Course Syllabus

 

Course Name:  ECON 2106 – Microeconomics (3 hours)

 

Course Number:  CRN 30675  (Spring 2008) Session B

 

Course Description :  This course is an introduction to the basic principles of economics with special emphasis being placed on the microeconomic aspects of our economic system.  We will study the basic principles of economics, demand, supply, price theory, labor analysis, and other operations of a private enterprise economic system.  Specifically, we will delve into an in-depth study of demand and supply, market structure, revenue and cost theory, along with the theory of the firm.

 

Pre-requisites/Co-requisites:  READ 0099, MATH 0090, 0097, 0099

                                                    (Learning Support)

Course Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to :

           

1. Explain the concepts of demand and supply and price determination.

2. Explain consumer and producer behavior.

3. Identify the structure and operation of the output and resource markets.

4. Demonstrate the application of microeconomic analysis in decision-making.

5. Explain the impact of globalization on microeconomics.

__________________________________________________

USG General Education Competencies Related to Economics:

http://www.usg.edu/academics/programs/core curriculum/outcomes.phtml

1.      Communications: Oral and written communication will be characterized by clarity, critical analysis, logic, coherence, persuasion, precision, and rhetorical awareness.

2.       Quantitative Reasoning and Mathematics: quantitative reasoning and mathematics will be characterized by logic, critical evaluation, analysis, synthesis generalization, modeling, and verbal, numeric, graphical, and

3.      Cultural and Social Perspectives: Cultural and social perspective will be characterized by cultural awareness and an understanding of the complexity and dynamic nature of social/political/economic systems; human and institutional behavior, values, and belief systems; historical and spatial relationship; and, flexibility, open-mindedness, and tolerance.

 

College Policy on Class Attendance:

 

Courses at Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College are provided for the intellectual growth and development of students. To attain maximum success, students must attend all their classes, be on time, and attend all scheduled course activities including, but not limited to, field trips, seminars, study sessions, individual conferences, and lectures. This interaction with instructors and other students is an important element of the learning process, and a high correlation exists between class attendance and course grades. A student must understand the importance of regular participation in classroom and laboratory activities. The absence of any student affects not only his or her performance but the performance of the class as a whole. Absence from class, for whatever reason, does not excuse a student from full responsibility for class work or assignments missed. Students must accept this responsibility.

 

Instructors will keep accurate attendance records and must report the individual number of absences with midterm and final grades. Students whose number of unexcused absences is more than twice the number of class meetings per week (the equivalent of two weeks of instruction) will receive a grade of “F” for the course. Fewer absences than twice the number of class meetings per week may result in grade penalties at the discretion of the instructor. Specific attendance requirements applying to labs, clinics, accelerated classes or Learning Support will be adapted to the unique situation by the appropriate division. Final determination of what constitutes an excused absence rests with the classroom instructor. In implementing this Policy, faculty will not include in a student’s unexcused absences those absences incurred due to authorized and approved College sponsored events (or in the case of joint-enrollment students high-school sponsored events) in which the student represents the institution as part of a group or under the direct supervision of a faculty or staff member.

Whenever a student is absent, whether for official or personal reasons, the student must assume responsibility and provide notice to the instructor, preferably in advance, for making arrangements for any assignments and class work missed because of the absence. However, final approval for make up work remains with the individual instructor.

 

A student who stops attending class without officially withdrawing from the course is subject to this attendance policy and will receive a grade of “F” for the course.

At the beginning of each semester, instructors will explain clearly to their students specific attendance requirements (including possible penalties). Additionally, they will publish the attendance policy on their syllabi and web-sites.

 

A student penalized for excessive absences may appeal through the grade appeal process, as stated in ABAC’s college catalog and student handbook.

 

http://www.abac.edu/catalog/2007_2008/AcademicPolicy.pdf

 

 

College Policy on Academic Dishonesty: 

 

Because Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College has the dual responsibility of educating students and helping them mature into worthy citizens who take their place in the larger community, it has adopted a code for dealing with academic irregularities.

 

Academic irregularities include, but are not limited to, giving or receiving of unauthorized assistance in the preparation of any academic or clinical assignment; taking or attempting to take, stealing, or otherwise obtaining in an unauthorized manner any material pertaining to the education process; selling, giving, lending, or

otherwise furnishing to any person any question and/or answers to any examination known to be scheduled at any subsequent date; fabricating, forging, or falsifying lab or clinical results; plagiarism in any form related to themes, essays, term papers, tests, and other assignments; breaching any confidentiality regarding patient information.

 

Due Process for Academic Dishonesty Cases

Step 1. When a faculty member suspects that a student has engaged in academic dishonesty, the faculty member will call the student into a private meeting in the faculty member’s office. (The division chair will be notified of and will approve any action.)

Step 2. The faculty member will confront the student with the evidence of dishonesty and/or academic irregularity. The faculty member and the student will discuss the specifics of what occurred. If the student confesses and accepts responsibility for academic dishonesty, then the faculty member will ask the student to sign in his/her own handwriting, a statement which makes clear that the student admits responsibility for the academic dishonesty. The faculty member will then consult with the division chair. The faculty member is then free to reprimand the student, to give a failing grade for the assignment, or to require the student to resubmit the assignment in question. With approval of the division chair, the faculty member can increase the penalty up to and including a “WF” for the course if the incident(s) merit this severe penalty.

Step 3. If the student refuses to sign a statement accepting responsibility for the act(s) of academic dishonesty, then a full hearing on the matter must be held. The faculty member and chair will document this incident and schedule a meeting with the student. This information will be turned over to the Academic Dean, who will make the determination of charges against the student and notify him/her in writing. The charges will be mailed by the Academic Dean to the student along with a notice to appear at a hearing, and, if the student wishes, to bring witnesses. At least three days’ notice is necessary unless the student waives the notice in writing.

Step 4. If the student requests a hearing, the Academic Dean has the option of hearing the case for administrative adjudication, convening a special hearing panel including faculty and students, or of referring it to the Student Life Hearing panel which handles all other disciplinary matters on campus. The committee will provide its recommendation to the Academic Dean. The Student Life Hearing Panel, when hearing cases of academic dishonesty, will include two faculty members, two students (one of whom will be the SGA president and the other an associate justice,) and the Director of Student Life, who oversees campus discipline and the Code of Conduct. The Chief Justice of the SGA chairs the panel. The Vice President for Student Affairs will serve as advisor to the panel for all academic dishonesty cases. In general, the decision of the Academic Dean or his/her designee will not be appealed to the Student Life Hearing Panel. An appeal of the Dean’s decision will go directly to the President who may choose to use the Student Life Hearing Panel to make a recommendation to him.

Step 5. The student has a right to appeal the decision of the hearing officer or hearing panel within ten calendar days of the decision. The appeal will be to the President or his designee. The President’s decision is final. The President reserves the right to review all disciplinary cases and the judgments made during the process.

 

http://www.abac.edu/catalog/2007_2008/AcademicPolicy.pdf

 

 

If there is a student in this class who has specific needs because of learning disabilities or any other disability, please feel free to contact the instructor.

 

 

 

 

 

PRINCIPLES OF MICROECONOMICS - (ECON 2106)

SRING  SEMESTER  2008

Session B

Abraham Baldwin  Agricultural College

                                                                               

INSTRUCTOR:                                                                     Dr. Jeff Gibbs                                   jgibbs@abac.edu

OFFICE:                                Conger Hall - 118

PHONE:                                Office:  391-4830

OFFICE HOURS:                            8:00 – 9:00 &11:00 –12:00 AM, Monday through Friday                                              Additional hours available by appointment

 

TEXT:  Microeconomics, by McConnell & Brue (17th ed)

WEB PAGE   www.mcconnell17.com

 

Textbooks are a vital, albeit expensive, resource for this class.  If you chose not to read the assigned material before each exam, it will negatively impact your grade.

 

MATERIALS:   Textbook, Graph Paper

 

COURSE PHILOSOPHY:

Although the subject of economics appears complicated, it is actually an essential element of our everyday lives.  Today, we live in a society guided by economic choices and decisions.  An understanding of economics will permit us to understand and appreciate our heritage as well as allow us to evaluate the future potential of our nation's economic growth.  This course is designed to increase the student's general knowledge of economic affairs while arousing a genuine interest and concern for economics in the years ahead.

 

 

 

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

 

This course is an introduction to the basic principles of economics with special emphasis being placed on the microeconomic aspects of our economic system.  We will study the basic principles of economics, demand, supply, price theory, labor analysis, and other operations of a private enterprise economic system.  Specifically, we will delve into an in-depth study of demand and supply, market structure, revenue and cost theory, along with the theory of the firm.

 

.GRADING

Your grade in this class will be based on the following:

 

Major exams (2)                                                      200 points

Quality Checks:

Working papers, Homework, Tutorials                 20 points

Current Events (written & oral)                              30 points

Final Examination                                                   100 points

 

Total Possible Points                                              350 points

 

The grading scale below will determine your final letter grade:

 

A = 313 -350 points

B = 278 - 312 points

C = 243 - 277 points

D = 208 - 242 points

F = Below 207 points

 

 

CURRENT EVENTS

 

Current events are intended to relate what you are learning to things you hear and read in the news.  You will be assigned a topic to research, you will then choose an appropriate article, not more than three weeks old, from a newspaper or magazine.  Write a summary of from 2 to 1 page, applying what you have learned to evaluate and analyze the topic.  On the day current events are due, you will be asked to make a brief oral presentation of your summary to the class.  This should last no longer than two minutes.  Then hand in your summary.  Each current event will be worth 10 points.  You will be required to complete at least 3 current events during the quarter.  Others may be assigned.  Current events must be typed and should not exceed one page, using the outline below.

 

1.         Summary of article

2.         Identification of economic issues

3.         Solutions

a.  Costs

b.  Benefits

.

 

 

EXAM POLICY

 

Students are expected to take all major exams as scheduled.  Major exams will be announced ONE WEEK PRIOR to the EXAM DATE.  Anyone having a conflict with the exam schedule MUST arrange to take the exam prior to the scheduled time.

 

 

QUALITY CHECKS

Short Quizzes and other assignments will  be given randomly throughout the semester.  The week of the short quiz is indicated on the tentative schedule, but the specific day will NOT be announced, and they CANNOT be made up under any circumstances except for school sponsored events.  Extra credit points can be earned in most assignments to offset the effect of unavoidable absences.

 

 

BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION MAJORS BE AWARE:

 

This course is required in Area “F” of the USG core curriculum in Business Administration. A grade of  “C” or better is required for it to transfer to schools of business at senior  colleges within the university system.

 

Keys to Success:      Read the Book & Come to Class

 

Tentative Schedule

                                             (Use primarily as a reading schedule

                                                          and to anticipate tests)

 

 

February 29

March     3

               4

               5

               6

               7

 

Introduction

Chapter 1

     

Chapter 2

      

Chapter 3

 

March    10

              11

              12

              13

              14                      

 

       

Chapter 4

        

Chapter 5

TEST        

 

March    17-21

   March 24

              25

              26

              27

              28      

 

Holiday

 

Chapter 6 First Current Event Due

    

Chapter 7

      

Chapter  8

 

 March   31

  April     1  

              2 Drop without penalty deadline

              3

               4   

Chapter  8

           

Chapter 9   

    

      

      

Chapter 10 

April       7

              8

               9

              10

              11

 

       

        

Chapter 11 Second Current Event Due

       

        

Chapter 12

 

 April      14

              15

              16

              17

              18

 

TEST  

Chapter 13

       

Chapter      14

         

 

April         21

                 22

                 23

                 24

                 25

Chapter     15

        

Third Current Event Due

Chapter 16

        

Chapter 17

April         28

                29

May          1   

                                                   

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

FINAL   8:00 AM