Spring 2008 - ECON2106 - Introduction to Microeconomics - Syllabus

Augusta State University | James M. Hull College of Business | 2500 Walton Way | Augusta, GA 30904

THIS IS A SELF-STUDY COURSE WITH TUTORIAL SUPPORT BY YOUR PROFESSOR.
PLEASE READ THIS SYLLABUS AND FOLLOW ITS INSTRUCTIONS WITH UTMOST CARE.

Professor: Dr. J. Brauer | Office: Allgood Hall E-140 | Tutorial hours: MW 4-5p and 7-8p; Tu 4-8p
Email: jbrauer@aug.edu | I will check and respond to email related to this course almost daily.

Mandatory orientation session: All students MUST attend ONE of the following four orientation sessions (all at UH-170): M 01/07/08 4-5:15p or 7-8:15p or W 01/09/08 4-5:15p or 7-8:15p

General rules:

1. In all email communication with me, please state your class and your full name in the subject line. Be specific with your message and request. An email heading such as “hi prof” with a message “can you please check my last assignment; I think the computer didn’t score it right” won’t work because I may not have any idea who you are and which class I need to think about to assist you. Instead write "ECON2106 - SMITH, Terry” [or whatever your lastname, firstname is] in the subject line and a message like this: “Can you please check problem #6 on homework #17. I wonder if the computer scored it correctly. If it did, can you explain to me what I did wrong please?” The more specific, the better.

2. At all times, I will remember that you are a specific student; in return, will you please remember that you are one out of about 150 students I expect to have assigned to me this term. (That is, sometimes you may just need to wait your turn.)

3. During tutorial hours, I will assist people as they come by. Do not come and say “please help me with chapter 14.” I won’t teach chapter 14. Instead, come with a SPECIFIC page number in the textbook and/or a SPECIFIC problem to work on with me. If you prefer, you can book a specific appointment time. From experience, most issues can be dealt with in 10 minutes or less. Just email me to reserve a block of time. I’ll post a sign-up sheet on my office door by the beginning of the term. If you sign up, be punctual. However, ALWAYS first email me with your study problem as the vast majority of them can be easily resolved that way. This keeps tutorial hours open for the few cases that really do need one-on-one attention.

4. Student experience from prior semesters suggests that there is a SPECIFIC STUDY SEQUENCE to go through. Do not shortchange yourself by jumping steps, at least not until you’ve got “the hang” of the system. The sequence as recommended by previous students is this:
a. Actually and carefully read each assigned textbook chapter.
b. Do all online StudyPlan exercises. These are worked problems; if you miss a step the program will explain to you how to go on. This is where much of your learning-by-doing takes place.
c. do all of the in-chapter and end-of-chapter exercises.
d. Do the assigned, graded, homework.
d. Email me [jbrauer@aug.edu] with questions/problems/issues at this point, referring to SPECIFIC Study Plan, in-chapter or end-of-chapter exercises, or homework questions you may have missed. Be sensible and do your work in good time so that I can respond in good time as well.
e. Take the assigned, graded chapter test online at least 48 hours before due time.
f. Take the midterm and final prep exams in good time.
g. Note that the assignments get progressively harder - from StudyPlan to Homework to Test to Midterm/Finals - both in terms of substance but also in terms of time limits. There is no overlap among questions. Homework questions are not repeated on Tests; and neither are repeated on the Midterm or Final Exams. Form a study group to work through all exercises and keep a notebook of how you worked the exercises.

Course prerequisites: Either MATH1101 or MATH1111 with a grade of "C" or better. Students who have not fulfilled the prerequisite may not take this class. Part of this prerequisite is that you know how to construct, read, and interpret graphs (if you are unsure, work through the textbook’s appendix to chapter 1).

Course Objectives: Microeconomics is the study of the choices people make and about the consequences these choices entail. It deals with people’s material and immaterial welfare and is largely concerned with the prices and quantities of the various goods and services that people demand and supply. In the process, you will discover why a free, private, and competitive market, based on voluntary exchange, is (generally) socially preferable over other forms of economic organization.

Miscellaneous: HONESTY: The Augusta State University catalog spells out academic honesty details. Academic dishonesty is not tolerated. The penalty is dismissal from class and an automatic “F” for the course. You may wish to review the student behavior code. GRADES: Unofficial grades are provided via MyEconLab (no letters, no email, no phone calls, etc.). Final, official, course grades are available via the registrar's office or via your ELROY account in Pipeline. WITHDRAWAL: For withdrawals, grades are “W” before midterm; after midterm, the grade is either “W” or “WF.” Midterm is Thursday, 28 February 2008. Note my automatic withdrawal policy: students who have not achieved a score of 60% or better (inclusive of the midterm exam) will be automatically withdrawn from class by midterm. Likewise, students who AT ANY TIME DURING THE SEMESTER have missed 3 or more tests for absolutely whatever reason will be automatically withdrawn from class.

Assignments and assessment:

1. There are 14 chapter homeworks. No time limit; unlimited attempts before due date; unlimited review after the due date; 2 percent each toward the course grade. All questions are taken from the in-chapter and end-of-chapter exercises. The computer counts only your best score toward your grade. However, you MUST score at least 70 percent on a chapter homework in order to be permitted to take the associated chapter test. (The reason is that I want you to be ready for the tests and exams. If you can't score 70% on the homework - after unlimited attempts - you are not ready.) If you fail to score 70 percent on a chapter homework before the due date, your score on the associated chapter test is an automatic zero.

2. There are 14 chapter tests. 120 minutes; 2 attempts before due date; unlimited review after the due date; 2 percent each toward the course grade. All questions are taken from the end-of-chapter exercises. The computer counts your average score for the 2 attempts, so don't waste the first chance on merely to see "what the questions are like"! If you did not do well after the first time of taking the test, review the Textbook, e-Study Guide, StudyPlan, and Homework. You should probably email or see me in person during the tutorial hours if you have difficulty with a particular concept before you try the test a second time.

3. There is one midterm exam (30 questions; 90 minutes; 1 attempt; 22 percent of course grade). Closed-notes; closed-book. The questions are drawn from a testbank. A midterm prep exam with 60 questions (10 per chapter) will be made available the weekend before the midterm exam. Bring blank note paper, a pen/pencil, and a calculator.

4. There is one final exam (also 30 questions; 90 minutes; 1 attempt; 22 percent of course grade). Closed-notes; closed-book. The questions are drawn from a testbank. A final prep exam with 80 questions (10 per chapter) will be made available the weekend before the final exam. Bring blank note paper, a pen/pencil, and a calculator. The final exam is preceded by an online course evaluation at the conclusion of which the MyEconLab program will give you a password with which to start the final exam.

5. You may take the chapter homework and chapter tests online anytime before the deadline posted in the course schedule. The midterm and final exams are also online but are proctored. They HAVE to be taken in the computer lab at Allgood Hall, N-132, and you need to sign up to reserve a space in the lab (first come, first serve). Sign-up sheets will be posted on my office door at the beginning of the term. You MUST sign up with your name as stated on your ASU Student ID Card, and you MUST present this card at the door before being admitted to the lab room to take the midterm/final. The times are listed in the course schedule.

6. Extra credit assignments or make-up tests or exams are not offered.

7. You can access and review but cannot complete homeworks or tests after the deadline noted in the course schedule. These are due dates and times, not start dates and times. Unless ASU’s ITS department certifies to me that the ASU labs and network designated for course work were not working properly (and there are six labs available for your use!), computer problems are not a valid excuse for missing work. (For technical problems, call the publisher at 1-800-677-6337, M-F 8am-8pm EST and Sunday 5pm-12am EST. Do not email or call your instructor or ASU’s ITS department, as this product is maintained and serviced by the textbook publisher only.) If you know that you have family or work commitments coming up, complete your assignments early. They are all available now.

8. Although you may download the relevant software to your home or laptop computer (Windows XP only; Internet Explorer 7+; fast broadband connection), you are strongly advised to use ASU computing facilities only to take the graded assignments.

Grading: 90%+ A; 80-89% B; 70-79% C; 60-69% D; < 60% F. (80.0% is a "B" but 79.9% is a “C”, not a “B”). Only the digits before the decimal place are relevant for the grade. Note that I never make exceptions to this rule.

Textbook: Robin Bade and Michael Parkin. Foundations of Macroeconomics. 3rd edition. Boston: Pearson Addison Wesley, 2007. It is of utmost importance that you buy the book with the MyEconLab access code or else you will not be able to take the online quizzes and tests. (Instructions for registration are posted on my web site.)

Course schedule: Click here for the course schedule. Please also note the web-posted guidelines for student behavior.