SYLLABUS, SPRING 2014
ECONOMICS 101: INTRODUCTORY MICROECONOMICS
Tuesday, Thursday: 12:30-1:45pm
Professor: Dr. Laura Crispin
Location: 226 Barbelin Hall
CONTACT INFORMATION
E-mail: lcrispin@sju.edu
Telephone: 610-660-1594
Office Address: 107B Barbelin Hall
Office Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10-11:00am and 3:30 - 4:30pm; Wednesdays at
Starbucks, 10:00-11:15am; and by appointment. Supplementary office hours will be
announced in class.
Email policy: I try to return emails as quickly as possible (usually within 24 hours), but
during peak times, it may take me longer to respond.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
As an introductory course in microeconomics, we will be exploring several aspects of
economics related to consumer and firm behavior. The course will begin with an
introduction of economics, markets, and the basics of supply and demand. Then, we will
delve deeper, exploring the individual and firm decision making behaviors that underlie
supply and demand. Finally, we will discuss competition, imperfect markets, and the
markets for resources.
Though there are no official math prerequisites, this course requires a significant amount
of algebra and graphing. Therefore, students are expected to have an understanding of
basic math and algebra, which are essential for this course. Students requiring help in
these areas are encouraged to come to office hours or to use the Learning Resource
Center as a helpful resource for tutoring.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By the end of the semester, students must be able to:
 Understand the assumptions of and differences between competitive and noncompetitive markets
 Use cost-benefit analysis to explain consumer and firm behavior
 Create graphs and explain markets, consumer, and firm behavior through
graphical analysis
 Understand the demand for resources, intuitively and graphically
The practice materials, quizzes, midterms, and final exam will test to see that these
objectives have been met.
Syllabus – Economics 101
Crispin
REQUIRED TEXT
McConnell, Brue, and Flynn, Microeconomics, McGraw-Hill, Create Edition. This can
be purchased through the SJU bookstore only. All readings are in the text and all
readings are required. All readings should be completed prior to class on the date
indicated. You may find the accompanying study guide useful, though it is not required.
There is also an online site for the textbook called Connect. Students are very strongly
encouraged to use Connect as an additional resource for practice materials, and multiple
choice and interactive practice assignments will be posted periodically. Our site can be
found at the following web address:
http://connect.mcgraw-hill.com/class/l_crispin_d01_1230_-_145pm
Many additional course materials will be posted on blackboard, so please login
frequently.
Additionally, students with iPhones, iPads, or Android phones are strongly encouraged to
download the "Socrative" app for use during class (it's free!).
GRADING
Your grade for this course will be based on participation, five quizzes, two midterm
exams, and a final exam. The fraction of the points allocated to each is shown below. Of
the five quizzes, the lowest grade will be dropped. Please note that extra credit is not
given.
Participation
Quizzes (5% each)
Midterm 1
Midterm 2
Final Exam
Grade Breakdown
10%
20%
20%
20%
30%
ATTENDANCE AND PARTICIPATION GRADES
Attendance in the course (showing up every day) IS REQUIRED. Students are allowed
four "unexcused" absences during the semester. Only documented, university-approved
absences will be considered “excused” absences, and the burden is on the student to
provide documentation to the professor in a timely fashion.
The participation portion of the grade is for attending events on campus during the
semester. Students are required to attend any two non-athletic events (e.g., a guest
speaker, a departmental seminar, or an exhibit), provide documentation of their
attendance, and write a one to two page journal entry (via Blackboard) of how the event
relates to economics. The events do not need to be events sponsored by the Economics
Syllabus – Economics 101
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Department - the goal is to attend any events that are interesting to you and to understand
how economics can be found anywhere.
The first event journal must be posted before the first midterm. The second must be
posted before the final exam. Each event attended and journaled is worth 5% of your
final grade. Last submissions will receive a grade of zero. An example will be posted on
Blackboard for your reference.
EXAM POLICIES
You are responsible for all material in the classes and book. The midterm will cover
all chapters introduced before the midterm. The final exam will be comprehensive with
an emphasis on new material. Exams will contain multiple choice and written questions.
Notes are not permitted during the exams, nor are formula sheets. A calculator may
be used, but must be approved by the instructor before the start of the exam. (NO cellphone calculators; NO graphing calculators)
Bring a #2 pencil to all exams.
MAKE UP POLICY
No makeup exams will be provided for the quizzes or midterms. Missed quizzes are
given a grade of zero. If a student misses a midterm for unavoidable and formally
verifiable reasons, their grade from the other midterm will be assigned to both midterms.
Students missing the final for unavoidable and formally verifiable reasons will be given a
makeup exam. Exams missed for avoidable or for unverifiable reasons will be assigned a
grade of 0. I cannot change the date/time of an exam to accommodate students’ travel
plans. Students must plan their end of quarter travel arrangements accordingly
TECHNOLOGY POLICY
Texting, cell phone, and laptop use during class is distracting to your peers and your
professor, and therefore, the use of laptops and cell phones is not permitted during class
EXCEPT when instructed to do so by your professor. Should you need to make a phone
call or send a text message, please do so before or after class. If your texting during class
becomes a distraction, Dr. Crispin reserves the right to ask you to leave the classroom for
the remainder of the lecture.
ACADEMIC HONESTY
Students are expected to be familiar with the SJU Academic Honesty Policy, published
in the Student Handbook and University Catalog
(http://hawkcentral.sju.edu/link/portal/16125/16171/Article/95/Academic-HonestyPolicy) , and to adhere to it at all times. Unauthorized use of notes or assistance during
an exam will result in failure of the assignment.
Syllabus – Economics 101
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Several aspects of academic honesty, from the SJU Academic Honesty Policy, are
outlined below:
" 1. Acts of dishonesty in formal courses
In all courses, except for assignments where the instructor has explicitly directed otherwise, each student
has the responsibility to submit work that is uniquely his or her own. All of this work must be done in
accordance with established principles of academic integrity. Specific violations of this responsibility
include, but are not limited to, the following:
a. cheating, copying, or the offering or receiving of unauthorized assistance or information in
examinations, tests, quizzes, reports, assigned papers, or special assignments, as in computer
programming, studio work, and the like;
b. the fabrication or falsification of data, results, or sources for papers or reports, as in laboratory
reports;
c. any action which destroys or alters the work of another student;
d. the multiple submission of the same paper or report for assignments in more than one course
without the prior written permission of each instructor;
e. plagiarism, the appropriation of information, ideas, or the language of other persons or writers and
the submission of them as one’s own to satisfy the requirements of a course. Plagiarism thus
constitutes both theft and deceit. Compositions, term papers, or computer programs acquired, either in
part or in whole, from commercial sources or from other students and submitted as one’s own original
work shall be considered plagiarism.
All students are directed to the standard manuals of style or reference guides for discussions of
plagiarism and the means by which sources are legitimately acknowledged, cited, quoted, paraphrased,
and footnoted, whether presented in an oral report or in writing.
f. unauthorized collaboration.
g. soliciting or aiding another person or persons to engage in specific conduct which would constitute a
violation or an attempt to commit a violation under this policy."
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
In accordance with state and federal laws, the University will make reasonable
accommodations for students with documented disabilities. For those who have or think
that you may have a disability requiring an accommodation (learning, physical,
psychological) should contact Services for Students with Disabilities, Room G10,
Bellarmine Hall, 610-660-1774 (voice) or 610-660-1620 (TTY) as early as possible in the
semester for additional information and so that an accommodation, if appropriate, can be
made in a timely manner. You will be required to provide current (within 3 years)
documentation of the disability.
For a more detailed explanation of the University’s accommodation process, as well as
the programs and services offered to students with disabilities, please go to
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http://www.sju.edu/int/studentlife/studentresources/sess/ssd/index.html . If you have
difficulty accessing the information on-line please contact Services for Students with
Disabilities at the telephone numbers above.
TUTORING THROUGH THE LEARNING RESOURCE CENTER
The LRC is located on the ground floor of Bellarmine. Tutors are provided for ECON
101 students free of charge. The tutoring schedule will be posted at
http://www.sju.edu/int/studentlife/studentresources/sess/lrc/services/tutoring/tutoringsche
dule.html. Please contact lrc@sju.edu for more information.
TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE
Week One (1/16) – Overview of economics; Chapter 1. Tradeoffs; intro to iPads; Chapter
3: Demand
Week Two (1/21, 1/23): Chapter 3: Supply and Equilibrium
Week Three (1/28, 1/30): Equilibrium (cont'd), Chapter 4: Elasticity
Tuesday, January 28: Quiz #1
Week Four (2/4, 2/6): Elasticity (cont'd); Chapter 5: Market Failure
Week Five (2/11, 2/13): Market Failure (cont'd)
Thursday, February 13: Quiz #2
Week Six (2/18, 2/20): Chapter 6: Utility
SPECIAL EVENT: Screening of "Inequality for All" on 2/20/14 with live webcast by
Dr. Robert Reich following the film. Attendance is very strongly encouraged (see Dr.
Crispin for alternatives if you have a class conflict).
Week Seven (2/25, 2/27): Chapter 6 continued, Midterm #1 Review
Week Eight (3/4, 3/6): Midterm #1 on March 4th; Chapter 6: Costs and Production
Week Nine (3/11, 3/13): No Classes - Spring Break 3/10/14 - 3/16/14
Syllabus – Economics 101
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Week Ten (3/18, 3/20): Costs and Production (cont'd); Chapter 7: Profit Maximization in
the Short Run
Thursday, March 20: Quiz #3
Week Eleven (3/25, 3/27): Chapter 7 (cont’d)
Week Twelve (4/1, 4/3): Chapter 7: Profit Maximization in the Long Run; Midterm #2
Review
Tuesday April 1: Quiz #4
Week Thirteen (4/8, 4/10): Midterm #2 on April 8th; Chapter 8: Monopoly
Week Fourteen (4/15, 4/17): Midterm discussion; Monopoly (cont'd);
Week Fifteen (4/22, 4/24): Chapter 9: Monopolistic Competition, Oligopoly
Tuesday 4/22: Quiz #5
Week Sixteen (4/29): Chapter 9: Oligopoly (cont'd); Review for the final
Construction Day: May 1, 2014 (Monday classes meet on Thursday)
Reading Day: May 6, 2014
Final Exam Week: May 7 - May 13, 2014
Syllabus – Economics 101
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