Univ. of Maryland, College Park
Department of Economics
Dr. Erin Moody
Fall 2015
Course Description and Objectives: This course introduces students to the terminology and analytic principles used in microeconomics and to the application of these conceptual tools to a broad range of policy issues. We will analyze the decisions of buyers and sellers and their interactions in markets. We will also explore how different market structures can shape economic results, and how markets can sometimes (but not always) help society achieve desirable outcomes.
By the end of the semester, each student should be able to accurately:
(i) use microeconomic terminology,
(ii) apply basic microeconomic principles of analysis to explain how markets function,
(iii) explain fundamental issues underlying the wide range of topics addressed by microeconomics, and
(iv) identify and offer initial assessments of policy options available to governments that want to influence economic outcomes.
The course includes pre-lecture activities conducted online, classroom lectures, online homework, and inclass exams.
Pre-requisites: Students must have already taken MATH 110 OR placed into MATH 111 or higher.
Instructor’s Contact Information
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Office: Tydings 3127B
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E-mail: Moody@econ.umd.edu
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
Office Hours: Office hours will be announced weekly on ELMS
Class Sessions: o Tuesdays and Thursdays 11:00am – 12:15pm in Tydings 0130 o When announced, Fridays 11:00am – 11:50am in Tydings 0130
Teaching Assistants: Contact information and office hours for Teaching Assistants (TAs) will be posted on the course website (see below) by the end of the second week of class.
Course Website: You must use your directory ID and password to access www.elms.umd.edu
. Copies of this syllabus, your grades, and many other relevant materials will be made available through the course website.
Email: The University has adopted email as the primary means of communication outside the classroom, and
I will use it to inform you of important announcements. Students are responsible for updating their current email address via http://www.testudo.umd.edu/apps/saddr/ AND for paying attention to messages I send to the class. Failure to check email, errors in forwarding email, and returned email due to “mailbox full” or
“user unknown” problems will not excuse a student from missing announcements or deadlines.
You are encouraged to contact me by email at Moody@econ.umd.edu, and I will do my best to respond within 36 hours, even on the weekends . Please include ECON200 in the subject line , so that I can quickly distinguish your message from spam or other less important matters. I can respond more effectively if you include your name and any previous messages we have exchanged in every message you send to me.
Textbooks and other items to purchase:
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Univ. of Maryland, College Park Dr. Erin Moody
Department of Economics

The text for the class is Microeconomics by Dean Karlan and Jonathan Murduch packaged with access to Connect . Connect is an online package providing access to the textbook and all the homework assignments (LearnSmart and problem sets). Information is posted on the ELMS course website on how to get started with these products.
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Scientific Calculator. The use of cell phones and/or graphing calculators is prohibited during exams.
You may use either a 4-function or scientific calculator. A small number of calculators will be available to borrow during the exam, but it is recommended that you bring your own.

We will be using clickers in class as an extra credit opportunity. Note that physical clicker devices are no longer compatible with the software used at UMD. If you already have a physical clicker, you can receive a full rebate for the cost if you purchase the software license that is now required. See http://clickers.umd.edu/students/getting-started-students for more information about obtaining and using a clicker in class.
Grades and Assignments: Your grade will be determined by your performance on homework, class activities, and three exams. Each type of graded activity contributes a specific weight to the calculation of your final grade as indicated below.
LearnSmart:
Problem sets:
1 st Midterm exam:
2 nd Midterm exam:
10%
15%
25% (major scheduled grading event)
25% (major scheduled grading event)
Final exam:
Total:
25% (major scheduled grading event)
100%
LearnSmart assignments and problem sets are available on Connect.
Clicker questions will be used as extra credit toward your problem set grade. Each correct clicker answer will be worth 1 point, and each incorrect answer will be worth 0.5 point. Some class periods will have many clicker questions. Others may have none.
I will use standard rules for rounding when assigning letter grades for the class. So, for example, I will round
87.50 to 88 and 87.49 to 87.
Your letter grade for the course will be based on the weighted average of your grades on the five components of the class. I plan to use the following curve:
98 – 100
92 – 97
90 – 91
88 – 89
82 – 87
80 – 81
78 – 79
72 – 77
70 – 71
60 – 69
A+
A
A-
B+
B
B-
C+
C
C-
D
F Below 60
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Univ. of Maryland, College Park
Department of Economics
Dr. Erin Moody
Grading Policies:
Regarding academic integrity and deadlines/exam dates: The University of Maryland has a nationally recognized Code of Academic Integrity administered by the Student Honor Council. You are responsible for upholding this code as you complete assignments and take exams. You can make yourself aware of the consequences of cheating, fabrication, facilitation, and plagiarism by reading http://osc.umd.edu/OSC/StudentsInfo.aspx
In terms of the Code of Academic Integrity, LearnSmart assignments, problem sets, and clicker questions are deemed “open book, open notes”, which means you are welcome to use the textbook and other course material as you work, and you may ask classmates and TAs for assistance. In contrast, exams will be closed book events. Any suspected violation of the Code of Academic
Integrity during exams will be referred to the Student Honor Council.
LearnSmart assignments must be completed before the first class starts on each topic (with the exception of
Chapter 1). All deadlines for LearnSmart and Connect assignments will be displayed on the Connect website . PLEASE PAY CAREFUL ATTENTION TO DUE DATES and TIMES for the homework assignments!
LearnSmart assignments allow you unlimited attempts to answer the questions correctly. Your score will be displayed in the upper right corner of the assignment. Once you reach 100%, you are finished.
Connect Problem Set assignments will be due on Sunday after the material is covered in class. On these assignments, you will have three attempts to solve each problem. The second and third attempts will each cost you 5 percentage points. I will use your highest score in your grade. Thus, if your second and third attempt scores are lower than your first attempt score, I will keep the first attempt score.
Due dates for LearnSmart and Problem Set assignments will be posted on the Connect website. The due dates will not be posted on ELMS.
Plan ahead to complete assignments BEFORE the deadlines. If you wait until too close to the deadline, you will not succeed in this course.
LearnSmart and Connect assignments cannot be made up . Lack of internet connection, illness, or other circumstances will not excuse you from an assignment. However, I recognize that there are circumstances beyond your control that may prevent you from completing the occasional assignment. For this reason, I will drop the lowest three LearnSmart assignments and the lowest three Connect Problem Sets from your grade.
(If you have an extended illness or other extenuating circumstances that prevent you from completing a large number of assignments, please contact Dr. Moody as soon as you know you will be missing class, and extensions may be granted for some of the missed assignments.)
Like LearnSmart and Connect, there are no “excused” absences from clicker points.
Your scores for clicker questions, problem sets, and exams will be posted in ELMS as soon as possible, usually within one week. Emailing Dr. Moody to ask when grades will be posted will not speed up the process

Disputes about scores for any individual assignments must be addressed via email to Dr. Moody within one week of that score’s posting, or else the score will stand as originally posted.
The format of exams will be a combination of multiple choice and problems to solve. As stated above, exams are “closed book” events – use of notes and interaction with classmates are both prohibited. The first midterm is scheduled for Thursday, October 8th in class, and the second midterm will take place in class on
Tuesday, November 10th. Both midterm exams will take place in Tydings 0130, same as class. The final
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Univ. of Maryland, College Park
Department of Economics
Dr. Erin Moody exam will be cumulative and is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 18th, from 6:30-8:30 PM. The location of the exam will be announced later in the semester.
All three exams are designated as “major scheduled grading events”. Students are required to take all three.
Make-up exams will be granted only to those students whose excuse complies with University policy. The four valid excuses according to University policy are: illness (of student or a student’s dependent), religious observance, participation in University events at the request of University authorities, and compelling circumstances beyond your control. University policy requires that you provide appropriate documentation before you can be considered eligible for a make-up exam. See http://www.umd.edu/catalog/index.cfm/show/content.section/c/27/ss/1584/s/1540 for more detail on the
University’s policy regarding attendance and assessments. If you miss an exam and cannot document a valid excuse, your grade will be recorded as a zero. Make-ups will be scheduled for 8 AM on Mondays,
Wednesdays or Fridays unless you have another course that meets during that hour. If you believe you need a make-up exam, please inform me as far in advance as possible by email and at a minimum the day of the exam. (Do not send requests for make-up exams to TAs – they will simply forward to me.) Do not wait until afterwards to tell me you are sick. In the case of illness, ask your health care provider to verify dates of treatment and indicate the time frame that you are unable to meet academic responsibilities. No diagnostic information needs to be included. Students who are registered with the University’s Disability Support
Services (DSS) office and who provide me with an updated DSS form will be accommodated for the exams.
I am not able to accommodate students who are not registered with DSS or who do not provide me with the documentation in advance of exams.
Department of Economics’ policy on grading requires instructors to use the grading system announced at the beginning of the semester in all cases and with no exceptions. There will be absolutely zero opportunities to earn extra credit after the final exam.
Expectations of Students: Read the textbook carefully, and ask questions whenever you find something confusing or problematic. Complete the LearnSmart assignment before we begin a new topic. Attend lecture and ask questions whenever you need further explanation. Complete LearnSmart assignments and problems sets before they are due, making sure you leave yourself enough time to get answers to any questions you might have. To prepare for exams, you should (a) find a study partner or group and meet regularly to talk about the concepts covered in the class; (b) practice using graphs to explain market behavior; (c) practice explaining the logic of how markets work; and (d) ask questions in the reviews held before each exam.
If you miss any lectures, you are still responsible for the material that was covered. The material we cover each week builds on the content of the previous weeks. You should try to catch up right away; if you do not, you will find yourself slipping further and further behind. Get notes from a classmate and thoroughly review the relevant section of the text. After going through these steps, if you have questions, then meet with your TA, see me during office hours, or make an appointment to meet with one of us.
If you find that you will be unable to participate in class activities for more than three days in a row due to illness or other valid excuses (see http://www.umd.edu/catalog/index.cfm/show/content.section/c/27/ss/1584/s/1540 for definition of valid excuses) you must contact me by email to explain. You will not be allowed to postpone an exam because of absences earlier in the semester unless you have informed me IN ADVANCE of the exam.
I look forward to receiving your feedback on the course, both during and at the end of the semester. In particular, your participation in the evaluation of courses through CourseEvalUM is a responsibility you hold as a student member of our academic community. Your feedback is confidential and important to the improvement of teaching and learning at the University.
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Univ. of Maryland, College Park
Department of Economics
Dr. Erin Moody
Please contribute to a positive learning environment. Students are expected to treat each other, the teaching assistants, and the instructor with courtesy and respect. Cell phones should be set to silent, and laptops in class should be used for taking notes, not for surfing the internet or for viewing entertainment. Disruptive behavior will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct or the Campus Police.
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Univ. of Maryland, College Park
Department of Economics
Week of
September 1
September 8
September 15
September 22
September 29
October 6
October 13
October 20
October 27
November 3
November 10
November 17
November 24
December 1
December 8
Tuesday
Introduction
Ch. 2
Ch. 3 Continued
Ch. 5
Ch. 6 Continued
Ch. 9
Ch. 9 Continued
Ch. 11
Ch. 13
Ch. 14
Exam 2 – Covers
Chapters 8 – 14
Ch. 16
Ch. 18
Ch. 19
Ch. 21
Dr. Erin Moody
Thursday
Ch. 1
Ch. 3
Ch. 4
Ch. 6
Ch. 8
Exam 1 – Covers
Chapters 1 – 6
Ch. 10
Ch. 12
Ch. 13 Continued PS Chapter 13
Review Ch. 13 and
14
PS Chapter 14
Ch. 15
Ch. 17
PS Chapter 15
PS Chapter 16
Thanksgiving
Ch. 20
Review
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PS Chapter 17
PS Chapter 18
PS Chapter 19
PS Chapter 20
PS Chapter 21
--
Sunday
PS Chapter 1
PS Appendix A
PS Graphing Tool
PS Chapter 2
PS Chapter 3
PS Chapter 4
PS Chapter 5
PS Chapter 6
PS Chapter 8
PS Chapter 9
PS Chapter 9
PS Chapter 10
PS Chapter 11
PS Chapter 12
Friday December
18 – Final Exam
6:30-8:30PM
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