ECON-2301 Principles of Macroeconomics

Lei Ji

Credit Fall 2024

Section(s)

ECON-2301-004 (89781)
LEC NRG ONL DIL

LEC MW 9:00am - 10:20am NRG NRG2 2120

Course Requirements

Grading System

 

Grades will be assigned in the following manner:

Assignments (7):     Drop the lowest one                                                     8% ·6 = 48%
Pre-lecture Quizzes (9):   Drop the lowest one                                           1% ·8 =   8%
Class Activities (9):  Drop the lowest one                                                   1% ·8 =   8%
Midterm Exam:      Unit 1 – Unit 5                                                                            10%

Final Exam:             Comprehensive                                                                          26%

                                                                                                                                     100%


Extra Credit Opportunity: 1 point * 9 = 9 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 attend the in-person lectures and watch all required videos during the online study time, 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. 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 Tue, 8/27, 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 Otherwise, you will be marked as “absent” and will be withdrawn from the course.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.

 

 

Assignments (7):       

  • You will have 7 assignments; each assignment includes 25 -- 50 multiple choice questions.
  • The highest 6 assignments each makes up to 8% of your semester grade. The lowest assignment score will be dropped.
  • You will work on these assignments through Blackboard.
  • 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.
  • All correct answers will be posted after the deadline, so that you can study to prepare for the exams.
  • No late assignment is accepted.
  • 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.

 

 

Pre-lecture Quizzes and Class Activities

  • Pre-lecture quizzes will be assigned on a weekly basis, during the online study days. The quizzes are open-book, open-notes, and you may discuss with your peers and me.  
  • Be sure to submit your work by the deadlines. No late submission accepted.
  • The quiz answers will be reviewed and discussed during our weekly class activities. Each of you should anticipate being invited to discuss your answers during our face-to-face meetings.
  • The lowest pre-lecture quiz and class activity grades will be dropped.

 

   Exams (1 midterm and 1 final):

  • Both exams are compulsory, and the Final exam covers all course material.
  • There will be no extensions for submission deadlines.
  • The midterm includes 50 multiple-choice questions, each question 2 points, with a time limit of 100 minutes. It is Closed-books and Closed-notes and only 1 attempt. 
  • For the final exam, you have the option to choose between 50 multiple-choice questions (closed-book and closed-notes) or essay questions (open-book and open-notes).
  • Unless you choose the essay questions (open-book and open-notes) in the final exam, both exams will be taken online, and proctored by Respondus LockDown Browser with Respondus Monitor. The software is free for students. It works with Windows and Mac PCs and laptops, and iPad. You need to have a camera for the proctored exams. 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 will be used for discussions among peers and with me.

 

 

 Grading Scale

 

Letter Grade                               Percentile

      A                                            [90%, 100%]

      B                                             [80%, 90%)

      C                                             [70%, 80%)

      D                                             [60%, 70%)

      F                                              Below 60%

Regarding fairness, there will be no individual opportunities for extra credit, and I do not round up grades.

 

 

Readings

Required texts/materials

N. Gregory Mankiw, Principles of Macroeconomics, 10th edition, Cengage, 2023

ISBN-13: 978-0357722961
 

First Day Access (FDA): First Day / Inclusive Access is an e-book program that Barnes & Noble has created to assist students in an easy way to access textbooks and other course materials. Those materials are available to students on the first day of classes. The cost of materials are part of their ACC tuition for the course and are paid when the tuition for the course is paid. The following video will explain how to access your First Day course materials through Blackboard.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbblnCvGvVA

 

Previous Editions: As content revisions between editions are minor, for readings you can likely get by with a previous edition. 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. If you want to OPT OUT of FDA, please watch the following video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IbblnCvGvVA

 

Supplementary Readings: will be assigned on blackboard

 

Course Subjects

 

Assignment 4 (Unit 5) + Extra credit 4 + Extra credit 5
 

9/20 (F)

 

Midterm Exam

9/23 (M)

5

9/23 (M) FTF

6


Money and Price in the Long Run – Ch 16, 17

 

 

 

9/24 (T)
 Online

6

Money and Price in the Long Run – Ch 17

Pre-lecture quiz 5

9/24 (T)

 

9/25 (W) FTF

6

Money and Price in the Long Run – Ch 17

Class activity 5

9/25 (W)

 

9/26 (TH)
 Online

7

Ch 20 AS-AD Model - Overview

 

 

 

Assignment 5 (Unit 6) + Extra credit 6
 

9/27 (F)

6

9/30 (M) FTF

7

Ch 20 AS-AD Model – Overview & AD curve

 

 

 

10/1 (T)
 Online

7

Ch 20 AS-AD Model – LRAS & SRAS curves

Pre-lecture quiz 6

10/1 (T)

 

10/2 (W) FTF

7

Ch 20 AS-AD Model - Equilibrium

Class activity 6

10/2 (W)

 

10/3 (TH)
 Online

7

Ch 20 AS-AD Model - Exercises

Pre-lecture quiz 7

10/4 (F)

 

7

10/7 (M) FTF

7

Ch 20 AS-AD Model - Review

Class activity 7

10/7 (M)

 

10/8 (T)
 Online

8

Ch 21 Monetary and Fiscal Policies – Monetary Policy

 

Pre-lecture quiz 8

10/8 (T)

 

10/9 (W) FTF

8

Ch 21 Monetary and Fiscal Policies – Fiscal Policy

 

Class activity 8

10/9 (W)

 

10/10 (TH)
 Online

9

Ch 22
the Short-run Tradeoffs between Inflation and Unemployment

 

Pre-lecture quiz 9

10/10 (TH)

 

Assignment 6 (Unit 7) + Extra credit 7 + Extra Credit 8
 

10/11 (F)

8

10/14 (M) FTF

9

Ch 22
 the Short-run Tradeoffs between Inflation and Unemployment

 

Class activity 9

10/14 (M)

 

10/15 (T)
 Online

1-9

Final Review

 

 

 

10/16 (W) FTF

(Optional)

1-9

Final Review

 

 

 

Assignment 7 (Unit 7, 8, 9) + Extra credit 9

10/16 (W)

 

Final Exam

10/18 (F)

Student Learning Outcomes/Learning Objectives

Student Learning Outcomes

Students who complete this course will be able to:

  1. critically evaluate GDP, unemployment, and inflation data;
  2. explain the business cycle and its phases;
  3. manipulate the basic Aggregate Supply, Aggregate Demand model of the macro economy;
  4. explain fiscal policy tools and defend and criticize the usage fiscal policy;
  5. describe how a fractional reserve banking system works;
  6. explain monetary policy tools and defend and criticize the usage monetary policy.

Discipline Program Student Learning Outcomes

  1. model and explain under what circumstances markets are capable of creating socially optimal and socially suboptimal outcomes (PSLO 1: Socially Optimal and Suboptimal Outcomes);
  2. defend and criticize the role of economic policy in a mixed market economy (PSLO 2: Economic Policy);
  3. critically evaluate economic data (PSLO 3: Economic Data).

General Education Competencies in this course

 

  1. 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.
  2. Critical Thinking Skills - Gather, analyze, synthesize, evaluate and apply information for the purposes of innovation, inquiry, and creative thinking.
  3. 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.
  4. Communication Skills - Develop, interpret, and express ideas and information through written, oral and visual communication that is adapted to purpose, structure, audience, and medium.

 

GLOBAL STUDIES PSLO's:
Cultural Values: Demonstrate a heightened and more critical awareness of one’s own cultural assumptions, ethical judgments, and implicit biases (e.g. ethnocentrism, racism, ageism, sexism) to interact effectively and ethically across cultures.
Interdependence: Identify the interrelated nature of the actions and impacts of individuals, groups, and institutions at the local, regional, national, and global levels.
Globalization: Analyze the interrelated impact of global structures (such as social, cultural, religious, environmental, political, and/or economic) on aspects of nations, regions, communities, and individuals.
Social Justice: Evaluate existing structures of the world (e.g. at national, global, organizational, and cultural levels) through application of human rights and human security principles in areas such as food, health, education, climate, gender equity, clean water and energy, technology, etc.
Global Responsibility: Students will explain how they can integrate GS concepts into aspects of one’s own life in order to build equitable and sustainable change in the world.

Office Hours

M W 12:30 PM - 3:00 PM NRG 2120

NOTE I will be in the classroom NRG 2120, and on Zoom at the same time. You may either join me in person, or online.

T Th 8:30 PM - 9:30 PM Zoom

NOTE On Zoom, in the evenings on T/Th.

Office Hours

M W 12:30 PM - 3:00 PM NRG 2120

NOTE I will be in the classroom NRG 2120, and on Zoom at the same time. You may either join me in person, or online.

T Th 8:30 PM - 9:30 PM Zoom

NOTE On Zoom, in the evenings on T/Th.

Published: 07/21/2024 09:51:57