COURSE SYLLABUS: PLEASE
SAVE. YOU ARE
RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MATERIAL CONTAINED IN THIS DOCUMENT. ANY
CHANGES WILL
BE ANNOUNCED IN CLASS. IF YOU MISS ANY CLASS FIND OUT IF ANY
CHANGES HAVE
BEEN MADE FROM A FELLOW STUDENT. CHANGES WILL ONLY BE ANNOUNCED
ONCE.
Economics 102, 71094
Fall
2008, Palomar College
T-Th, 6-9pm
Instructor: Bill O'Connor
Office Hours: By
appointment Web
site: www.oocities.org/ecoart2k
Email: econ@live.com
Please do not use my
Palomar email
In any email the subject should include what class you are from, like
USMC Micro.
*Emails are for appointments and
emergencies. ALL OTHER ISSUES SHOULD BE
HANDLED IN
CLASS.
This course has a Blackboard component. You should go to the Palomar College Homepage and click on Online Students at the top. If you are unfamiliar with Blackboard, at Palomar, then read the directions about how to login. Once you sign on you will see our course and click on it. Read the Announcement page and take a look around the site. Please read the Syllabus, which is required reading. You will see many advantages in using this system as a supplement to our course. Further, your email will have to be correct on this system, in case I need to inform you of any news.
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Welcome to the Fall Semester and
microeconomics
at Palomar College. Microeconomics, commonly called micro, looks
at the
notion of choice by economic agents. Economic agents being
consumers,
firms and the government. Major topics in micro include: production
possibilities, opportunity cost, supply and demand, elasticity, market
structure and trade. This course transfers to UC,
Textbooks and Materials:
Required: "Principles of Microeconomics": By Case and Fair, 8th ed. Bring a #2 pencil, a Scantron form (that has 50 questions on each side, a small pocket dictionary and a calculator to each exam.
*I
do not allow
students to share dictionaries and calculators during an exam.
Examinations and Grading:
The course grade will be based on three examinations (two midterms and a final). You have an option to take one of the first two midterms over again on the class meeting before the final (12/16/08), if time is a problem they will be available on Blackboard. You can use this option to try and better your first score on an exam, or, to make up an exam that you missed. YOU CAN NOT TAKE TWO EXAMS. THEREFORE, IF YOU MISSED AN EXAM YOU CAN NOT USE THIS OPTION TO IMPROVE THE SCORE OF A PREVIOUS TEST, BUT SIMPLY TO MAKE UP A MISSING EXAM. What if you have commitments during the term that require missing an exam? Can you have exams individually scheduled to meet your needs? NO! Use the option above. These makups may be available on Blackboard near the end of the course. Be sure and check the Blackboard site at least twice a week during the last two weeks of the term, there could be important information announced.
WHAT
IF YOU TAKE
AN EXAM OVER TO IMPROVE A PREVIOUS TEST SCORE AND YOU SCORE
The final will be a comprehensive exam. It will also include an essay.
**You may not refer to any unauthorized materials or interact with any other students during an exam. Students are allowed to bring one three by five inch card to each exam, hand written only, which you can cram with any information that you want on the front and back.
I grade on the standard scale, i.e., 100% to 90% = A, 89% to 80% = B, 79% to 70% = C, 69% to 60% = D and 59% and below = F. I take the points you earned and divide that by the total points possible, and I do round by convention. What happens if you score just one point away from a higher grade? Nothing! Can you get that one extra point? No! Well, what about some extra credit then? If there are extra credit assignments it will be available to all students who in attendance at the time the assignment is given. Further, to receive extra credit you must attend the full class when the extra credit is due.
I reserve the right to curve the grades if less than 30% of the class is in the A/B range. If no one gets an A and 30% of the class has a B, then there will be no curve. I will not know if there will be a curve until I see the final numbers at the end of the term. The best way for you to think about it is assume the curve does not exist, because I have not had to use one in quite awhile.
When filling out your scantron form during an exam you might experience eraser problems. This is where the scantron machine can misread. To guard against this: you must circle the QUESTION NUMBER on your Scantron form for any row with an eraser problem. Please do not circle your answer choice, just circle the question number. If you fail to circle the question number and an error occurs -- no credit will be given.
Attendance:
If you do miss a class, or part of a class, remember that you are responsible for what is said in class. I encourage you to get the phone numbers of people sitting around you, so that you can find out what is going on in class. This could be helpful information if you had the urge to start a study group. If you decide to quit coming to class, please remember to drop yourself and not assume this will be done for you.
There is something you should know about leaving class early -- I consider it rude. I am talking about leaving class while it is underway. If you leave class while it is in session, you will lose any and all extra credit and if you do it twice you will be dropped. Exceptions: If you have a reason for leaving early clear it with me before class. If you are sick, using the rest room or getting a drink and return to class there is no problem.
Cheating, Plagiarism & Grades of "I" or "W"
Anyone caught cheating or plagiarizing will be given a zero for the exam or writing assignment. IMPORTANT NOTE: I have never approved a request for "I" grades, or, "retroactive W" grades.
Class Etiquette
Try to be on time, but if you do come in late, please take a seat without interrupting the class. Remember to respect the rights of others when you choose to carry on a conversation during class. If you interrupt the class, I may ask you to take it outside. If this happens a second time, you will be dropped.
The most important days to be on time are the day of the exam and the day the exams are returned. If you are more than a half-hour late for the exam, or a student has already finished in less than a half-hour, then you will not be allowed to take the exam.
When exams are returned, I do this at the beginning of class and then proceed to go over the test. I do not interrupt the class to hand back an exam to everyone that comes in late, so if you do come in late, you can pickup your exam at the break.
The classroom is a cell phone free zone-THEY ARE NOT TO BE SEEN IN CLASS. Once you come into the classroom cell phones can not be used or out in the open. If your cell phone goes off in class then you will not be eligible for extra credit. If it goes off a second time you will be dropped.
Keep Track of Your Grade
You will be handed all your original work back, please save it all until you are satisfied your grade was computed correctly. If you believe I made a mistake computing your grade, leave a message and I will make arrangements to see you. Bring all your graded material and if I made an error, I would be glad to change it. During the semester, please do not ask to see my grade book to check your grade. Furthermore, since everything is returned to you promptly, you should know your own grade, because you can verify it on the Balckboard system.
In case of an emergency you may need to turn in your scantrons again so that I can verify the grade record. You are responsible for saving the original copy.
Sometimes, even before all the exams are taken, students will ask me to speculate on what their course grade might be? I feel that these powers of prediction are beyond my scope. I have no known connection to "The Psychic Network," though I could use an easy, highly paid part-time job.
INSTRUCTOR RESPONSIBILITIES:
I pledge to act in a professional manner by: starting the class on time; treating people in a respectful manner; presenting the material in a clear and logical manner; by answering all relevant questions, to the best of my ability, that would clarify any issue of course content; to be clear about what material will be on the exams; to give all students the same access to information: to make the course as interesting as possible; and above all, to be consistent and fair. Do not be afraid to challenge me with relevant questions on content, or, to point out a mistake I have made -- I'm human. If I can not take the challenge, then I'm not worth the money you paid. I enjoy what I do because of the challenge, and if I need to strengthen an area, this how I find out how to improve. You are my client, and without students I wouldn't have a job.
Additionally, I feel it is my job to simplify the material given in the text, otherwise you could simply read the book. So, my presentation will be different, in terms of style, than the textbook. The textbook presentation will typically be more formal. In both cases the theory presented will be the same. I test you on being able to identify, or apply that theory to a set of circumstances that will be different than the examples given by the book, or myself. You can assume that the style of the exam will be formal. PLEASE REVIEW THE PRACTICE EXAMS BEFORE TAKING THE ACTUAL TEST!
Miscellaneous
If you would like your grades early
please bring
a self addressed stamped envelope (include
something I can write on), or postcard, and give it to me on
the day
of the final. I do
not send grades or
test scores by email! You can see them on
Blackboard.
WEB SITE
On the web: Class Notes, Practice Exams, Exam Reviews and Economic Links.
The practice exams are never guaranteed to always be 100% accurate, because of computer glitches. Use these at your own risk. All practice exams labeled "A" are exams I have given before, and will be fairly close to your exam.
Exam Reviews are password
protected.
The passwords will be given out in class as a reward for
attendance. The
passwords will only be valid for maybe 24 hours, so you should access
the
information in a timely manner. If you don't come to class you
will lose
the opportunity to gain access.
Course Outline
Life is uncertain, so this schedule is tentative. If changes are necessary, they will be announced during class.
* EXAM DATES WILL BE ANNOUNCED AT LEAST ONE WEEK IN ADVANCE
Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 15, 17(pp 378-379) & 18: Midterm I
Chapters: 5, 7, 8 & 9 : Midterm II
12/16/08 OPTIONAL EXAM, (if time is a problem this exam will be given on Blackboard)
Chapters: 7 (pp 143-149) 12, 13 & 14 FINAL= > Thursday, 12/18 in the Pot Shack, from 6-8:50pm.
$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$HAVE A PROFITABLE SEMESTER $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$