Instructor: Sanae Tashiro e-mail: stashiro@ucdavis.edu ECN 001B: Section 50081-50092, 72683 Office & Phone: Rm 1104; 530-752-3108 Classes: MWF 12:10-1:00PM Office Hours: MW 9-10AM & 4-5PM Sessions: Refer to TA s syllabus (or by appointment) Location: SOCSCI1100; Refer to TA s syllabus http://my.ucdavis.edu/ Principles of Macroeconomics Course Description: Principles of Macroeconomics (ECN 001B) is an introductory level course that develops the general understanding of macroeconomic concepts, principles and theories. This course includes the study of the operation of a national economy, the origins of the U.S. economic system and institutions, the foundations of capitalism, the definitions and measurements of economic performance (including inflation, gross domestic product, unemployment and business cycles), the operations of government in relation to the economy (such as Fiscal Policy), the origins of money and banking, and the Federal Reserve System and Monetary Policy. Basic algebra and graphical techniques will be used to analyze these issues. Prerequisite: None. Course Objective: The main objective of this course is for students to develop a basic understanding and appreciation for the role of macroeconomics. The students will: (1) become familiar with measures of economic performance, learn how to use these indicators to evaluate current economic conditions, and understand how markets function in a capitalistic society; (2) learn the major perspectives on what determines performance of the overall economy; (3) learn the key approaches to macroeconomic policy; and (4) develop skills to analyze impacts of policy actions and to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of different policies Required Textbook: N. Gregory Mankiw, Principles of Macroeconomics, 3rd Edition, South-Western College Publishing Recommended Textbooks: Irvin B. Tucker, Macroeconomics for Today, 3rd Edition, South-Western College Publishing 1
Determination of Final Grade: Two Midterms 40% (Each 20%) Final Exam (Cumulative) 35% 9 Problem Sets (Lowest 3 scores will be dropped) 15% Term Paper 10% The grading scale for the course will be: A+ 98 B+ 85-89 C+ 70-74 D 55-59 A 95-97 B 80-84 C 65-69 F 54 A- 90-94 B- 75-79 C- 60-64 Examinations: There will be two midterm exams and a final exam. All exams will consist of problem solving and essay questions. Students will be required to use a Scantron (UCD2000) on each examination. Assignments: There will be nine problem sets and one term paper. Students are expected to submit the problem sets and the term paper at the scheduled time; exceptions must be negotiated in advance (except in the case of emergency). Late submissions, if accepted, will bear the opportunity cost of a decreased grade. The following is the schedule for assignments. Problem Set Assigned Due Problem Set #1-#9 Every Monday @ 12:15PM Every Monday @ 12:15AM Term Paper 5/11 (W) 5/25 (W) Problem Sets: Students will be required to submit problem sets, which will include problem solving questions as well as graphical analysis using Aplia. Students are, therefore, required to subscribe to Aplia at the website (http://econ.aplia.com) and are required to complete and submit the problem sets at the Aplia website. More information on Aplia is available on Page 5 of the syllabus. 2
Term Paper: Students will be required to provide an analysis essay of a journal article as the term paper. The term paper must be 2-3 pages typed, double-spaced, and must include answers based on instructions provided separately. Please note that a journal article may be difficult to read; however, it is important to know how economists apply various economic theories to real economic issues. I will try to choose an interesting article and provide guidance on how to read and summarize a journal article. I will discuss the term paper in depth in the class. Course Policies: Attendance: Exam: Drop Class: Assignments: Cheating: Every student is expected to attend and to participate in class. If you miss a class, you are responsible for obtaining class notes, assignments, etc. There are NO MAKE-UP EXAMS. So, please do not miss any of the dates when exams are given. If you decide to drop the class, you must submit a program change at SISWeb within the period that drops are allowed. Each student is expected to write and submit his/her own assignments. The submission of work that is not the product of the student s own efforts is dishonest and will be graded as a zero on the assignment. The official policy states that examples of academic dishonesty are as follows: Receiving or providing unauthorized assistance on examination; Using unauthorized materials during an exam; Taking an exam for another; Altering an exam and submitting it for re-grading; and Plagiarism-using materials from sources without citations. The University policy provides as follows: Examinations may be monitored; Students found in violation shall receive an F or zero for that examination or assignment; Additional sanctions may be imposed by the Office of Student Conduct; Any contested accusation of academic dishonesty shall be adjudicate by proper administrative authority, and the finding of guilty or innocence by the authority shall be final. Others: Please TURN OFF ALL CELL PHONES. If you have a documented disability and wish to receive academic accommodation, please contact the Student Disability Center at (530) 752-3184 or 752-6833 (TTY), and the Department of Economics, Room 1113, at (530) 752-0741. 3
Lectures, Reading Assignments and Due Dates Please read the assigned chapters for each class session listed PRIOR to the class date shown. Lecture Date Topic Reading Assign Turn In 1 4/1 (F) Ten Principles of Economics Ch 1 PS #0 2 4/4 (M) Thinking like an Economist Ch 2 PS #1 PS #0 3 4/6 (W) The Market Forces of Supply and Demand Ch 4 4 4/8 (F) The Market Forces of Supply and Demand Ch 4 5 4/11 (M) Supply, Demand and Government Policy Ch 6 PS #2 PS #1 6 4/13 (W) Supply, Demand and Government Policy Ch 6 7 4/15 (F) Measuring a Nation s Income Ch 10 8 4/18 (M) Measuring a Nation s Income Ch 10 PS #3 PS #2 9 4/20 (W) Measuring the Cost of Living Ch 11 10 4/22 (F) Measuring the Cost of Living Ch 11 11 4/25 (M) Unemployment and Inflation Ch 15 PS #4 PS #3 12 4/27 (W) Unemployment and Inflation Ch 15 Exam 4/29 (F) Midterm Examination #1 13 5/2 (M) Production and Growth Ch 12 PS #5 PS #4 14 5/4 (W) Production and Growth Saving, Investment, and the Financial System Ch 12 Ch 13 15 5/6 (F) Saving, Investment, and the Financial System Ch 13 16 5/9 (M) The Basic Tools of Finance Ch 14 PS #6 PS #5 17 5/11 (W) The Basic Tools of Finance The Monetary System Ch 14 Ch 16 Term Paper 18 5/13 (F) The Monetary System Ch 16 19 5/16 (M) Money Growth and Inflation Ch 17 PS #7 PS #6 20 5/18 (W) Money Growth and Inflation Ch 17 Exam 5/20(F) Midterm Examination #2 5/23 (M) Aggregate Demand (AD) & Aggregate Supply (AS) Ch 20 PS #8 PS #7 22 5/25 (W) Aggregate Demand (AD) & Aggregate Supply (AS) Ch 20 Term Paper 23 5/27 (F) Influence of Monetary and Fiscal Policy on AD Ch 21-5/30 (M) NO CLASS Memorial Holiday PS #8 24 6/1(W) Influence of Monetary and Fiscal Policy on AD Ch 21 PS #9 Trade of between Inflation and Unemployment Ch 22 25 6/3 (F) Trade of between Inflation and Unemployment Ch 22 26 6/6 (M) Open-Economy Macroeconomics: Basic Concept Ch 18 PS #9 27 6/8 (W) A Macroeconomic Theory of the Open Economy Ch 19 Exam 6/15 (W) Final Examination (Cumulative): 8:00am 10:00am 4
Information on Aplia I. APLIA PURCHASE AND SUBSCRIPTION If you purchase new Mankiw textbook at UCD bookstore, you also will get Aplia at the discounted total price of $84.10. If you do so, make sure that you purchase the bundle (Mankiw text and Aplia) that has ISBN: 0-324-34808-8. If you already have the Mankiw textbook, you will need to purchase Aplia at the price of $28 through the Aplia website http://www.aplia.com. You may register and use the website until 4/18/05 without paying the fee. If you are considering dropping this course during the drop/add period, do NOT purchase the materials until you commit to this course. II. APLIA REGISTRATION You are require to register at the Aplia website and to complete the following steps. 1. Connect to http://econ.aplia.com 2. Complete the Configuration Test and make adjustments to your configuration if necessary 3. Return to the Sign In page and click Register Here 4. You will be prompted to enter your email address and select a password 5. You will then be asked to enter your course key, which is SKQ8-MV8H-ETT5 You will only need to register once. After the registration process is complete, you will NOT need to enter the course key again. For technical problems signing in, please send Aplia an email by clicking on the Help link in the upper-right corner of any page or be emailing support@aplia.com III. COMPLETIING PROBLEM SETS AT APLIA You can change your answers as many times as you like before the submission (the due date: every Monday at 12:15AM). Once the due date has passed, the grade will be recorded and it will NOT be possible to change your answers or complete the problem set at this point. In other words, Aplia assignments must be completed by the due date. After the due date, you will be able to see the correct answers and the explanations for graded problems. So, make sure that you complete all problem sets on time at Aplia. IV. AFTER THE COMPLETION OF THE COURSE After the completion of the course, you will have access to Aplia until 8/1/05. If you want to keep your assignments for future reference, you will need to save your work files. 5