ECON 201-002: Macroeconomics
Instructor: J Alan “J” Bennett
Course Time and Place: MWF 9:30-10:45am, COB 101
Office: 218B, College of Business
Office Hours: MW Noon-3pm, TR 1-3pm, and by appointment
Phone: (O)257-4464
E-mail: (please put “ECON 201-002” in the subject line)
Course Description: “A study of basic economic principles and problems, with particular reference to the operation and social implications of the American economic system.” Specifically, ECON 201 focuses on Macroeconomics, the study of the economy as a whole and the changes brought about by aggregate consumer, investor, and government behavior.
Prerequisites: None
Course Materials
IMPORTANT NOTES ABOUT THE TEXTBOOK: The package that is sold in Tech’s bookstore provides you with access to both Aplia (an online homework program) AND the electronic version of Mankiw’s text (cited below). You need not purchase a physical textbook unless you want one. Also, it is very important to note that the bookstore package will give you access to the e-book for 365 days; thus, IF YOU INTEND TO TAKE ECON 202 WITHIN A YEAR AFTER TAKING ECON 201 YOU NEED NOT PURCHASE ANYTHING FOR ECON 202 AS YOU WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE ACCESS BY VIRTUE OF THIS PURCHASE. If you do NOT intend to take ECON 202, YOU SHOULD PURCHASE A ONE-SEMESTER VERSION OF THE APLIA/E-BOOK PACKAGE DIRECTLY ON THE APLIA WEBSITE (www.aplia.com). You may also purchase the 365 day version at the Aplia website if you wish.
· Principles of Economics, 7th Edition, with Aplia, by N. Gregory Mankiw, published by Thomson/Southwestern Publishing, 2015. Note that the Mankiw book may be purchased ONLINE (see the Aplia attachment).
· The Study Guide, while not required, is recommended.
· Some additional readings of interest may be assigned.
· Please bring a blue, full-size Scantron to each exam.
Note about Aplia: Aplia is an interactive, web-based educational program that will provide you with additional instruction and practice problems; I believe that you will find it very helpful, both because it will help you learn economics and because it will provide you bonus points. Please see the attached “Aplia Student Registration and Payment Instructions.”
Course Communication: My chief methods of communicating with you will be (1) announcements in class, (2) Tech e-mail (3) Moodle postings/announcements, and (4) postings in Aplia. I will NOT send any personal e-mail correspondence to non-Tech e-mail addresses. If you download e-mail from your Tech account to another e-mail account (e.g., Hotmail, AOL, MS Outlook, etc.), that is your business; understand that in doing so, however, your privacy cannot be protected. Thus, if you don’t use your Tech address, you should.
Student Evaluation: There will be five (possibly six) in-class exams given (100 points each) per the syllabus, the lowest of which will be dropped. Exam coverage is per the syllabus and will predominantly be from the textbook readings and lecture material; any other material covered on the exams will be announced in advance. There will also be an Aplia Grade worth potentially 10% of the total exam points (i.e., up to one full letter grade). Half of your Aplia points will be based on the percentage of GRADED Aplia quizzes/assignments you take (i.e., if you complete 100% of the graded assignments, you’ll get half the points) and the remaining points will be determined by the percent correct in those assignments (i.e., if you got 70% of the questions correct, and there are 400 total available exam points, you’d get 20 * 70% = 14 points, rounded). Grades will be assigned according to a straight, strict, grading scale (90% and above = “A”, less than 60% = “F”, etc). Grades will ONLY be adjusted upward through rounding (e.g., 79.5% will round up to 80%, 79.49% will not). The instructor reserves the right to curve exam/quiz results, but this should not be assumed. Any students needing testing or classroom accommodations based on a disability are encouraged to discuss those needs with me as soon as possible. All students, in accordance with the Academic Honor Code, pledge the following: Being a student of higher standards, I pledge to embody the principles of academic integrity (www.latech.edu/tech/students/honor-code.pdf).
Unfortunately, not all students take this pledge seriously. Because of this, I must insist on the following:
· No cell phone calculators will be allowed during exams/quizzes (bring a regular calculator)
· On exam days, spread out as much as possible, at least one seat between you and your neighbor.
· All materials, except for those needed to take the test, should be stowed somewhere other than your desktop.
Emergency Notification System: All Louisiana Tech students are strongly encouraged to enroll and update their contact information in the Emergency Notification System. It takes just a few seconds to ensure you’re able to receive important text and voice alerts in the event of a campus emergency. For more information on the Emergency Notification System, please visit: http://www.latech.edu/administration/ens.shtml.
Make-up Policy: Make-up exams are NOT granted (except under extraordinary circumstances) without my permission in advance. E-mail is probably the best way to contact me, as it has a time stamp. Absolutely no make-ups will be granted if you contact me later than the day of the exam. Make-ups that are granted will be given at a mutually satisfactory time for the instructor and student not later than one class period after the missed exam. Athletes who miss quizzes due to known travel conflicts must make up the quiz before the next class period. It is the athlete’s responsibility to arrange a time for the makeup.
If you do take a makeup exam, I don’t always record the grades in Moodle; send me an e-mail (using your Tech e-mail account) and I’ll inform you of your grade.
How to Succeed in Economics 201: Many students are surprised at how challenging Economics is. Many economic principles seem to be “common sense,” but there are also frequent times when Economics seems very counterintuitive. It is not easy to “think like an economist.” That’s why proactive study habits are essential. The following “tips” for studying are applicable to all of your subjects, not just Economics.
· Read the course material before the lecture (i.e., pay attention to the “Assignment” column on the Syllabus)
· Answer the questions and problems in the textbook and, if you purchase one, which I strongly suggest, the Study Guide. Do the Aplia assignments. People learn best by applying what they learn. I will post the answers to Mankiw’s end-of-chapter questions on Blackboard. Answer the questions first on your own, then, and only then, compare your answers to the posted answers. Treat the end-of-chapter problems and the Aplia quizzes as if they were official tests; if you get only 50% of them right, you obviously are not understanding the material and you should see me!
· Do NOT depend on copies of Powerpoint slides as study aids. The slides are OUTLINES of the material and so leave out much of the substance of the lecture. The slides are NOT substitutes for good note-taking.
· If you diligently follow all of the above and are still struggling, come see me! Of course, you can come see me anytime, but don’t wait until your grade is trashed before you seek help!
Attendance: Success in this class (and, for that matter, any class) will come from attending class and diligently reading your textbooks and any other assigned readings. Per Louisiana Tech policy, class attendance will be taken. Attending class is an expectation; you’re not doing me a favor by showing up, but you are doing yourself one.
March 12, 2015 Course Description