JACKSON STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

COURSE SYLLABUS

Economics 212 - Principles of Economics II Online

                                                     FALL 2008 Term

 

Instructor:                     Terri Messer, Associate Professor of Economics

Office Location:            Classroom Building #148

Office Phone:                (731) 424-3520  Ext. 326

                                    1-800-355-5722 Ext. 326

Office Fax:                   (731) 425-9552

Campus Email:  tmesser@jscc.edu

Office Hours:                a.  Virtual Office Hours:  As required by students.

                                    b.  On Campus Hours:    As posted on office door.

Course Number:           Economics 212

Course Title:                 Principles of Microeconomics

Level and Credit:          Undergraduate, 3 Semester Hours

 

 

Required Text:      Economics Principles, Applications and Tools

                                    5th edition by O’Sullivan/Sheffrin/Perez including MyEconLab

                                    ISBN:  0-13-223565-X;  You must purchase both the textbook

and MyEconLab access code.

 

 

 

I.  Course Description:

A course providing for an investigation of microeconomic principles and policies.  Emphasis is placed upon analysis of the forces of supply and demand, theories of consumer behavior, production costs, application of marginal analysis and equilibrium theory to price and output decisions of the firm in competitive and noncompetitive markets, resource allocation and principles of international trade and finance.

 

II.  Course Learning Objectives:

This course should help you to:

A.                 better understand the role that prices and markets play in organizing and directing economic activity.

B.                 discover and analyze the economic forces, which guide consumers in their decisions to demand products in the market place.

C.                 interpret the basic revenue and cost concepts, which ultimately direct producers  in their decisions to supply products.

D.                 identify the characteristics of competitive and noncompetitive markets.

E.                  illustrate, with basic economic analysis, the market results of industries operating under both competitive and noncompetitive conditions.

F.                  appraise, in terms of fairness and efficiency, the social consequences, which  evolve under differing degrees of economic competition.

G.                 examine the economic theories that apply to trade between nations.

H.                 perceive the political and economic arguments offered for and against the policy of free trade between nations.

 

III.  Topics To Be Covered and Referenced Text Material:

O’Sullivan Text, 5th Edition Contents Breakdown

Economics 212 – Micro

 

UNIT 1   Introduction and Key Principles

Topic #                                                                                                  Referenced Text Chapter

  1            Introduction: What is Economics?                                                   1

  2            The Key Principles of Economics                                                     2

  3            Demand, Supply, and Market Equilibrium                                       4 & 21*

                And Market Efficiency

  4            Elasticity:  A Measure of Responsiveness                                      20

UNIT 2   A Closer Look at Consumers/Producers

  5            Consumer Choice Using Utility Theory                                           22

  6            Production Technology and Cost                                                     23

UNIT 3    Market Structures

  7            Perfect Competition                                                                             24 

  8            Monopoly and Price Discrimination                                                 25 & 28*

                Controlling Market Power

  9            Monopolistic Competition                                                                 26

10            Oligopoly and Strategic Behavior                                                     27

UNIT 4 The International Economy

  11          Exchange and Markets                                                                        3*

  12          International Trade and Public Policy                                              18

  13          The World of International Finance                                                 19           

                                                                                                                (Note out of sequence chapters)

IV.  Instructor Expectations:

  1. Students will explore the realms of economics through textbook and outside readings, PowerPoint Lectures, MyEconLab assignments, discussion threads, quizzes and unit exams.
  2. Students are expected to follow the course requirements thoroughly using the “Calendar” as your time line.
  3. The "Contents" link will lead you through the specific homework assignments, textbook aided study tools, power point presentations,   topic exam study guides, etc
  4. We will use the elearn (D2L) email medium as our main form of communication.  Each student has a pre-assigned email address, as do I.  Follow   the instructions on the “Communication” icon for further instructions.
  5. I will attempt to respond to all email questions within a 24 hour time frame or sooner.  I will keep virtual office hours this term – any time as needed by the students.  I will, however, be on campus during my posted office hours.

 

V.  Student Requirements:

To be successful in this on-line course, it is imperative you review the following student requirements and realize although you won’t be spending three hours per week in a traditional classroom setting, you will need to spend at least that amount of time fulfilling the course requirements. I actually feel it will take approximately six hours to adequately fulfill each week’s requirements depending upon your reading comprehension level.

  1. Students must remain up to date with the “Calendar”.  This calendar has been formulated to break the entire course down into weekly modules.  If you adhere to this schedule, you should not have any problems successfully completing the course.
  2. I will not accept any assignments, written work or allow quizzes/tests beyond the stated calendar due date.  There will be no exceptions to this rule.  If you foresee AHEAD of time you may have a conflict, I will allow an early assignment submission and/or quiz/test.  You must confirm this information with me at least three week days prior to the original calendar due date.
  3. The “Contents” link has the specific MyEconLab homework assignment links plus the textbook chapter outlines, the topic exam study guides, power point lecture notes, etc.
  4. All of the modules have assignments.  All must be submitted in a timely fashion in accordance with the “Calendar” schedule using the MyEconLab access tool.
  5. Within a few weeks of the course launch, you will be able to view your grades from the on-line Gradebook.  I will advise you when I have the bugs worked out and your scores are posted.  I plan to update this grade book every other week throughout the session.
  6. I will be starting a “Discussion Thread” approximately four times throughout the session.  This thread is intended to focus on a current event   that relates directly to the topic we are covering.  Each student MUST add a thought/overview/opinion to each discussion thread topic.  The content of your statements will determine the overall score on the Discussion section of your grade.  Please use this medium to share with the other members of the class.  It is not imperative we all have the same view on the pertinent topics but that we are capable of active communication on the material.
  7. All of the modules have a quiz requirement.  You must take the on-line quizzes in a timely fashion in accordance with the “Calendar” schedule and as I post them up.  These are timed quizzes, approximately 15 – 20 minutes each.  This should be AMPLE time for you to answer the questions, but remember your time begins when you press the start button and you won’t be able to restart after initiating the quiz.
  8. There will be three unit exams and a comprehensive final exam during this term.  These will be on-line, timed tests with approximately one hour for completion.  Again, don’t begin until you are prepared to complete the exam.

 

VI.  MyEconLab Instructions:

By purchasing a new O’Sullivan textbook, Economics, 5th edition, from the JSCC Bookstore, you received an “Access Code” to an accompaniment study program we will be using this semester:  MyEconLab.  Please follow the directions to “add” yourself to the course I have set up:

Go to http://www.myeconlab.com/; on left hand tool bar, choose New User, Students.  From there follow the directions as prompted inputting your course Access code when requested.  The Author for this text is O’Sullivan; we are using “MyEconLab” (not MyEconLab with Course Compass); enroll in your Eco 212 section _03W___.  You will then be directed to a screen to install a Plug Installation Wizard.  This program is safe and only takes a few moments to install on most systems.  From there, you’ll see my welcome note to you and the Assignment Listing on the right tool bar.  All interactive assignments have specific final due dates, but you have multiple attempts to achieve the correct answer.  Don’t let time run against you on this portion of the class (pay attention to the Calendar) that counts approximately 20% of your overall course average.

***IF YOU CHOOSE TO PURCHASE A USED TEXTBOOK VIA AN ALTERNATE ONLINE RESOURCE, YOU WILL STILL BE REQUIRED TO PURCHASE THE “MY ECON LAB’ ACCESS CODE THE FIRST TIME YOU LOG INTO THAT PROGRAM.  THE COST FOR THE ACCESS CODE ALONE IS APPROXIMATELY $40.  THIS PROGRAM IS REQUIRED TO SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETE ALL ONLINE ASSIGNMENTS, ETC.

 

VII.  Academic Honesty:

Students are expected to conduct themselves at a high level of academic integrity.  A copy of the JSCC Academic Honesty Statement can be found in the current catalog.  Please review and adhere to this policy.

 

VIII. ADA and Honesty Policies

a.        Jackson State will make reasonable accommodations for persons with documented physical, mental or learning disabilities.  Students should notify their instructor and the Coordinator of Disabled Student Serveces – located in the Counseling Office, Room 12 of the Study Union Building – of any special needs.  Instructors should be notified the first week of class.  All discussions remain confidential.

                       b.      Academic Honesty Policy is listed on page 20 of the current Student Catalog and Handbook.

 

 

 

 

 

IX.  Grading Scale:

Economics 212 On-Line Grading Scale for:

 

FALL 2008

 

 

 

 

 

 

The final grade for this course is determined by

 

using four main components for scoring:  unit exams,

 

topic quizzes, MyEconLab assignments and discussion threads

 

The breakdown is as follows:

 

 

 

 

 

 

ITEM

POINTS

ITEM

POINTS

 

 

AVAILABLE

 

AVAILABLE

 

EXAMS:

 

ASSIGNMENTS

 

 

Unit Exam 1:

100

Topic 1

10

 

Unit Exam 2:

100

Topic  2

15

 

Unit Exam 3

100

Topic 3

15

 

Final Comprehensive Exam

120

Topic 4

10

 

TOTAL AVAILABLE

420

Topic 5

15

 

 

 

Topic 6

15

 

 

 

Topic 7

10

 

QUIZZES:

 

Topic 8

10

 

Quiz 1

10

Topic 9

10

 

Quiz 2

15

Topic 10

10

 

Quiz 3

12

Topic 11

10

 

Quiz 4

12

Topic 12

10

 

Quiz 5

12

Topic 13

10

 

Quiz 6

12

TOTAL AVAILABLE

       150

 

Quiz 7

12

DISCUSSION

 

 

Quiz 8

12

 THREADS

 

 

Quiz 9

12

Thread 1

15

 

Quiz 10

10

Thread 2

20

 

Quiz 11

10

Thread 3

20

 

Quiz 12

15

Thread 4

20

 

Quiz 13

11

TOTAL AVAILABLE

75

 

TOTAL AVAILABLE

155

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                    Grading based on 800 total points available.

 

 

Grade Scale:

  Required  Earned Points

 

A = 90% - 100%

                        720

 

B = 80% - 89%

                        640

 

C = 70% - 79%

                        560

 

D = 60% - 69%

                       480