UNIVERSITY OF OTTAWA
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS
COURSE INFORMATION AND SCHEDULE
ECO 2145 - Microeconomic Theory II
Fall 2014
Professor:
Office:
9005C
Telephone:
email:
Vicky Barham
120 University Private,
schedule:
562-5800 ext. 1419
vbarham@uottawa.ca
Room:
Hagen
M 14:30 - 16:00
Th 16:00 – 17:30
office hours: M 1:00 – 2:30
or by appointment
________________________________________________________________________
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course builds on the ideas introduced in ECO2144. It first considers the impact on
the determination of prices and quantities of departing from the assumption of perfect
competition, and supposing that firms have market power. Subsequently, we explore
the issues of risk and uncertainty, trying to understand how these factors affect decision
making by firms and individuals. Next, we delve into general equilibrium theory, to
understand how markets are inter-related. Finally, we consider the behaviour of
markets when there are externalities or public goods, and show that in such
circumstances market outcomes are generally inefficient.
PREREQUISITES
The prerequisite for this course is ECO2144. If you did not pass Micro I, you will be
automatically deregistered from Micro II. (And, yes, I know that you can re-register, but
you will again be automatically deregistered.)
TEXTBOOK AND WILEYPLUS
The textbook for this course is an online version of Besanko, D., and R. R. Braeutigam,
Microeconomics - Fourth Edition, 2010, integrated with WileyPLUS. WileyPLUS is a web
based tool that provides students with an integrated suite of teaching and learning
resources. Assignments will be delivered electronically and graded in real time via this
online service. Additionally, WileyPLUS will be used to communicate announcements
and post additional material, when needed. Thus, registering for WileyPLUS is required
for this course.
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Note that WileyPLUS does come with an online version of the text, but you may wish
(and I do recommend) that you purchase a hard copy to study from as well.
To access WileyPLUS you will need a registration code. You have three options:
Option 1 (the cheapest): Use the online version of the text that comes with
WileyPLUS. You can go to www.wileyplus.com to purchase immediately or
purchase a registration/access code at the Agora Bookstore (slightly cheaper).
Option 2: Buy a binder ready version of the textbook in the bookstore packaged
with a WileyPLUS registration code.
Option 3: Buy a new textbook in the bookstore packaged with a WileyPLUS
registration code.
GETTING STARTED with WileyPLUS
Once you purchase your WileyPLUS registration code, you will need to register for
WileyPLUS online.
Step 1: Copy and paste our Class Section URL below into your browser.
http://edugen.wileyplus.com/edugen/class/cls341404/
Step 2: Click on the REGISTER button to start.
WileyPLUS Help
Registration Issues:
LIVE CHAT and Technical Support:
Additional Resources:
www.wileyplus.com/register
www.wileyplus.com/support
www.wileyplus.com/studentfdoc
ASSESSMENT METHODS
Components of Final Mark
Evaluation format
Weight
Date
Assignments (on WileyPLUS)
Quizzes (2)
14 %
10%
Midterm
Final Exam
30%
46%
ongoing
September 19;
November 25
October 24
TBD
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IMPORTANT: The classes of November 28 and December 2 are cancelled. These
classes will be made up on Saturday, October 26 – we will have a 3-hour lecture, from
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
ASSIGNMENTS
All assignments will be completed and graded on the WileyPLUS. For each assignment,
(generally, one for each chapter covered) there will be one or two practice assignments
you can try which will give you immediate feedback.
Upcoming due dates for the assignments are indicated in the Assignments section of
WileyPLUS. Please check the website often.
MIDTERMS
The final exam will be cumulative, covering the entire course.
There will be no make-up exams or extra assignments for students who do poorly. There
will be no supplemental final exam.
MISSED EXAMS
The only acceptable reason to miss an exam is illness. If you have legitimate reason for
missing a quiz, midterm or final exam (e.g. sickness), you must notify me AND PROVIDE
A VALID MEDICAL CERTIFICATE within 5 days of the missed exam.
ATTENDANCE
Attendance is not mandatory. Any material covered in class is ‘fair game’ for any quiz,
midterm or final exam. Should you miss a class, it is suggested that you get the missed
notes from a classmate.
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A FINAL WORD
There is no such thing as a dumb question. (Well...at least, there are no dumb questions
about microeconomic theory.) If you don’t understand something, ask me to try again.
If you don’t ask questions, I will assume that my explanations are limpid, and that the
pace and intensity of the course should be stepped up.
And, finally, I love microeconomic theory. I derive tremendous intellectual satisfaction
from studying theoretical models, and understanding how they work. I really hope that,
by the end of the course, you will come to share my passion, and that you will also fall in
love with economic theory. I have my fingers crossed!
Beware of Academic Fraud!
Academic fraud is an act committed by a student to distort the marking of assignments, tests,
examinations, and other forms of academic evaluation. Academic fraud is neither accepted nor
tolerated by the University. Anyone found guilty of academic fraud is liable to severe academic
sanctions.
Here are a few examples of academic fraud:
• engaging in any form of plagiarism or cheating;
• presenting falsified research data;
• handing in an assignment that was not authored, in whole or in part, by the student;
• submitting the same assignment in more than one course, without the written consent of the
professors concerned.
In recent years, the development of the Internet has made it much easier to identify academic
plagiarism. The tools available to your professors allow them to trace the exact origin of a text on the
Web, using just a few words.
In cases where students are unsure whether they are at fault, it is their responsibility to consult the
University’s Web site at the following address:
http://www.socialsciences.uottawa.ca/eng/writing_tools.asp « Tools for Writing Papers and
Assignments ».
Persons who have committed or attempted to commit (or have been accomplices to) academic fraud
will be penalized. Here are some examples of the academic sanctions, which can be imposed:
• a grade of « F » for the assignment or course in question;
• an additional program requirement of between 3 and 30 credits;
• suspension or expulsion from the Faculty.
Last session, most of the students found guilty of fraud were given an « F » for the course and had
between three and twelve credits added to their program requirement.
For more information, refer to:
http://www.uottawa.ca/academic/info/newsletter/fraud_e.html
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Policy on language quality and late submissions
Class attendance is necessary to successfully complete this course.
You will also be judged on your writing abilities. It is recommended to take the appropriate measures to
avoid mistakes such as spelling, syntax, punctuation, inappropriate use of terms, etc. You may be
penalized up to 15%, to the professor’s discretion.
Late submissions are not tolerated. Exceptions are made only for illness or other serious situations
deemed as such by the professor. There will be a penalty for late submissions. University regulations
require all absences from exams and all late submissions due to illness to be supported by a medical
certificate.
Absence for any other serious reason must be justified in writing, to the academic assistants of the
Faculty, within five business days following the date of the exam or submission of an assignment. The
Faculty reserves the right to accept or refuse the reason. Reasons such as travel, jobs, or any misreading
of the examination timetable are not acceptable.
In the case of illnesses, medical certificates are accepted. However, the Faculty who needs additional
information concerning a medical certificate or who wants to verify its authenticity must send it to the
University of Ottawa Health Services (located at 100 Marie-Curie).
A penalty of 5% will be given for each subsequent day following the due date (weekends not included).
This goes for assignments submitted through e-mail as well, and, in this case, the time that the e-mail was
received will be counted as the time of submission of the document.
We suggest that you advise your professor as early as possible if a religious holiday or a religious event
will force you to be absent during an evaluation.
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