Fox School of Business
Temple University Main Campus
Economics 1902 Section 001: Microeconomic Principles
Fall 2007
Instructor: Karen Campbell
Phone: 215-204-8167
Office: Ritter Annex 832
Office Hours: MWF 11am – 12pm or by appointment
Email: karen.campbell@temple.edu
Email Hours: E-mail questions will be answered as frequently as possible.
Class Time: MWF 9:40 – 10:30
Classroom: TLC 401B
This course presents an introduction to Microeconomics. Topics include the market system, supply and
demand, efficiency and equity, theory of market structure, externalities and public goods. There will be
an emphasis on developing critical thinking and analysis skills as a foundation for upper level course
work.
Course Prerequisite: Algebra I
Required Materials
Textbook: Parkin, Michael. Microeconomics. Addison/Wesley Publishers, 8th ed. 2008.
Book: Roberts, Russell. The Choice: A Fable of Free Trade and Protectionism. Prentice Hall:
NJ, 2001 (or later edition).
Temple Blackboard (tuportal.temple.edu): Weekly problem sets will be here. Students are expected to
contribute to weekly discussions on this site. Course announcements and grades will be posted on
Blackboard.
Calculator: A non-programmable calculator is necessary for exams and homework.
Suggested Materials
Course Compass or MyEconLab account (comes with new textbook purchase or can be
purchased at www.myeconlab.com or www.coursecompass.com which includes an electronic
copy of the textbook.)
Daily reading of a quality newspaper and periodicals such as The Wall Street Journal, The New York
Times, as well as Business Week, with the basic concepts of the textbook in mind will greatly enhance
your utility from this course. The Economics Department now maintains a website with links to a wide
variety of current sources of economic information on the web: http://www.econ.temple.edu.
Grading
Students will be evaluated in the following areas:
1. Problem Sets
2. Quizzes
3. Online Discussion
4. Case Study Project
5. Team Evaluation
6. Midterm
7. Final Exam
Students will earn points in these areas and their grade will be the average calculated as their points
earned divided by the total points possible.
Problem Sets, Reading and Project:
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Problem Sets: There are weekly online graded Problem sets due weekly starting the second full week
(see schedule below). The lowest problem set grade will be dropped. Students may be expected to
present solutions to problem sets in class.
Students are permitted to work together on problem sets. However, each student must submit his/her
own work each week online. Late assignments will not be accepted.
Quizzes: There will be periodic pop quizzes. Answers must be legible to receive credit. There are no
make-ups for missed quizzes. Quizzes will test knowledge of economic vocabulary.
Participation: Besides presenting problem sets, students’ will also be required to present their case
study work. Students are also expected to participate in weekly online class discussions.
The Choice Discussion: Students will be assigned to read and discuss Russell Roberts’ book listed in
the Required Text section above. One or Two students each week will be assigned to start a
discussion thread, the other students will be expected to contribute to at least one discussion thread
each week. Points will be assigned based on the quality of comments or questions a student raises in
the threads.
Case Study Project: This assignment will develop over the semester. Students will work in teams.
Each team will choose a publicly traded company. Each week every student will bring a news article
that affects the economic decisions of their company either directly or indirectly. They will then
work with their team to analyze the effects of this news on their company. They will use the
analytical tools pertaining to the chapter we are discussing that week. For example, if we are
discussing consumer demand, the students will bring in articles relating to the demand for that
company’s product. The students will then analyze the combined effect of the news articles on their
company’s market.
Extra Credit: There is NO extra credit. Please don’t ask. Keep up with the homework and be ready
for pop quizzes!
Exams and Final Exam Grading
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Questions are based on assigned textbook readings, problem sets and class lectures.
You are responsible for concepts that are assigned in the readings even if they are not explicitly
covered in class.
No make up exams will be administered except with formal evidence of a dire excuse such as
your hospitalization on or before the day of the exam is provided. For the final exam, I must be
contacted prior to submitting the grades to the University (which typically occurs two days
after the final exam) with written documentation. Any student with permission to take a make-up
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exam will have an all essay exam. Students who do take not take an exam and do not have acceptable
written documentation will receive a zero on the exam.
Cell Phones are not permitted as use as a calculator during exams or the final. There will be no
exceptions to this rule!
I have a zero tolerance policy for cheating or the appearance of cheating on exams. This will
result in an automatic F for the course.
Additional Course Policies and Resources
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Be courteous and respectful towards your classmates.
Turn off cell phone ringers before entering the classroom.
Regular attendance, participation and strong effort can increase your final course grade.
Ask questions! There are no stupid questions. If you have a question, chances are at least one of
your classmates has the same question.
5. Economic concepts build. Stay on top of the reading early and make sure you understand the
beginning material. This will go a long way towards your success in this course!
6. Tutoring Center: There is a Economics tutoring center in Ritter Annex 626. It is open M-F 10am –
3pm. No appointment is necessary. Please utilize this valuable help. They will not do your
homework for you but they will explain concepts to you and help you figure out where you have gone
wrong. Do not wait until exam time to visit them.
7. Course Compass or MyEconLab: This has a number of tutorials, self-tests and practice problems that
you can do. This is great to help you study for exams and practice before you do the graded
homework.
Disability Disclosure
Any student who has a need for accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact me
privately to discuss the specific situation as soon as possible or contact Disability Resources and Services
at 215-204-1280 in 100 Ritter Annex, Main Campus, which coordinates reasonable accommodations for
students with documented disabilities.
Rights of Student and Faculty
Freedom to teach and freedom to learn are inseparable facets of academic freedom. The University has
adopted a policy on Student and Faculty Academic Rights and Responsibilities (Policy # 03.70.02) which
can be accessed through the following link:
http://policies.temple.edu/getdoc.asp?policy_no=03.70.02
Important Dates
Fall Semester 2007
Fall semester begins
Monday, August 27
Labor Day holiday
Sunday, September 2 - Monday, September 3
Last day to drop a course
Monday, September 10
Deadline for application for January graduation Monday, October 15
Registration begins (Spring Semester)
Monday, October 15
Last day to withdraw from graduate and
Monday, October 29
undergraduate courses
Tuesday, November 20 - Wednesday,
*CALENDAR ADJUSTMENT
November 21
Thursday, November 22 - Sunday, November
Thanksgiving recess
25
Classes resume
Monday, November 26
Weekday classes end
Wednesday, December 5
Study days
Thursday, December 6 - Friday, December 7
Weekend classes end
Saturday, December 8 - Sunday, December 9
Monday, December 10 - Saturday, December
Final Examinations
15
Winter recess begins
Saturday, December 15 at 10:00 pm
*TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 20 - FOLLOW YOUR THURSDAY CLASS SCHEDULE
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21 - FOLLOW YOUR FRIDAY CLASS SCHEDULE
Course Schedule*
Reading
Homework
Topic
1
Mon, Aug 27
Chapter 1
2
Wed Aug 29
Chapter 1
What is Economics
Read Chap. 1
Read Chap Appendix
What is Economics
3
Fri, Aug 31
Chapter 1A
4
Wed Sept 5
Chapter 9
5
Fri Sept 7
Chapter 9
Graphs in Economics
Organizing Production
Form Teams for Semester
Read Chap 9
News articles on chosen
Firm goals, overview of
firms’ market
Read Chapter 10
Organizing Production
6
Mon Sept 10
Chapter 10
Output and Costs
7
Wed Sept 12
Chapter 10
Output and Costs
8
Fri Sept 14
Chapter 10
9
Mon Sept 17
Chapter 7
10
Wed Sept 19
Chapter 7
Output and Costs
Work in teams on case study
using chapter 10 framework
Go over prob set 1
Start Utility and Demand
Utility and Demand
11
Fri Sept 21
Chapter 7
12
Mon Sept 24
Chapter 3
13
Wed Sept 26
Chapter 3
Work in teams on case study using
Chap 7 framework
Go over prob set 3
Start Demand and Supply
Utility and Demand
14
Fri Sept 28
Chapter 3
15
Mon Oct 1
Chapter 4
16
Wed Oct 3
Chapter 4
Work in teams on case study using
Chap 3 framework
Go over prob set 4
Start Elasticity
Elasticity
17
Fri Oct 5
Chapter 4
Work in teams on case study using
chapter 4 framework
Work on Problem Set 1
due 9/16. Collect news
articles
Read R.R.** Chapter 1
discuss online
Read Chapter 7
Work on Problem set 2
due 9/23. Collect news
articles
Read R.R. Chapter 2
discuss online.
Read Chapter 3
Work on Problem set 3
due 9/30. Collect news
articles
Read R.R. Chapter 4
discuss online.
Read Chapter 4
Work on Problem set 4
due 10/7. Collect news
articles
Read R.R. chapter 5
discuss online
Read Chapter 8
18
Mon Oct 8
Chapter 8
19
Wed Oct 10
Chapter 8
Go over prob set 4
Start Poss, Prefs and Choices
Poss, Prefs and choices
20
Fri Oct 12
Chapter 8
21
Mon Oct 15
Chapter 17
22
Wed Oct 17
Chapter 17
Work in teams on case study using
Chapter 8 framework
Go over prob set 5
Start Markets for Factors of Prod
Markets for Factors of Production
23
Fri Oct 19
24
Mon Oct 22
Chapter 17
Work in teams on case study using
Chapter 17 framework
Work on Prob set 5 due
10/14. Collect news
articles
Read R.R. Chapter 6
discuss online
Read Chapter 17
Work on Prob set 6 due
10/21. Collect news
articles
Read R.R. Chapter 7
discuss online
Study for Midterm
Mid-term review
25
Wed Oct 24
Mid-term
26
Fri Oct 26
Read Chapter 11
Go over mid-term
27
Mon Oct 29
Chapter 11
Start Perfect Competition
28
Wed Oct 31
Chapter 11
Perfect Competition
29
Fri Nov 2
Chapter 11
30
Mon Nov 5
Chapter 12
31
Wed Nov 7
Chapter 12
Work in teams on case study using
Chapter 11 framework
Go over Prob set 7
Start Monopoly
Monopoly
32
Fri Nov 9
Chapter 12
33
Mon Nov 12
Chapter 5
34
Wed Nov 14
Chapter 5
Work in teams on case study using
Chapter 12 framework
Go over Prob set 8
Start Efficiency and Equity
Efficiency and Equity
35
Fri Nov 16
Chapter 5
36
Mon Nov 19
Chapter 6
Work in teams on case study using
Chapter 5 framework
Go over Prob set 9
Start Market in Action
Work on Prob set 7 due
11/4. Collect news
articles
Read R.R. Chapter 8 & 9
discuss online
Read Chapter 12
Work on Prob set 8 due
11/11. Collect news
articles
Read R.R. Chapter 10 &
11 discuss online
Read Chapter 5
Work on Prob set 9 due
11/18. Collect news
articles
Read R.R. Chapter 12 &
13 discuss online
Read Chapter 6
Work on Prob set 10 due
11/26. Collect news
articles
37
Wed Nov 21
Chapter 6
Markets in Action
38
Fri Nov 23
Read Chapter 20
Happy Thanksgiving
39
Mon Nov 26
Chapter 20
40
Wed Nov 28
Chapter 20
Go over Prob set 10
Start Trading with the World
Start Trading with the World
41
Fri Nov 30
42
Mon Dec 3
43
Wed Dec 5
44
Wed Dec 12
Chapter 20
Work in teams on case study using
Chapter 12 framework
Go over Prob set 11
Team Presentations
Team Presentations
Final Review
Work on Prob set 11 due
12/2. Collect news
articles
Read R.R. Chapter 14 &
15 discuss online
Read Chapter 13
Work on Prob set 8 due
11/12. Collect news
articles
Study for Final
Room TLC 401B
Final Exam 8:30am – 10:30am
Notes:
*The material covered on this syllabus is subject to change at the discretion of the instructor.
**R.R. stands for the Russell Roberts book “The Choice”