Economics 101-002: Principles of Microeconomics

Economics 101-002: Principles of Microeconomics Emory University Department of Economics Fall 2013 Instructor: Maria Vyshnya Aslam Email: mvyshny@emory.edu Office: Rich Building 310A Classes: MW 8:30AM - 9:45AM Room: Emerson Hall E102 Office Hours: MTh10:00-11:15 am Course Description The purpose of this class is to explore the basic theories of microeconomics- the study of how individuals make decisions and interact in various market structures (perfect completion, monopoly and oligopoly). This course will introduce microeconomic concepts of supply and demand, theories of the firm and individual behavior, competition and monopoly, and welfare economics. Economic tools learnt in the class will be applied to issues of economic policy throughout the semester. This includes analyzing the possibility of government interventions to remedy market failures which may arise when dealing with public goods and externalities. Aplia (Required): We will use an on-line service called Aplia for homework assignments. It also contains an electronic version of the textbook. Registration instructions are at the end of the syllabus and you must register by Friday 09/14/2013, 11 pm (There is a grace period for using Aplia. If you choose to pay later, you can use Aplia without paying until 11:59 PM on 09/14/2013). etextbook (via Aplia) Principles of Microeconomics, Sixth Edition, N. Gregory Mankiw ((Referred to in what follows as Mankiw). Electronic access to this textbook is included in Aplia fee. A hard copy of the book is optional, and its older additions will work. 1

Clickers (Required): All students are required to purchase and register a Turning Technologies clicker (ResponseCard NXT Keypad; Product ID: NXT-BX). These clicker are available at our bookstore, or you can purchase them online at https://store.turningtechnologies.com/ index.cfm?fuseaction=productdetails&iproductid=39 We will use clickers for pop-up quizzes (please see the information about quizzes below), so please make sure you have bought and registered your clicker by Saturday, September 14, 2013, 11pm. (please see the information about clicker s registration on the last page). Blackboard: Blackboard is a communication medium used to make announcements, distribute handouts and lectures, post reading material, collect assignments, and record and distribute grades. To get to the Blackboard main page, go to: https://classes.emory.edu and then use your email ID and Password to log in and select our course. If you cannot log in, you may contact classes@emory.edu for help. There are several navigation buttons on the left that we will use to organize and classify information. Among these are: Announcements used to make various announcements. Please read this section regularly. Course Documents used to post the syllabus, lecture presentations, and assignments. Additional Readings used to post non-textbook reading material (supplementary readings) There is also a website for your textbook: http://west.cengagenow.com/ilrn/. This is a very useful website that includes problems and applications, quizzes, and power point slides. You might consider using this as a supplement to your textbook and Aplia. Honor Code: The honor code is taken seriously in this course. If you have a question concerning what is appropriate for an assignment or anything else, ask me. In general, you are expected to 2

behave such that your academic integrity is beyond question. Details about the Honor Code are available at http://college.emory.edu/home/academic/policy/honor_code.html Grading: Pop-up Quizzes: bonus 5% Problem Sets: Exam 1: Exam 2: Final Exam: 24% (13 problem sets total; 12 problem sets are graded - 2 points each) 25%, Date: Wednesday, October 16, 8:30 pm-9:20 pm, Emerson Hall E102 25%, Date: Monday, November 25, 8:30 pm-9:20 pm, Emerson Hall E102 26%, Date: Monday, Dec 16, 11:30 am-2:00 pm, Emerson Hall E102 Your final course grade will be calculated according to the following scale: >92% = A 80-82% = B- 67-69% = D+ 90-92% = A- 77-79% = C+ 63-66% = D 87-89% = B+ 73-76% = C 60-62% = D- 83-86% = B 70-72% = C- <60% = F Homework (Online Problem Sets): Homework will be done and submitted through Aplia, and you must enroll for that service. There will be a homework assignment for each chapter of the book. The specific assignments and due dates will be announced during class and posted online. With most of the assignments you will have three attempts at each question, and you will receive feedback about your answer and an explanation of the question. With some assignments (marked as Graded at deadline ), you will have only one attempt at each question, and grading will occur at deadline. You also have the option to save your work and come back later to finish the question and check your answer; if you choose this option and do not return, the work you had completed will be graded at the due date. As for the Grade It Now assignments, even though I incorporate only your highest scores into your final grade, I strongly recommend you complete all assignments, as they will help you learn the material and prepare for the exams. LATE HOMEWORK: Late homework assignments will not be accepted. The Aplia system will not allow you to submit or change graded assignments after the stated deadline and, therefore, neither will I. Because technical difficulties or unforeseeable circumstances may occasionally interfere with your ability to submit assignments by their due date, I will drop your lowest homework score before calculating your total homework average. Please spend this free pass wisely; there are no other get out of jail free options. The remaining Aplia assignments (those not dropped) will receive equal weight in your homework grade. 3

Attendance: I will not take attendance during class. However, in order to learn the material, I strongly recommend you make every effort to arrive on time and participate. At least five bonus points can be earned through unannounced quizzes (see below), and the quizzes will be offered during the first 10 minutes of a class. Therefore, if you wish to earn an A in this class, attendance is highly desirable. Quizzes: There will be at least five (5) unannounced quizzes. Each quiz contributes to 1% of your final grade and consists of two questions (0.5 point per question). Because these quizzes will be unannounced, you may view them as random attendance checking. Obviously good attendance can significantly improve your final grade. (Note: there may be more than five quizzes. Any additional quiz will be an opportunity for extra credit.) MISSED/LATE EXAMS: No make-up exams are given. If you are ill, or must miss an exam for some other reason, please contact me prior to the exam. Failure to do so may result in a failing grade. For an excused absence the other two exams will be weighted more heavily in place of the missing exam. If you arrive late to an exam, you can take the exam in the remaining time, and submit it no later than the scheduled end of the exam (9:20 am for midterms, and 2pm for the final exam). Instructor: Expected Conduct 1. I will come to class prepared to teach the material you need to learn in this course. 2. I will make every effort to arrive on time, begin class on time, and release you on time. 3. I will answer your questions to the best of my ability and respond in a timely fashion should I not immediately know the answer. 4. I will hold regular office hours and be available to answer your questions. Students: 1. It is expected you are always on time. Late arrival disturbs everyone and will not be allowed. The quizzes are offered during the first 10 minutes of a class. 2. Please turn off your phones and all other electronics before you enter class. If you prefer to take notes using your computer, please see Computer Use section below. 3. Please be quiet during class so that others may hear what is going on. 4. Always check Blackboard for important announcements for the class. Homework assignments and solutions, exam date changes, and any class cancellations will be posted on Blackboard. 5. Use Active Learning techniques: a. Read the book twice 4

i. First BEFORE the chapter is covered in class; list all the questions you have ii. Second after the class (to get a big picture ) b. Be active in class i. Take detailed notes ii. Please ask me all the questions you ve had when you read the book for the first time iii. Actively participate in solving in-class problems; this will allow you to apply new information and memorize it forever c. Last step do the assigned homework i. Homework problems are designed so that you can apply new information and understand how the material is related to real life ii. If you feel the need to repeat the problems later, you can do that while preparing for the midterm and final exams. The same problems will be posted again as practice (or non-graded) exam-prep problems. This will allow you to combine all topics into one big microeconomics picture. 6. While preparing for the midterm and final exams, please pay attention the following: a. A class BEFORE the exam we have an exam prep session. A class AFTER the exam we discuss the exam. b. Final exam is scheduled for Dec. 16. During the last day of the class (Monday, Dec. 9) we have our final prep session. c. Please solve problems posted in the exam prep sections BEFORE Monday exam prep classes. Be prepared to discuss your questions. Make sure YOU UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING. d. Solve ALL THE PROBLEMS posted in the exam prep sections. After that, there will be no surprises on the exams. e. Content of the exam prep sections: i. Questions are listed by chapters ii. Each chapter consists of the previous homework assignments as well as new assignments. New assignments are mostly level 3 problems and end of the chapter problems. 7. Please discuss with me any problems you may have in the course or any suggestions to improve the course. Email Etiquette: Please email me ONLY at mvyshny@emory.edu. When you write, please identify yourself. I will do my best to respond to your email within 24 hours (on a weekday). I do not regularly check Learnlink, so there may be a delayed response to emails sent anonymously or to my Learnlink account. Computer Use: I understand that some students prefer to take notes using their computers and I am willing to accommodate that preference. Please discuss with me your desire to use a laptop during this course. Know that if computers (or other technology) are used for purposes 5

other than the day s lecture, the user will lose his/her privilege of using the computer during class. Intended Course Outline: Introduction to Economics 10 principles of Microeconomics Chapter 1 Economics as a science Chapter 2 Comparative advantage and trade Chapter 3 How Markets Work Supply and Demand Chapter 4 Elasticity of Demand and Supply Chapter 5 Government Interventions Chapter 6 Welfare Economics Market Efficiency Chapter 7 Market Failures Externalities, Chapter 10 Public Goods Chapter 11 Industrial organization Costs of Production Chapter 13 Competitive markets Chapter 14 Monopoly Chapter 15 Oligopoly Chapter 17 6

How to access your Aplia course Instructor: Maria Aslam Start Date: 08/25/2013 Course Key: J46K-Y884-KE7Y ECON 101-002 Principles Of Microeconomics Registration Aplia is part of CengageBrain, which allows you to sign in to a single site to access your Cengage materials and courses. 1. Connect to http://login.cengagebrain.com/ 2. If you already have an account, sign in. From your Dashboard, enter your course key (J46K-Y884-KE7Y) in the box provided, and click the Register button. If you don't have an account, click the Create a New Account button, and enter your course key when prompted: J46K-Y884-KE7Y. Continue to follow the onscreen instructions. Alternative Registration 1. Connect to www.aplia.com. 2. Complete the Configuration Test and make adjustments to your configuration if necessary. 3. Return to the Sign In page and click Create a New Account. 4. Choose Student Account. 5. You will then be asked to enter your course key, which is: J46K-Y884-KE7Y. 6. You will be prompted to enter your e-mail address and select a password. 7. If you already have an account, sign in. From your Dashboard, enter your course key (J46K-Y884-KE7Y) in the box provided, and click the Register button. If you don't have an account, click the Create a New Account button, and enter your course key when prompted: J46K-Y884-KE7Y. Continue to follow the onscreen instructions. You will only need to register once. After the registration process is complete, you will not need to enter the course key again. For any technical or sign-in problems, please contact Support. 7

Payment Online: Purchase access to your course (including the digital textbook) from the CengageBrain or Aplia website. Bookstore: Purchase access to Aplia from your bookstore. Check with the bookstore to find out what they offer for your course. If you choose to pay later, you can use Aplia without paying until 11:59 PM on 09/14/2013. After paying, you will have the option to purchase a physical book at a discounted price. How to register your Turning Technologies clicker SP13_ECON_101_002: ECON101: Principles Of Microeconomics Instructor: Maria Aslam Instructor s email: mvyshny@emory.edu Registration 1. Go to the website student.turningtechnologies.com 2. Enter your ResponseCard ID (found on back of unit and called Device ID ) 3. Enter your first name and last name in the appropriate fields 4. In "Other Field" enter your student ID 5. Complete security entry 6. Press Next 7. Enter instructor's email address mvyshny@emory.edu 8. Select class name that you are in for this instructor (SP13_ECON_101_002: ECON101: Principles Of Microeconomics) and add it to the list on the right 9. Click Next and confirm information. You may click Back if you find information you need to correct. 8

Office for Undergraduate Education Information for Syllabus Fall 2013 The Office for Undergraduate Education (OUE) central office is located in White Hall 300 Please visit or call 404.727.6069 with questions about academic affairs, concerns or policies. All Emory College of Arts and Sciences policies may be found in the College Catalog: http://college.emory.edu/home/academic/catalog/index.html For a full list of Religious Holidays can be found here: http://www.religiouslife.emory.edu/pdf/religious%20holidays%202013-14.pdf Important Fall 2013 Dates August 28: First day of classes September 4: Add/Drop/Swap ends 11:59pm September 11: Last day to change S/U or Grading option October 14-15: Fall Break October 18: Last day for withdrawal without penalty (all students) November 15: Last day for withdrawal without penalty (1 st year, Transfer, Oxford ONLY) November 28-29: Thanksgiving Holiday Break December 10: Last day of classes December 11: Reading Day(s) December 12-18: Final Exam Period Academic Advising and Class Deans If you have any academic concerns or questions about Emory College of Arts and Sciences policies, you should first meet with an OUE academic adviser. If an academic adviser is unavailable to meet with you, you may meet with an OUE dean during open hours. OUE Academic Adviser appointments: Visit White Hall 300 or call 404.727.6069 Deans Open Hours: http://college.emory.edu/home/administration/office/undergraduate/hours.html Academic Support There are a range of resources available to Emory undergraduates designed to enrich each student s educational experience. Visit http://college.emory.edu/advising for a list of support programs and appointment directions Access and Disability Resources Students with medical/health conditions that might impact academic success should visit 9

Access, Disability Services and Resources (ADSR formerly the Office of Disability Services, ODS) to determine eligibility for appropriate accommodations. Students who receive accommodations must present the Accommodation Letter from ADSR to your professor at the beginning of the semester, or when the letter is received. Attendance Policies (Absences and Absences from Examinations) Absences: Although students incur no administrative penalties for a reasonable number of absences from class or laboratory, they should understand that they are responsible for the academic consequences of absence and that instructors may set specific policies about absence for individual courses. Absences from Examinations: A student who fails to take any required midterm or final examination at the scheduled time may not make up the examination without written permission from a dean in the Office for Undergraduate Education. Permission will be granted only for illness or other compelling reasons, such as participation in scheduled events off-campus as an official representative of the University. A student who takes any part of a final examination ordinarily will not be allowed to defer or retake that final. Deferred examinations must be taken during the student s next semester of residence by the last date for deferred examinations in the academic calendar or within twelve months if the student does not re-enroll in the college. Failure to take a deferred examination by the appropriate deadline will result automatically in the grade IF or IU. Honor Code Upon every individual who is a part of Emory University falls the responsibility for maintaining in the life of Emory a standard of unimpeachable honor in all academic work. The Honor Code of Emory College is based on the fundamental assumption that every loyal person of the University not only will conduct his or her own life according to the dictates of the highest honor, but will also refuse to tolerate in others action which would sully the good name of the institution. Academic misconduct is an offense generally defined as any action or inaction which is offensive to the integrity and honesty of the members of the academic community. The Honor Code, a list of offenses and the Honor Council process may be found; http://college.emory.edu/home/academic/policy/honor_code.html 10