Email: Tabarrok@gmu.edu
Office: Carow Hall, 10B
TA: Eugenio Garza, Email: egarzaga@gmu.edu
This is entirely an online course taught by Alex Tabarrok
(and Tyler Cowen) based on their book Modern
Principles of Economics: Microeconomics. We think this is the best online
course in principles of economics ever offered. The course is video based.
Every video is followed by questions. Every week there is homework and a test.
Lecture time is less and active learning
time is more. Active learning
requires more from the student so be prepared the class will move quickly.
There will also be opportunities to ask questions of the instructors and TAs.
Needed:
In order to take this course you must purchase access to the Achieve homework system which
gives access to the e-book, practice questions, homework and tests. You can get
access for one term for $114.99 or $139 if you would
also like to rent a paperback textbook. The paperback textbook is useful but
not mandatory. The Achieve system has access to the e-book. You purchase
Achieve through Blackboard.
You must sign up using your GMU EMAIL and must access
Achieve through Blackboard--this will keep your GMU and Achieve accounts
linked. Once you have gone to the Blackboard Home Page got to Home Page Achieve
on the left panel and then ACHIEVE and then View by Assignments then start the
assignments. Blackboard is only used to access Achieve. All class materials
including homework and exams etc. are on Achieve. Grades on Achieve are
definitive, Blackboard grades take time to sync are should be mostly ignored.
Technical Support
If you have
trouble accessing the Achieve system, try the usual procedures of using a
different browser, updating your browser, clearing the cache etc. If that
doesn't work, contact Achieve Support.
https://macmillan.force.com/macmillanlearning/s/chat-with-us
My experience
is that support is very good. Note that
I can't help you with technical
support! I'd like to but I don't control the Achieve system. If support
needs to contact me, they will.
Economics Support
The economics
department offers regular economics tutoring. I will email you the hours. In
addition, there is a TA for the course, Eugenio Garza, who is available to
answer questions.
You can also
email me with questions.
Email
Use your GMU email to sign up for the class and
monitor your GMU email for periodic
announcements.
Grading
At the end of
each video, there are homework
questions. On these questions, you get unlimited attempts, but you lose 25% for
each incorrect attempt. For each chapter there is also a Learning Curve. You
can answer as many Learning Curve
questions as you want to get up to a set number of points. Each section also
has an assessment section that is a combination of Discovering Date, Work It Out and News Analysis questions (not every chapter has all categories).
You also get multiple attempts at these questions with a 5% penalty for each
incorrect attempt. Each chapter concludes with a Chapter Test. Finally, there is a Midterm and a Final. Grades will be calculated as follows:
|
Your
numerical grade will be a good guide to your standing in the class but I
reserve the right to adjust (bell) the final grade.
Class
Structure and Due Dates
It is very important
that you submit your homework and tests BEFORE the due date. All time are EST!
If your computer breaks down or if you lose internet access and cannot submit
your work you get ZERO.
You will have
plenty of opportunity to get your work done on time. We will work according to
the schedule below and you will be able
to work one week ahead if you choose. You have flexibility when you do your
work, but it is your job to get everything done on time.
Also, your lowest Chapter Test, Video Assignment and (one of) Discovering Data, Work It Out and News Analysis will be dropped. This policy is
INSTEAD of you asking me to change a due date if you were sick,
forgetful or had a family emergency. Everyone gets the same opportunity to miss
a little bit of work and still catch up. Note that it is never in your interest
to miss work. As noted above, you also have the opportunity to work ahead by
one week.
The rhythm of the class is that you
have all week to finish assignments which are due Sunday night at midnight. But
there are exceptions. Do not leave all your work till Sunday night as that will
lead to disaster.
Use the Achieve homework system to
check for due dates. Approximates dates are as follows. Always check
Achieve for exact due dates.
|
Week of |
Last day to complete |
Chapters |
|
Jan. 14 |
Jan
21 preferable but up to Jan. 25 |
Chapter 3: Supply and Demand |
|
Jan. 21 |
Jan.
28 |
Chapter 4: Equilibrium |
|
Jan. 28 |
Feb.
4 |
Chapter 5: Elasticity |
|
Feb. 4 |
Feb.
11 |
Chapter 6: Taxes and Subsidies |
|
Feb. 11 |
Feb.
18 |
Chapter 7: The Price System |
|
Feb. 18 |
Feb.
25 |
Chapter 8: Price Floors and
Ceilings |
|
Feb. 25 |
Mar.
3 |
Chapter
2: Comparative Advantage, Chapter
9: International Trade |
|
Mar.
10 |
Mar. 17 |
Chapter
10: Externalities |
|
Mar. 21 |
Mar.
22 |
Midterm must be completed by March
22 |
|
Mar. 17 |
Mar.
24 |
Chapter 11: Costs and Profit
Maximization, |
|
Mar. 24 |
Mar.
31 |
Chapter
12 Competition and the Invisible Hand Chapter
13: Monopoly |
|
Mar. 31 |
April
7 |
Chapter 14: Price Discrimination |
|
April 7 |
April
14 |
Chapter 18: Labor Markets |
|
April 14 |
April
21 |
Chapter 19: Public Goods and
Tragedy of the Commons |
|
April 21 |
April
28 |
Chapter
24: Asymmetric Information Chapter
23: Stock Markets and Personal Finance |
|
|
|
|
|
May 3 |
May
5 |
Final Exam must be completed by May 5. |
George Mason University has an Honor Code, which requires
all members of this community to maintain the highest standards of academic
honesty and integrity. Cheating, plagiarism, lying, and stealing are all
prohibited.
All violations of the Honor Code will be reported to the Honor
Committee.
If you are a
student with a disability and you need academic accommodations, please see me
and contact the Office of Disability Resources at 703.993.2474. All academic
accommodations must be arranged through that office.
Students are
responsible for verifying their enrollment in this class.
Schedule adjustments should be made by the deadlines published in the Schedule
of Classes. (Deadlines each semester are published in the Schedule of Classes
available from the Registrar's Website registrar.gmu.edu.)