AP® Macroeconomics
Keith Roy
Keithmroy@Kisd.org
AP® Macroeconomics is a one-semester, college-level course. The class is rigorous and
demanding, it will require that you digest information and then apply knowledge to solve
problem sets. Each student is expected to take the AP® Macroeconomics Exam that is
administered in May. Successful achievement on the AP® Exam allows the student to earn three
hours of college credit.
AP® Macroeconomics emphasizes economic principles as applied to the economy as a whole.
Topics discussed will reflect the material included in the booklet AP® Economics Course
Description from the College Board. Lessons include an analysis of national income and its
components, economic indicators, inflation and unemployment, money and banking,
stabilization policies, and the United States and world trade.
Reading
Todd Buchholz, New Ideas from Dead Economists, New York: Plume, 1999.
ISBN:#978-0-452-28844-7 .
Main text: McConnell, Campbell and Stanley Brue. Economics, 19th ed., McGraw-Hill/Irwin,
2012
I also refer to N. Gregory Mankiw, Principles of Macroeconomics. 4th ed.
(Cincinnati: South-Western, 2007), plus William J. Baumol and Alan S. Blinder,
Macroeconomics-Principles and Policy, 10th ed. (Cincinnati: South-Western,
2006), and some of the online resources associated with Campbell R. McConnell
and Stanley L. Brue, Macroeconomics, 16th ed. (New York: McGraw Hill, 2005).
Workbook
National Council on Economic Morton, John. Advanced Placement Economics Macroeconomics
Student Activities, 3rd ed. New York: Education, 2003. Most of the activity sheets come from
this book.
Additional Readings
Selected readings from:
Wall Street Journal
Magazine articles
http://cafehayek.com/
http://www.marketwatch.com/
Khan Academy is a great resource for help in this class:
www.khanacademy.org/
Timed Response
In order to prepare the students for the Timed Response portion of the AP®, you will be given
practice timed writings throughout the semester, 5 per six week period. In the beginning they
will be 12 minutes long. After the first 6 week period they will move to 30 minutes and then 45
minutes in length. The timed responses will assess your ability to evaluate and apply the
materials learned throughout the semester. It is essential that you incorporate appropriate
economic models as part of the explanation. They are cumulative starting with the 2nd 6 week
period. At the end of the grading period, the lowest Timed Writing score is dropped and the
other four are added together to count as 20% of your grade. These are generally given on
Wednesday.
Format of the Course
A considerable amount of instruction will be in the form of lecture/discussion. To participate
effectively, you must keep up with reading. Likewise, you are responsible for making
arrangements for the information missed when you are absent, whether it was a lecture or a
handout. A loose-leaf notebook or a large spiral with pockets is highly recommended to
maintain control of notes and homework assignments. Grading in this course will include two
test scores per six weeks. Writing answers to free-response questions is an integral part of this
course from the first week. The remaining points will be from homework, open-note quizzes.
You may use your own notes from class and/or notes from your book. These quizzes will count
as 10% of your grade. If you are having trouble, I will be available for tutoring on Thursday and
possibly on Tuesdays with advance notice.
You may retake any failed test, quiz or timed writing during the six weeks for up to 70%.
The only requirement for tests is that they be retaken within a given timeframe, usually a week
and attend a tutorial beforehand. The original and retest/quiz with be averaged and cannot
exceed 70 %. I reserve the right for retesting to either give the same exam or an alternate exam
covering the same material and it may include a combination of multiple choice, short answers
and graphs. The timed writing may or may not be the same but it will cover the same material.
You may retake a timed writing within two weeks after the date the Timed Writing was given. If
you work hard and take advantage of retakes you should be able to make a good grade in the
course and be well prepared for the AP test.
Grading Summary:
Tests
Timed Writing
Open Note Quizzes /Daily
70%
20%
10%