htm
Rule of Three:
Per state law, effective spring
2006 any student taking a class for the third time or more may be charged an additional $60 per credit hour unless exempted. Click
on this link for more information:
http://www.austincc.edu/admiss/ruleofthree
COURSE EVALUATION/GRADING SYSTEM:
Course
Grading:
ITEM POINTS
Exam 1 100
Exam 2 100
Exam 3 100
Exam 4 100
Exam 5 (Final) 100
Total Points 500
Exams: The exams will be a
combination of multiple choice and problems.
DO NOT MISS EXAMS. If you must
miss an exam, please contact me BEFORE the start of the class following the
exam by email, phone or a call to the school’s counseling department. No make-up exams will be given. If you
have a reasonable reason for missing the exam, and you make the effort to
contact me as discussed above, then the missed exam will be an “excused exam”
and the final exam score will also be used as the missed exam. PLEASE NOTE, HOWEVER, THAT A STUDENT CANNOT
MISS MORE THAN ONE EXAM AND PASS THIS COURSE.
Quizzes: There will be 8 in-class unannounced quizzes, and each quiz will be worth 20 points. The lowest 3 quiz grade will be dropped. There will be NO MAKE-UPS on quizzes. Quizzes are the only source of extra credits, and cannot hurt you. The top five quiz grades may be used to offset any of the first four exams where the quiz grade total exceeds the exam grade, but only if the exam was actually taken. The quizzes may not be used to offset the fifth or final exam or an exam that was missed.
Basis
for Grading:
|
Points |
Grade |
|
450-500 |
A |
|
400-449 |
B |
|
350-399 |
C |
|
300-349 |
D |
|
Below 300 |
F |
COURSE POLICIES:
Attendance: Your attendance is expected at all classes. Since the exams are a reflection of the material covered in class and assigned homework, it is to your advantage to attend.
Withdrawal: April 27, 2009 is the last day to withdraw from this class and receive a grade of “W”. If you wish to withdraw, it is your responsibility to do so. PLEASE DO NOT ASSUME THAT I WILL WITHDRAW YOU. I have no obligation to do so.
Incomplete: Incomplete grades are given only on rare occasions at my discretion. Generally, to receive an Incomplete, a student must have completed all examinations and assignments to date, be passing, and have personal circumstances that prevent course completion that occur after the deadline to withdraw.
Homework: At my discretion, several quizzes will be restructured as homework assignments, and their due dates will be announced in class. The assignments will cover important issues that lend themselves to essay and/or problem solving methodologies.
Class Activities: Class activities will consist of lecture, class discussion, and problem solving.
Tutoring: The availability and scheduling of tutors will be discussed in class.
TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE
DATE CHAPTER
Jun 8 Course
Introduction, Chapter 1
9 Chapter 1 & 2
10 Chapter 3
11 Chapter 4, Review for Test 1 – Chapters 1 thru 4
15 TEST 1 – CHPATERS 1 THRU 4
16 Chapter 6
17 Chapters 6 & 7
18 Chapter 7 – Review for Test 2 – Chapters 6 & 7
22 TEST 2 – CHAPTERS 6
& 7
23 Chapter 8
24 Chapter 9
25 Chapter 10 Review for
Test 3 – Chapters 8 thru 10
29 TEST 3 – CHAPTERS 8 THRU 10
30 Chapter 12
Jul 01 Chapter
12 & 13
02 Chapter 13 – Review for Test 4 Chapters 12-13
06 TEST 4 – CHAPTERS 12 THRU 13
07 Chapter 14
08 Chapter 15
09 Chapter 19
13 Chapter 19 – Review for
Final Chapters 14, 15, & 19
14 FINAL – CHAPTERS 14, 15 & 19