ECON-2302 Principles of Microeconomics
Lei Ji
Credit Spring 2024
Section(s)
ECON-2302-008 (74838)
LEC DIL ONL DIL
ECON-2302-011 (74841)
LEC DIL ONL DIL
ECON-2302-012 (74842)
LEC DIL ONL DIL
ECON-2302-036 (74853)
LEC DIL ONL DIL
Course Requirements
Grading System
As you will see in the Blackboard menu, the course is divided into 8 units. Each unit has a folder containing the learning objectives, required readings, required videos, in-class exercises (ungraded), required homework assignment (7 assignments), extra credit opportunity (8 opportunities), a midterm and a final exam, and GroupMe discussion (optional) for that unit. All of the due dates are laid out in the schedule in this syllabus. And you are highly encouraged to discuss with me and your peers through GroupMe (link on Blackboard).
Grades will be assigned in the following manner:
Assignments (7): Drop the lowest one 10% ·6 = 60%
Midterm Exam: Unit 1 – Unit 4 10%
Final Exam: Comprehensive 30%
100%
Extra Credit Opportunity: 1 points * 8 = 8 points added to the Final Exam
There is an extra credit opportunity for each unit, with up to 1 point per unit added to the final exam and up to 9 points during the whole semester. In order to get the credits, you need to listen to all required videos in that unit, take careful notes in detail, preferably with different colors of pens and mark down your own questions/explanations/highlights if there is any. Your notes should not be shorter than the lecture notes posted on Blackboard, and should cover ALL concepts listed on the chapter Outline, in order to get the full credits. You shouldn’t take this as an additional workload, because you should take notes anyway, like any of your face-to-face classes. I do not round up grades at the end of the semester, so please take the advantage of extra credits as much as possible.
Orientation Quiz (Required):
In order to continue this course, you must earn at least 80% on the orientation quiz in Blackboard. The orientation quiz covers the content in this syllabus, so make sure you have familiarized yourself with this syllabus before attempting the quiz. The quiz must be completed with a score of at least 80% by midnight on Friday, 1/19/2024, in order to continue in the course. Otherwise you will be marked as “absent” and will be withdrawn from the course. Your score on the quiz does NOT count towards your semester grade.
In-class Exercises (Ungraded):
Ungraded worksheets (called “In-class exercises”) are posted for each unit. You should complete the worksheets on your own before moving to my answers. It is a good way to make sure that you understand important concepts of the lectures. The in-class exercises are highly correlated with your assignments.
Assignments (7):
You will have 7 homework assignments; each assignment includes 25 -- 50 multiple choice questions. The highest 6 assignments each makes up to 10% of your semester grade. The lowest assignment score will be dropped.
You will work on these assignments through Blackboard and they must be completed by the dates stated in this syllabus. In average, there is 1 homework every 1-2 weeks.
You are expected to work on your homework consistently every week to practice utilizing the tools and skills you learn from your readings. The homework assignments allow 3 attempts and unlimited time. Only the best attempt grade will be included in your semester score. After each attempt, you are able to see all questions, your answers including the wrong answers. In this case, you may study the questions and try another attempt. All correct answers will be posted after the deadline. These homework assignments should be used by you to help prepare yourself for the final exam, as I have created these assignments to target the main concepts, I expect students to be mastering from the readings/videos.
No late assignment is accepted. You need to submit all assignments BEFORE the deadline. Your late assignment will be marked as 0.
If you have a legitimate reason to be late, please contact me BEFORE the deadlines, and provide official written documentations, such as the doctor’s notes, deployment letter, etc. The extension cannot be more than 24 hours.
Failure to complete 2 or more assignments may result in either being dropped from the course (before the drop deadline) or a failing grade of F for the semester.
Exams:
Both Midterm and final exam are always open and ready for you to take.
The deadline of the midterm is 11:59pm, 3/8/2024 (Friday). Midterm is closed-books and closed-notes, 50 multiple choice questions, each question 2 points, with a time limit of 100 minutes and 1 attempt.
A comprehensive final exam will be closed at 11:59pm of 5/10/2024 (Friday). It includes 50 multiple-choice questions, each question 2 points, with a time limit of 100 minutes. The final exam is Closed-books and Closed-notes and only 1 attempt.
The midterm and the final exam grades cannot be dropped. Individual extensions for both the midterm and the final exam due date will not be given for any reason. For this reason, I highly recommend that you do not wait until the last minute to take your exams. Instead, take your exam in advance of the due date! That way, if you have something that interferes with your ability to complete your exam when you have initially planned to do so, you may still be able to complete your exam before the due date expires.
Both exams will be proctored by Respondus LockDown Browser with Respondus Monitor. The software is free for students. It works with Chromebook, Windows and Mac PCs and laptops, iPad. You need to have a webcam for the proctored final exam. More detail can be found after “course policies”.
GroupMe Discussions (Ungraded)
A GroupMe page will be created and announced on the first day of class. It is used to discussed with your peers, and with me. I found that it is much more useful than Blackboard Discussion Board.
Grading Scale
I do not round up grades nor give any extra credits after the final exam.
Letter Grade Percentile
A [90%, 100%]
B [80%, 90%)
C [70%, 80%)
D [60%, 70%)
F Below 60%
Readings
Required texts/materials
N. Gregory Mankiw, Principles of Microeconomics, 9th edition, Cengage, 2021
ISBN: 9780357133484
Previous Editions: As content revisions between editions are minor, for readings you can likely get by with a previous edition (though the page numbers won’t always align with the 9th edition I will reference in class, most of the content in each section will be the same). This course is not centered around the textbook, though there will be some assigned readings from this textbook (and the textbook can also serve as a reinforcement for content introduced in lecture). You will NOT need a MindTap access code.
Supplementary Readings: will be assigned on blackboard
Course Subjects
Schedule and Outline: Please note that schedule changes may occur during the semester. Any changes will be announced in class and posted as a Blackboard Announcement.
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Course Schedule |
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Unit |
Readings |
Assignments |
Due Dates |
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Syllabus |
Orientation Quiz |
1/19 (F) |
|
1 |
Ch 1-2 |
Homework #1 Extra Credit #1 |
1/26 (F) |
|
2 |
Ch 4 |
Homework #2 Extra Credit #2 |
2/9 (F) |
|
3 |
Ch 5 |
Homework #3 Extra Credit #3 |
3/1 (F) |
|
4 |
Ch 7 Consumers, Producers and the Efficiency of Markets |
Homework #4 Extra Credit #4 |
3/1 (F) |
|
Midterm |
3/8 (F) |
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5 |
Ch 13 The Costs of Production |
Homework #5 Extra Credit #5 |
3/29(F) |
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6 |
Ch 14 |
Homework #6 Extra Credit #6 |
4/12(F) |
|
7 |
Ch 15, 16, 17 |
Homework #7 Extra Credit #7 |
4/26 (F) |
|
8 |
Ch 18 |
Extra Credit #8 |
5/3 (F)
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Final Exam: Due on 5/10/2024 (F) |
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Student Learning Outcomes/Learning Objectives
Student Learning Outcomes
Students who complete this course will be able to:
- apply the basic concepts of scarcity and opportunity cost;
- manipulate the basic demand and supply model to determine an equilibrium price and quantity, changes to equilibrium price and quantity, and their impact on resource allocation;
- critically evaluate the usage of policy in microeconomic markets;
- explain the theory of consumer behavior;
- explain the theory of the firm;
- model and explain the theoretical market structures of perfect competition and imperfect competition.
Discipline Program Student Learning Outcomes
Students who complete this course will be able to:
- model and explain under what circumstances markets are capable of creating socially optimal and socially suboptimal outcomes (PSLO 1: Socially Optimal and Suboptimal Outcomes);
- defend and criticize the role of economic policy in a mixed market economy (PSLO 2: Economic Policy);
- critically evaluate economic data (PSLO 3: Economic Data).
General Education Competencies in this course
- Social Responsibility (Civic and Cultural Awareness) - Analyze differences and commonalities among peoples, ideas, aesthetic traditions, and cultural practices to include intercultural competence, knowledge of civic responsibility, and the ability to engage effectively in regional, national, and global communities.
- Critical Thinking Skills - Gather, analyze, synthesize, evaluate and apply information for the purposes of innovation, inquiry, and creative thinking.
- Empirical and Quantitative Skills - Apply mathematical, logical and scientific principles and methods through the manipulation and analysis of numerical data or observable facts resulting in informed conclusions.
- Communication Skills - Develop, interpret, and express ideas and information through written, oral and visual communication that is adapted to purpose, structure, audience, and medium.
Office Hours
T Th 12:30 PM - 2:30 PM Online
NOTEM 9:00 AM - 2:30 PM online
NOTEPublished: 12/11/2023 08:42:11