Course Description/ObjectivesCourse Requirements and PoliciesPrerequisitesRequired MaterialsGradingPractice Problem SetsGraded Problem SetsExperimentsExamsSectionsLate AssignmentsStudents with DisabilitiesAcademic HonestySchedule and TopicsEconomics 100A: Economic Analysis – Micro Spring 2005 0001 PIMENTEL, TuTh 3:30–5 p.m. Instructor: Gordon Rausser Phone: (510) 642-6591 Email: [email protected] Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursday 5–6:30 p.m 230 Gianinni Hall Graduate Student Instructors: Susan Stratton (head) [email protected] Noah Bookman [email protected] Wayne Chen [email protected] Sarah Frank [email protected] Kelemen Papp [email protected] Biswo Poudel [email protected] Michael Schihl [email protected] Paige Skiba [email protected] The schedule of sections and GSI office hours will be available on the Aplia website under course materials. I. Course Description/Objectives This course covers the major topics of standard microeconomic theory. Our analysis relies primarily on verbal, graphical, and algebraic explanations. We will use some calculus, but if you want a more mathematical/theoretical treatment of the material, you should consider enrolling in Economics 101A. For those who are majoring or minoring in economics, this course offers the foundation for the basic tools used throughout the field. The course emphasizes intuitive explanations over calculus proofs. Its fundamental purpose is to assist students to develop the intuition of how to approach economic problems. Economics 100A is also useful for students studying other fields who want to understand how the discipline of economics frames problems. It will provide familiarity with the language and discourse of economics and how economic analysis might be applied to other fields. By the end of the semester, students should know the basic theory, models, and the core results for the topics covered. They should be able to use economic frameworks to analyze real-world situations. They should also be able to identify which theory or model is appropriate for analyzing a particular question and explain why their answers are correct in intuitive, as well as mathematical, terms. Economics 100A page 1 of 4II. Course Requirements and Policies Economics 100A will require a substantial time investment from students. In addition to lectures, students will attend two sections each week, and complete both practice and graded problem sets, as well as news analyses and experiments. Because of the building blocks formed throughout the semester, keeping up with the course is critical. A. Prerequisites Students should have taken an introductory economics course (Econ 1, 2, C3, or Environmental Economics and Policy 1) and a calculus class (Mathematics 1A or Mathematics 16A) or the equivalents. If you are uncertain if your background is sufficient, please discuss with your GSI at the first section meeting. B. Required Materials The textbook for the class is Microeconomics, 3rd Edition by Jeffrey M. Perloff. It is available, along with the accompanying Study Guide, in the bookstore. Problems from the study guide will not be used in assignments but it provides a useful resource. Previous editions of the book should suffice, although there is no guarantee that all relevant material is covered or that end of chapter problems are the same. This course will also make use of Aplia, a new, online economics education tool. Students will use Aplia to do practice and graded problem sets, analyze recent news stories, and participate in economic experiments with their classmates. There is a $28 fee for access to this tool for the semester. C. Grading Grades in the course will be determined according to this formula: 10% Completion of practice problem sets/news stories 10% Completion of graded problem sets/experiments 10% Grade on graded problem sets 20% Midterm 1 20% Midterm 2 30% Final Exam For students who show dramatic improvement, the instructor or your TA may, at their discretion, alter these weights. D. Practice Problem Sets Before each lecture, students are required to read the relevant chapter of the text and complete an online, practice problem set. These problem sets are not graded on content, but are required. 10% of the final grade is determined by the percentage of these problem sets that are completed. These problem sets are computerized and must be completed by 11:45 p.m. the night before lecture. Economics 100A page 2 of 4The goal of these problem sets is to ensure that students are prepared for lecture and to allow the lecture to focus on material that students find more confusing. E. Graded Problem Sets Each week, students will be assigned a graded problem set covering the material from lectures that week. These questions cover the same material as the practice problem sets, but may be more challenging. Your grade will reflect both how many of these problem sets you complete and how well you do. These problem sets are computerized and must be completed by 11:45 p.m. on Sunday night each week. These problem sets may also include short answer questions which must be answered on a separate sheet of paper and handed to your GSI in section. Aplia also includes supplemental news readings. These are current, real-world examples that tie into the course material. When these readings appear, students are expected to read them and answer the accompanying questions by the assigned date. These readings will be considered additional problem sets and affect your grade accordingly. F. Experiments At various times throughout the semester, we will run on-line experiments through Aplia. These experiments are designed to demonstrate concepts from lecture. Participation is required and will be counted as an additional practice problem set. We will provide details before the first experiment. G. Exams There will be two midterms in this course, each worth 20% of the final grade. These will be in-class exams on February 17 and April 7. The final exam is worth 30% of the final grade. Each exam covers the material covered up to the date of that exam. H. Sections Sections meet twice weekly. Sections serve two primary goals. First, they provide students a forum to dig more deeply into problem areas. Your GSI will see the distribution of practice and graded problem set scores on Aplia and will work through examples that students are struggling with and answer
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