Iowa State University

Economics 101-1

Principles of Microeconomics

Summer 2004

http://www.econ.iastate.edu/classes/econ101/dan/

Meeting days: M-T-W-R-F (11.00AM – 12.00PM) at ROSS H 0124 starting May 17th, 2004

 

Instructor:  Arpan Dan

Office Phone: 294-4138

Email: adan@mail.adp.iastate.edu (Please include in subject: Econ101)

 

TA hours:

1.      Michelle Mireault (hours: 10.00am - 10.50am and 12.10pm – 1.00pm M-Tu (tentative) location: Curtiss 20 Help Room )

1.      Email: mireault@iastate.edu

 

2.      Qian Wang (hours: 12.15pm – 2.00pm W-Th-F (tentative) location: Econ help Room 20 Curtiss Hall )

1.      Email: wangqian@iastate.edu

                                                                                    

 

All questions regarding homework, classwork and doubts can be addressed to the respective TAs                    

                                                                                                                                                                                       

Required Text: MicroEconomics, Updated 2e. by Hall and Lieberman.

Optional : CD provided with the text book.

Web Site: www.economicsplace.com

 

Topics                                                                                     Readings

1. Introduction and tools for economics                            Chapters 1

    1. Read the appendix on graphs and other useful tools

2. Scarcity, choice and economic systems                        Chapter 2

3. Understanding supply and demand                               Chapter 3

4. Working with Supply and Demand                               Chapter 4

5. Consumer choice                                                         Chapter 5

6. Production and cost                                                     Chapter 6

7. Profit maximization                                                       Chapter 7

8. Markets: Perfect Competition                                      Chapter 8

9. Monopoly                                                                   Chapter 9

Tentative schedule:

10. Monopolistic competition

11. Labor Markets

 

Grades:

            Your grade will be determined by a composite score of in-class assignments/exams (40%), homework (30%), article review (10%) and class participation(including an in-class presentation in groups) (20%). This is tentative and may change as the course progresses.

                                   

           
Academic Integrity:

            All violations of academic integrity (as defined in the University handbook for students) are taken very seriously, and will be reported to the appropriate committee.

 

Attendance:

Attendance in lectures is very strongly recommended especially since there would be in class quizzes (and because quite a bit of the material covered in the lectures is not to be found in the text). It is your responsibility to find out what was covered if you do miss a lecture. Also you can earn participation points by being in class and contributing to the discussions in class.

 

 

Contact information:

If you need to get in touch with me, your best bet is to send me an e-mail. Do not leave telephonic messages.

 

In class assignments and homeworks:

 

1.                  Exams and in-class assignments will be usually multiple choice and short answer.  I do not give make-up exams. Always bring a calculator in class.

2.                  Homework not turned in by the beginning of class the day it is due will be worth half of the points it earned.  Late homework will be accepted for half credit up to the last day of class.  If you know you will miss class on a due date, homework can be turned in early to any of the TAs. (Please arrange it with the TAs in time).  In order for a homework to merit grading all problems must be attempted (at least a well thought out guess) and done neatly.

 

Homework assignments will be listed in the main page.

 

3.                  Article Review  The assignment is to do a Wall Street Journal/any economic article review (article must have a length equivalent to one column top to bottom). You may find economic papers/articles at http://www.jstor.com/ 

1.      The review (typed, double spaced, 2 pages min/4 max and a title page).  Be sure to attach the article to the review. (printout/photocopy)

2.      should include a summary of the article

3.      an explanation to what microeconomic topic it refers to and why

4.      an economic personal opinion of the article

5.      An excellent paper would attempt to explain points brought up in the article with a graph of a simple economic model.

6.      The article review may be turned in any time after the 3rd week of class. Some of the better articles would be used for in-class discussions.

 

4.        Class participation would include an in-class presentation of any economic situation or topic. You can select a paper from http://www.jstor.org/ or from any other source and make a presentation in class. Details will follow soon.