Heartland Community College
SOCIAL AND BUSINESS SCIENCES
Course Syllabus for Students
Course Prefix and Number:
Course Title:
ECON 101-05
SPRING 2011
Principles of Microeconomics
Credit Hours: 3
Lecture Hours: 3
Laboratory Hours: 0
Days and times the course meets: TR 2:00-3:15
ICN 2302
Introduction:
This is an introductory class to microeconomic theory. The essence of microeconomics is to
explain the decision making of individuals as they are faced with the reality of resource scarcity.
More specifically, it studies the decision making of individuals in a household or business
environment.
Catalog Description:
Microeconomics, including utility, supply and demand, and product and resource pricing with
specific emphasis on associated problems of American economy. This course is a prerequisite for
ECON 102. Prerequisite: MATH 096, MATH 099, or equivalent.
Instructor Information:
Instructor Name: Hal Wendling
Phone number to contact instructor: (309) 268-8577
Instructor e-mail address: HAL.WENDLING@heartland.edu
Location of instructors office: ICN 2013
Hours and days of instructors office hours:
MTWR 12:30-1:45
And by appointment
Textbook:
Required:
Edwin G. Dolan (2010) Economics, Redding, CA BVT Textbooks
4th ed.
bvtpublishing.com is the website for the textbook. It offers practice exams for each
chapter and other information which may help you with your exam performance. There
will be an extra credit homework assignment for each exam. More information about the
extra-credit assignments are found elsewhere in this syllabus.
Relationship to Academic Development Programs and Transfer:
This course fulfills 3 of the 9 semester hours of credit in Social Sciences required for the A.A. or
A.S. degree. This course should transfer as part of the General Education Core Curriculum
described in the Illinois Articulation Initiative to other Illinois colleges and universities
participating in the IAI. However, students should consult an academic advisor for transfer
information regarding particular institutions. Refer to the IAI web page at www.itransfer.org for
more information.
HCC Portal
Just a reminder that to access WebCT, IRIS, and your Heartland Student Email, you will need to log into
myHeartland, at https://my.heartland.edu.
Beliefs:
Academic Discipline:
Economics.
Student Learning:
Responsibility shared with instructor.
Instructor’s Role:
My full-time job is helping you in the educational process. That means I am available to
talk to you about this course or anything else that directly or indirectly concerns your
education at Heartland. If you need help or have concerns that can’t be handled in class,
then see me after class, during my office hours, or make an appointment. Don’t let
yourself fall behind.
COURSE/LAB OUTLINE:
The following topics are to be covered during the instructional process:
The Nature of Economics
Scarcity and Trade Offs
Supply and Demand
Policies Affecting Supply and Demand
Demand and Supply Elasticity
Consumer Choice Theory
Producer Theory
Pricing and Output under Perfect Competition
Pricing and Output for Monopolies
Monopolistic Competition and Oligopoly
Forms of Business and Stocks and Bonds
Antitrust Legislation
Labor Demand and Supply
Labor Legislation
Rent, Interest and Profits
Methods of Instruction: The class will primarily operate with a lecture/discussion format.
There will be relatively heavy use of overheads and possibly some videos. Although class
participation is not graded, student participation in questions and discussions is designed to
prepare you for the exams. Whether you participate mentally will play a significant part in your
learning the material and thus, your grade.
Letter grades will be based on the percentage of points earned in the course in accordance with
the following scale:
A = 90%-100%
B = 80%-89%
C – 70%-79%
D = 60%-69%
F = Below 60%
Course Policies:
Method of Evaluation (Tests/Exams, Grading System):
Exam/Writing assignment #1
150 pts
#2
200 pts
#3
200 pts
#4
200 pts
Final 250 pts *
*The final exam is mandatory and comprehensive.
Attendance:
Students are expected to be at every class and on time. Class begins at 2:00. You will be
allowed two (2) absences without penalty. Your third, fourth, and fifth absence will cost you
five (5) points. Your sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth will be cost you ten (10) points per
absence. If you are absent 10 or more times, you will receive an “F” in the course. You will
be allowed one (1) tardy without penalty. Every tardy after the first, you will be penalized 5
points. I reserve the right to lock the door at 2:00 or shortly thereafter if tardiness by
members of the class gets excessive. Students with no absences or tardies will earn bonus
points. You don’t need to notify me of any upcoming absences. I don’t distinguish between
excused and unexcused absences. However, if you have some special situation or needs,
please discuss these things with me. Incompletes: Only given under extraordinary
circumstances. This is solely at the discretion of the instructor according to the Heartland
Community College guidelines.
Make-up of tests and assignments:
NO MAKEUP EXAMS. You will receive a zero on any exam you miss unless you have an
excused absence. If you are excused from an exam, the weight of the final exam will be
increased by the point value of the exam you missed. In addition, should you be excused
from an exam you will have a 1-2 page written assignment due in order to have those points
assigned to the final. This is not your choice! The instructor will decide the validity of your
excuse.
Student Conduct:
- Any form of cheating will not be tolerated.
- Lectures and class discussions may not be recorded.
- No eating or sleeping in class.
- Students are responsible for all readings and material covered in class
- Turn off your cell phone during class/cell phones not allowed as calculators for exams
- No lap-top computers
- No hats worn on test days
NOTE: The penalty for the above violations can range from a friendly verbal warning to
dismissal from a class session or dismissal from the course.
Class Cancellations: Usually the instructor will be able to notify you if any future classes are
to be cancelled. All HCC class cancellations should be listed on the HCC website. Go to
http://heartland.edu/classCancellations if in doubt.
Syllabi disclaimer:
You will be notified of any changes to this syllabus. If an exam or assignment is due during a
class period when class is cancelled, the new exam or due date is the next scheduled class period.
Course Calendar:
Date
Chapters Covered
Exam #1
R
2/3
1-3
Exam #2
R
3/3
4,5,8
Exam #3
R
4/7
9,10,11,12
Exam #4
R
4/28
13,15,16
FINAL*
T
5/10 2:00
All of the above + (possibly Chap. 6)
And class lecture
Although it is extremely difficult to plan a day by day calendar because of the large number of
variables present in teaching various classes, I am required to provide a weekly calendar for this
course. Please keep in mind this weekly calendar is subject to revision at any time. The numbers
on the right represent chapters from the text. Always keep in mind other non-text provided
material is likely to be presented in class.
Week 1 - Intro and 1
2 - 1,2
3 - 2,3
4 - 3, exam #1
5 - return exam, 4
6 - 4,5
7 - 5,8
8 - 8, exam #2
9 - Spring break
10 - return exam, 9
11 - 9,10
12 - 10,11
13 - 12, exam #3
14 - return exam, 13
15 - 13,15
16 - 16, exam #4
17 - return exam, wrap-up, review
18 - Final
EXTRA-CREDIT – For each of exams 1-4, go to the textbook website and take one practice
quiz from each of the chapters covered for that particular exam. Print each quiz, staple
once in the upper left hand corner and put your name in the upper right hand corner. You
can earn up to 10 extra-credit points if this is done. You will lose points for not following
any of the above instructions. These will be collected immediately before the class begins
taking the “real” exam. Late will not be accepted. Although the bonus points may help
your grade, the real benefit will be the practice in taking an exam.
Outcomes
Demonstrate a knowledge of the concepts of
scarcity, choice, and efficiency
Demonstrate a knowledge of supply and
demand theory, functioning of markets, and
price, cross-price, and income elasticities
Demonstrate a knowledge of consumer
choice/utility theory
Demonstrate a knowledge of producer theory,
the relationship between a firm’s inputs and
outputs, and a firm’s short-run and long-run
costs and revenues
Demonstrate a knowledge of price and output
determination for firms under four different
market structures—perfect competition,
monopoly, monopolistic competition, and
oligopoly—including antitrust regulations
Demonstrate a knowledge of the functioning
of labor markets
Demonstrate a knowledge of income
distribution and income equality/inequality
Interpret data and graphs
General
Education
Outcomes
CT2
PS2
CO2
DI2
CT2
Range of Assessment
Methods
Writing Assignments,
Exams, Quizzes, Discussion
Writing Assignments,
Exams, Quizzes, Discussion
Writing Assignments,
Exams, Quizzes, Discussion
Writing Assignments,
Exams, Quizzes, Discussion
Writing Assignments,
Exams, Quizzes, Discussion
CT3, PS3
Writing Assignments,
Exams, Quizzes, Discussion
Writing Assignments,
Exams, Quizzes, Discussion
Writing Assignments,
Exams, Quizzes, Discussion