ECON 2301
Principles of Microeconomics
Summer 2009
Northridge
Campus
MTWTh: 12:15 - 2:05pm
INSTRUCTOR:
Stuart Greenfield TEL: 512-323-2232
OFFICE: Adjunct Offices CLASSROOM: NRG2 2120
OFF. HOURS: MTWTh, after class E-MAIL:
sjg@austin.rr.com
or
and by appointment sgreenfi@austincc.edu
COURSE
MATERIALS:
– McConnell and Brue, Microeconomics, 17th. ed.
(ISBN: 00073273082)
- text
supplemental material at http//sgreenfield.pageout.net,
then select ACC,
ECON2301 - Macro, SU09 Demonstration Course.
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.
.
Course Goals/Objectives
Bloom's taxonomy of
learning separates the learning process into six categories—knowledge,
comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation. Although this
breakdown is not the final word in classifications of this type, it is useful
in making a point about learning economics. In an economics course, it is
insufficient simply to memorize facts. A look below at the goals of this course
reveals the levels of learning you should be able to demonstrate upon
completion. After this course, you should be able to
In addition to the
course goals, this course also focuses on cross-curricular initiatives,
detailed below, which are designed to help you build skills to enhance your
career and overall professional effectiveness.
·
Effective
writing. You will perform
numerous writing assignments throughout the semester, which should reflect
appropriate professional writing skills. They will be evaluated on the basis of
grammar, sentence structure, spelling, and general writing principles. At
least 10 percent of your grade on each writing assignment will be based on your
proficiency in expressing yourself in writing.
·
Information
literacy. You will be expected
to demonstrate proficiency in research with the use of the library and online
sources.
·
Globalization. An important outcome of this course will be your
realization that microeconomic principles apply to global situations.
·
Computerization. The computer has altered the way in which
microeconomic research is conducted. This course emphasizes the increasing use
of the computer in microeconomics.
·
Historical
perspective. This course charts
the historical development of microeconomic theory to give you a context for
current theories and practice.
·
Civic
responsibility. Throughout this
course, we explore ethical behavior and the role of microeconomics in society.
Economics is one of
the least understood disciplines, yet its application dramatically affects the
average person's quality of life. Economics explains what and how many goods
are produced for and purchased in the market, what prices are charged, the
level of income and employment in the economy, and how far one's hard-earned
dollar goes.
Principles of Macroeconomics introduces the methods and tools economists use to
understand how markets work, to determine the health of the economy, and to
detect and solve problems. It examined the economy as a whole and as divided
into basic sectors (private, government, international).
Economists develop
models to help them analyze and understand relationships within the economy,
and they bring a common set of tools and reasoning strategies to economic
problems. Just as a model train lacks the complexity of a real train, however,
economic models also, by necessity, are much simpler than the true economy. For
instance, not all markets are equally competitive. Although economic tools and
reasoning strategies may be consistent across models, the models themselves
must vary according to the competitiveness of different firms.
Furthermore, the
market does not always work toward the efficient allocation of society's scarce
resources. Typically, we look to the government to respond in situations of
market failure. Microeconomics questions whether the government makes decisions
that result in the best allocation of resources, or whether the government
produces inefficiencies, and if so, what they are.
Principles of Macroeconomics is a three (3)-credit course. Your final grade for
this course will be based upon a weighted average of the individual grades
received for five (5) graded exercises that include
The value, or weighting, assigned to each of
these five graded exercises is as follows:
|
Assignment |
Percent of Grade |
|
Individual economic research project |
20% |
|
Individual exams (4) |
80% |
|
Total |
100% |
|
Extra Credit: Participation in ten BlackBoard
conferences |
10% |
Below, we discuss each exercise:
1. Individual economic research project (20 percent of final grade)
This term paper will be evaluated based on
the following three factors:
|
quality of supporting research and
references |
30% |
|
understanding and application of economic
concepts and formulas |
60% |
|
presentation approach, professionalism,
logic, and persuasiveness |
10% |
To receive full credit, you must post your
individual research project to your BlackBoard student assignment folder no
later than midnight on the date listed in the course schedule. Late work will
not be accepted.
The project paper should address a relevant
economic issue, e.g., improving education, environmental regulation,
congestion, universal health care. A one page outline of the issue/problem you
will research and write up is due June 15. I suggest that the following
format be used in developing your paper:
The paper should adhere to the following:
·
Length: your
paper should be 5-10 pages, excluding the title page and references. If the
paper is double-spaced, it should be closer to 10 pages.
·
You must use the
Web and other sources, such as textbooks, journals, newspapers, and so on, for
information. You must use at least five (5) sources, and at least one
must be a Web source.
·
The information
in your textbook on your topic is only a starting point. Your paper must
contain new information on the topic. This is a research paper, not a
repeat of what is in the text.
·
Your paper should
be typed (make it pretty), with a title page, and you must use
standard bibliographic form (use any style guide you like).
·
Footnotes are
required (you may use endnotes instead). If you are using someone else's
thoughts, paraphrase them or put the words in quotes and give the author credit
in a footnote or endnote. If you are caught plagiarizing, you will receive a
zero for the paper. To ensure your paper is not plagiarized submit your paper
to http://www.turnitin.com/
to have it evaluated for similarity. When registering the Class ID is 2736470 and
Password: SGRE144. .
·
Because effective
communication is an important component of success in the business world,
papers with poor grammar and spelling will lose credit. Also, late papers will
be reduced by one letter grade.
·
Look at the course
schedule to find the date the term paper topic is due. Knowing your topic will
help me refer you to sources of information. I can also assist you in narrowing
your topic or expanding it where appropriate.
2. 4 Individual examination (80 percent of final grade)
The exams
will be multiple choice and true/false.
Extra Credit - Participation in ten conferences (10 percent of final grade)
There will be at least ten (10) BlackBoard conferences
throughout the semester. During the course, I will post specific course-related
economic discussion topics in conference areas entitled Graded Conference 1,
Graded Conference 2, and so on.
These discussion topics will be general in
nature, and will be designed to encourage presentation of opinions and free
dialogue on the course material. I will act as a moderator to keep general
focus. This portion of your coursework provides a good opportunity for you to
enhance your learning and to benefit from the knowledge and opinions of others
in the class.
Credit for the conferences will be determined
by the percentage of conferences in which you participate in a meaningful way
(i.e., you don't just say, "I agree with Joe's comments."). A good
rule of thumb is that each answer should be at least fifty (50) words.
To receive the full credit for participation
in these conferences, you must post the answer to each of my topics
AND a response to at least one other student's comment in each topic
during each conference. Credit will be liberal for this exercise; however,
failure to participate will result in an automatic grade of zero.
As a reminder, you are expected to adhere to
the general rules of online etiquette.
Your final grade for this course will be a
weighted average of your grades on each of the five graded assignments. Each
letter grade has the assigned quantitative value we discussed above.
The grading policy for the course is as
follows:
|
Letter Grade |
Scoring |
|
A |
90-100% |
|
B |
80-89.9% |
|
C |
70-79.9% |
|
D |
60-69.9% |
|
F |
Below 60% |
|
I |
Incomplete. |
Note: Failure to take an exam or to
submit a graded exercise will result in grade of zero for that exercise.
Students are expected to take all exams when
scheduled. In the event of illness or extraordinary circumstances, the
student must contact the faculty member and provide documentation to
request an exception and approval to take a makeup exam. If the request
is not approved, the exam grade will be recorded as a zero.
Regular attendance is expected. Frequent exposure to an
instructor's explanations is an important factor in your ability to master the
material covered. Although you will not be penalized for missing class (you are
hurting yourself by cutting), current events used in class to illustrate
course-work will be included in test questions.
Scholastic
Dishonesty
Acts prohibited by the college for which discipline may
be administered include scholastic dishonesty. Scholastic dishonesty includes
but is not limited to cheating on an exam or quiz, plagiarizing, and
unauthorized collaboration with another in preparing outside work. Academic
work submitted by you is to be the result of your own 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.
Penalties for scholastic dishonesty in this class can
range from being assigned a zero grade for an assignment on which dishonesty
took place to being dropped from this class with a failing grade for cheating
on exams. If the latter occurs, then the
incident and the student will be reported to the Dean of Students. Further
repercussions could follow from the Dean.
Each
ACC campus offers support services for students with documented physical or
psychological disabilities. Students
with disabilities must request 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 do this three weeks before the start of
the semester. During the first or second week of class, students with
disabilities must present the instructor with the sheet from the Office for
Students with Disabilities listing the reasonable accommodations they require.
Incompletes are discouraged. They will be
given only when extraordinary events intervene so as to make completion of the
course impossible. If you want an incomplete, these events must be documented.
To receive an incomplete the student must have completed the first exam with a
C or better. The student must also come by my office to fill out an incomplete
form. If the form is not filled out, an incomplete grade will not be given.
Incompletes will not be given to students who
are behind schedule when the semester nears its end. Nor will incompletes be
given to students who need just a few more points to make the next higher
letter grade. Plenty of opportunity exists during the semester to accomplish
your goals.
If you find yourself way behind or many
points short toward the end of the semester you may withdraw without a grade
penalty up to four weeks before the end of the semester. Please read the
following note about withdrawals.
WITHDRAWALS
Students are responsible for withdrawing
themselves from this course if that is what their personal situation requires.
This means that if you have taken no tests or only a few of the tests and the
semester ends without you having withdrawn yourself, then you will receive an F
in the course. The instructor makes no promise either implicit or explicit
to withdraw students from the course.
In addition, students should be
aware of a change in the law regarding Withdrawals passed by the Texas
Legislature in the spring of 2007. Starting in the Fall of 2007, entering
freshmen are restricted
to six non-punitive withdrawals for the whole of their undergraduate careers
while attending state colleges.
The last day to withdraw from this course
without penalty is July ___.
Each student is strongly encouraged to participate in class discussions. In any classroom situation that includes discussion and critical thinking, particularly about economic and political ideas, there are bound to be many differing viewpoints. Students may not only disagree with each other at times, but the students and instructor may also find that they have opposing views on sensitive and volatile topics. It is my hope that these differences will enhance class discussion and create an atmosphere where students and instructor alike will be encouraged to think and learn. Therefore, be assured that your grades will not be adversely affected by any beliefs or ideas expressed in class or in assignments. Rather, we will all respect the views of others when expressed in classroom discussions.
Blackboard is an on-line classroom management tool. It
includes a grade book, a discussion board, ways to communicate between students
and between students and professor, and a testing facility. Your Online Login
username and password is your 7-digit ACC student ID number.
Please change your password
while you are logged on for the first time. To change your password, click the
"User Tools" button. When that page opens up, click on the line that
says "Personal Information." When that page opens up, click on the
line that says "Change Password." The rest should be
self-explanatory. It is important to change your password so that you can be
secure in the knowledge that no one besides your instructors can see your grade
information. Even then, each instructor will only be able to see the grades in
the course they are teaching.
|
Readings/Assignments |
Due Date |
|
|
1 |
Class Introduction
Introduce
yourself in the Introduction Conference in BlackBoard Optional Assignments:: |
|
|
2 |
Part Two:
Macroeconomic Measurement and Basic Concepts
Optional Assignments |
|
|
3 |
Part Three:
Macroeconomic Models and Fiscal Policy
Paper Topic: Topic of your research
project should be posted in the Paper Topic Conference. This should be a
paragraph or two. In your assignments folder there is a paper topic
assignment. Please post your 1 page write-up there for my review. You have
till June 15 to complete. Optional Assignments |
|
|
Week |
Readings/Assignments |
Due Date |
|
4 |
Part Four:
Money, Banking, and Monetary Policy
Optional Assignments:: |
|
|
5 |
Part Five: Long-Run
Perspectives and Macroeconomic Debates
|
|
|
6 |
Part Ten:
International Economics
Optional Assignments |
|