FALL 2008
Principles of Macroeconomics. Updates to the syllabus and any course handouts will be posted on the course WebCT site.
David Boldt dboldt@westga.edu
Office Phone: 678-839-6477
M-F 10:00-12:00 noon and on TTH from 5:00-5:30 pm. I am available at other times by arrangement.
McEachern, William A., MACRO ECON (1st ed.), Southwestern Cengage Learning, 2008-09. Be sure to purchase the book costing $55.99. The textbook website is located at http://4ltrpress.cengage.com/econ. With the book purchase from the bookstore, you will get an access code for this website. I will be assigning material from the website during the semester. Do not buy a used book for this class!
You will also need to purchase an i>clicker for the class costing $20 ($30 less the $10 coupon packaged with the book). Once you get the i>clicker, please register your clicker at www.iclicker.com.
PREREQUISITES:
No course prerequisites but must have a 2.0 overall GPA.
The overall objective of this course is for you to learn basic economic concepts, specifically macroeconomics, and more about the economic system in which we live. To this end, upon completion of the course you should be able to:
Note: A complete list of expected learning goals (LG) for the Economics Department can be found at the department web site (www.westga.edu/~econ/lg_assessments.html).
Grading in the course will be based on your performance on four tests and on class participation. The examinations will be composed of short answer questions based on our class discussions, reading material (text and other readings), and textbook website material. Each of the tests will be worth 30 percent of your grade. I will count the 3 highest test grades in determining your grade. Note: you must take the first test on September 18 or you will be dropped from the class. If you do not take either test 2 or 3, you must take the comprehensive exam. The remaining 10 percent of your grade will be based on your overall participation in the class. A significant portion of the participation grade in the class will be based on in-class clicker quizzes and activities.
Cheating on any exam will result in a zero on the exam, an F in the course and, will be reported to Student Services for appropriate disciplinary action by the University. Using someone else’s clicker in class is also considered to be academic dishonesty for the student owning the clicker as well as for the student using the clicker. Each student is subject to a 10% reduction in their overall course grade for such inappropriate behavior and the action will be reported to Student Services for appropriate disciplinary action by the University. Students not familiar with what constitutes academic dishonesty should refer to the Student Handbook.
Economics 2105 Course Outline, Examination and Assignment Schedule
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Class |
TOPICS |
Assignments |
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1 (8/19) |
Ch. 1 Intro to Course and Economic Analysis |
Read
Ch. 1, view “see it” graphing workshop, ABC News Video and Ask Instructor
videos (1-1, 1-3) |
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2 (8/21) |
Ch. 1 (cont.). Economics
Tools and Economic Systems |
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3 (8/26) |
Ch. 2 Economics Tools and
Economic Systems |
Read
Ch. 2, view “see it” graphing workshop and view Ask Instructor video |
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4 (8/28) |
Ch. 3 Economic Decision
Makers |
Read
Ch. 3 and view Ask Instructor Video |
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5 (9/2) |
Ch. 3 Economic Decision
Makers (cont.) |
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6 (9/4) |
Ch. 4 Demand, Supply and
Markets |
Be
prepared for a Ch. 1-3 quiz (using clickers) on 9/4. Read Ch. 4.
You are also responsible for viewing the Ch. 4 “Ask the Instructor”
video and for viewing the following “See It” graphing tutorials (4-1, 4-2,
4-3, 4-4). |
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7 (9/9) |
Ch. 4 Demand, Supply and
Markets (cont.) |
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8 (9/11) |
Ch. 5 Introduction to
Macroeconomics |
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9 (9/16) |
Ch. 5 Introduction to
Macroeconomics (cont.) |
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10 (9/18) |
Test 1 (Chs 1-5) |
Bring
a scrantron (882-E). The test will cover material
from Chs. 1-5 (up to page 77). Make sure you
practice the interactive quizzes for Chs. 1-5
available on the textbook website. |
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11 (9/23) |
Ch. 5 Introduction to
Macroeconomics (cont.) |
You
are also responsible for viewing the Ch. 5 “Ask the Instructor” videos (5-1
and 5-2). |
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12 (9/25) |
Ch. 6 Productivity and
Growth |
Read
Ch. 6. You are also responsible for
viewing the Ch. 6 “Ask the Instructor” videos (6-1 and 6-2). |
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13 (9/30) |
Ch. 7 Tracking the U.S.
Economy |
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14 (10/2) |
Ch. 7 Tracking the U.S.
Economy (cont.) |
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15 (10/7) |
Ch. 7 Tracking the U.S.
Economy (cont.)/Ch. 8 Unemployment and Inflation |
Read
Ch. 7. You are also responsible for
viewing the Ch. 7 “Ask the Instructor” videos (7-1 and 7-2) |
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16 (10/14) |
Ch. 8 Unemployment and
Inflation (cont.) |
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17 (10/16) |
Ch. 8 Unemployment and
Inflation (cont.) |
Read
Ch. 8. You are also responsible for
viewing the Ch. 8 “Ask the Instructor” videos (8-1 and 8-2) |
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18 (10/21) |
Ch. 9 Aggregate Expenditure |
Read Ch. 9 |
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19 (10/23) |
Ch. 10 Aggregate
Expenditure and Aggregate Demand (only pp. 147-150) |
Read pp. 147-150 in Ch. 10 |
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20 (10/28) |
Test II (Chs. 6-10) |
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21 (10/30) |
Ch. 11 Aggregate Supply |
Read Ch. 11 |
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22 (11/4) |
Ch. 12 Fiscal Policy |
Read Ch. 12 |
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23 (11/6) |
Ch. 13 Federal Budgets and
Public Policy |
Read Ch. 13 (but focus on
notes) |
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24 (11/11) |
Ch. 14 Money and Financial
System |
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25 (11/13) |
Ch. 14 Money and Financial
System (cont.) |
Read Ch. 14 |
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26 (11/18) |
Ch. 15 Banking and Money
Supply |
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27 (11/20) |
Ch. 15 Banking and Money
Supply (cont.) |
Read Ch. 15 |
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28 (11/25) |
Ch. 19 International
Finance |
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29 (12/2) |
Ch. 19 International
Finance (cont.) |
Read Ch. 19. Also know how to read the exchange rate
table that was handed out in class. |
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30 (12/4) |
Test III (Chs. 11, 12, 13,
14, 15 and 19) |
I will post the grade for
Test III and your grade for the course (not counting the final) on the WEBCT course
site by 5:00 pm on Sunday, Dec. 7. |
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12/9 |
Final Examination (comprehensive) |
I will be available in my
office (Rm. 38) on Monday, Dec 8 from 9 am until 12 noon to talk about the
final, grades etc. |