*When sending s, make sure to put Econ1 somewhere in the subject line so as to ensure that it does not get lost in the clutter.

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "*When sending s, make sure to put Econ1 somewhere in the subject line so as to ensure that it does not get lost in the clutter."

Todd Johns
5 years ago
Views:

1 Syllabus for Econ 1: Introductory Microeconomics University of Pennsylvania Spring 2012, Mon 6 9pm, McNeil Instructor: Aaron Hedlund (office: McNeil 510, ahedlund@sas.upenn.edu*) Office Hours: Mon 5 6pm, Weds 8:30 9:30 am *When sending s, make sure to put Econ1 somewhere in the subject line so as to ensure that it does not get lost in the clutter. Introduction: Economics is the science of choice-the science that explains the choices made by individuals and organizations. Among the topics studied in economics are: the determination of the prices and quantities of goods; consumer and firm behavior; international trade; income distribution; taxes, subsidies and tariffs; the determination of the aggregate level of economic activity; unemployment; inflation; and economic growth. Econ 1 covers microeconomics: the decisions of individual people and firms, the determination of prices and quantities of individual goods, wages for various classes of workers, and the theoretical basis for international trade. Government policies, such as taxes, subsidies, tariffs, trade quotas and income distribution are discussed. Textbooks: Principles of Economics, N. Gregory Mankiw, 6 th edition We will be using Aplia for this course, which is a website that contains an electronic version of the textbook as well as other useful resources. Aplia is also where you will complete your assignments, so registration for Aplia is mandatory. It is not necessary to purchase a print edition of the textbook. Grading: Participation 10% Assignments 15% Two midterms 40% (25% weight for the exam with the higher grade, 15% weight for the exam with the lower grade) Final 35% Participation: The course will be in a lecture format. However, because economics is about studying the world we interact with everyday, active discussion about applying the principles we learn in class is crucial to a more complete understanding. Your participation grade will be based on you being consistently in attendance, though I also encourage you to share your thoughts freely. Assignments: There will be weekly assignments, usually but not always coming from Aplia. These must be completed by the beginning of class on the day that they are due. There will not be an

2 assignment due on the first day of class, nor on any of the exam days. Your worst two assignments will be dropped. Exams: The exams will closely mimic the material from lectures and from other materials that I specifically mention as being highly relevant. Exams will be cumulative to the extent that later knowledge builds upon earlier knowledge, but they will not be designed to test you on topics covered in previous exams. The final exam, however, will be fully cumulative. Answers to each exam will be posted immediately after the exam is taken. Missed Exams: In the event that you have to miss an exam, that grade will be dropped and your semester grade will be computed based on a 25% weight for the exam that you do take and a 45% weight for the final exam. Grading Scale: Semester grades will be based on an objective grading scale, except that I reserve the right to curve end of semester grades upward in the event that a disproportionate fraction of the class does poorly. This means that if you demonstrate a high degree of competence with the material, you will receive a high grade regardless of your relative rank in the class. The grading scale is as follows: A+: A: A-: B+: B: B-: C+: C: C-: D+: D: D-: F: <60

3 Order of Topics/Approximate Class Schedule: I highly suggest that you keep up to date with current events (particularly as they relate to economics), because I will regularly reference them in class and because economics at its core is about explaining what goes on in the world. There are many resources to check, but a good place to start is This website compiles articles from many different sources and therefore gives a diverse range of views on many major economic issues. You need not read every article in depth, but I would suggest browsing a handful each day. As always, if there is a particularly important article I want you to read then I will make that known. Date Topic Suggested Readings 01/23 Ten Principles of Economics Thinking Like an Economist The Gains from Trade Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 01/30 Supply and Demand Chapter 4 02/06 Elasticity Supply, Demand, and Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Government Policies 02/13 Consumers, Producers, and Chapter 7 Efficiency 02/20 Applications of Welfare Chapters 8 and 9 Economics 02/27 Exam 1 Externalities Public Goods and Common Resources The Design of the Tax System Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 03/12 The Costs of Production Chapter 13 03/19 Firms in Competitive Markets Chapter 14 03/26 Monopoly Monopolistic Competition Oligopoly Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 04/02 Exam 2 The Markets for the Factors of Production 04/09 Earnings and Discrimination Income Inequality and Poverty 04/16 The Theory of Consumer Choice Frontiers of Microeconomics 04/30 FINAL EXAM 6pm 8pm Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22

4 How to access your Aplia course Course Key: WECL-HMFU-5P97 Registration Aplia is part of CengageBrain, which allows you to sign in to a single site to access your Cengage materials and courses. 1. Connect to 2. If you already have an account, sign in. From your Dashboard, enter your course key (WECL-HMFU-5P97) in the box provided, and click the Register button. If you don't have an account, click the Create a New Account button, and enter your course key when prompted: WECL-HMFU-5P97. Continue to follow the on-screen instructions. Departmental Course Policies: ( s.htm) Exam Attendance Courses have individual policies regarding midterm exam attendance. Final exams attendance is mandatory and is governed by a number of university regulations. Final exams can only be given on the exam date scheduled by the university registrar. No instructor can hold a final exam or require submission of a take-home exam except during the period in which final examinations are scheduled. No final exams may be scheduled during the last week of classes or on reading days. All students must be allowed to see their final exam, with an access period of at least one regular semester after the exam has been given. In cases where attendance at a midterm or a final exam is mandatory, there are only a few valid excuses for missing an exam. Valid excuses are: -3 exams scheduled within one calendar day -If exam is given outsie of the regular class schedule and the timing conflicts with another class for which the student is enrolled. -documented illness/health emergencies -religious observance -UPENN Business that takes you away from Campus -documented disabilities that allow you to take the exam under other circumstances -a death in the family Examples of reasons that are not valid for missing an exam are: -job interviews -job internships -beginning fall or spring break early or returning after a scheduled exam -end of semester early flights -any other reason you would prefer not to be at the university when the exam is scheduled.

5 Students are responsible for making sure, at the beginning of the term, that they can attend the exams. Registering for a course means that you certify that you will be present for the exam (unless one of the explicitly stated exceptions above arises.) If you are unexpectedly ill at the time of the exam and unable to reach the instructor ahead of time, then you can give notification and documentation of your illness as soon as you are able. Do not take an exam if you are ill and then expect to have an opportunity to retake the exam because you were ill the first time and did poorly. Absence from campus on UPENN business includes, for example, athletic events in which you are actively participating. In such cases, you need to make arrangements with your professor ahead of the exam date to take the exam at another time (preferably earlier than the schedule date). Students who arrive late to an exam will generally be required to hand in their exam at the same time as other students. Academic Integrity If a student is found in violation of academic integrity, it is at the professor's discretion to give the student a failing grade for the assignment and the course. Withdrawals and Incompletes UPENN provides an option for students to withdraw from courses to do so; students may withdraw up to the end of the 8th week of classes for any reason. Students may request incompletes after that deadline provided (1) the only work that is incomplete is the course final exam or final paper and (2) there is a health emergency or a death in their family. Sstudents should work out an arrangement for clearing an incomplete with the professor as soon as possible. Make-up Exams Make-up final exams are to be taken only during the designated make-up exam week, usually at the beginning of the following semester. Deadlines Work should be handed in on time. Work that is not handed in on the day that it is due may, at the professor's discretion, receive less or zero credit. Professors may request that a hard copy rather than an ed copy be handed in. Grading The relative weights on the different elements course work are set by the instructor. So are the rules that permit (or do not permit) dropping the lowest problem set score. If a student

6 is permitted to drop one exam or problem set score, but misses more than one exam (for an invalid reason), then the student may receive a zero for the missed exam. One department-wide rule is that, if the course permits dropping the lowest problem set score, a student who has entered a course late and missed the first problem set drops that one, not a later one. Correcting Errors in Grading Errors in grading sometimes occur; this section lays out rules and procedures for requesting a correction. The important general rule is that such a request should clearly and succinctly state the unambiguous error you believe has occurred. Errors in grading arising from illegible or garbled answers are not subject to correction. Students who believe their work has been graded incorrectly should petition for a correction in writing to the Professor. Students should not approach eithier the instructor or the TA with an oral request before making their written request. Requests should be focused on the specific error and should be made within a week of the work being returned. The entire graded work (problem set or examination) should be resubmitted; there is no guarantee that grades will rise as, statistically, positive and negative errors in grading are equally likely. If the request arises because you think different students have been graded differently, all the affected students should submit their work as a group. Here is a suggested way to request to correct an error grading: "Dear Prof. X: I am a student in your economics 222 course. I believe that the grades on my midterm were added up incorrectly. As you can see from the exam I left in your mailbox, I have 25 on each of the four questions, but 73 on the exam. Sincerely, Z." Academic Integrity Issues Academic integrity is a very important part of student life, and the Department of Economics takes it seriously. The department reserves the right to undertake procedures that would catch breaches of academic integrity, should any arise, such as photocopying or scanning midterms or other work before it is returned, and close proctoring during exams. Students who are suspected of committing infractions will be reported to the Office of Student Conduct. If a student is found in violation of academic integrity, it is at the professor's discretion to give the student a failing grade for the assignment and the course.

Economics 201 Principles of Microeconomics Fall 2010 MWF 10:00 10:50am 160 Bryan Building

Economics 201 Principles of Microeconomics Fall 2010 MWF 10:00 10:50am 160 Bryan Building Professor: Dr. Michelle Sheran Office: 445 Bryan Building Phone: 256-1192 E-mail: mesheran@uncg.edu Office Hours: