Email: Tabarrok@gmu.edu
Office: Carow Hall, 10B
TA: Molly Rose Rovinski, mrovinsk@gmu.edu and Kevin William Ciocco, kciocco@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 buy Achieve access for one term for approximately $124.99.
You will purchase Achieve when you connect
through Canvas.
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 are TAs for the course, Molly Rose Rovinski and Kevin William Ciocco
mrovinsk@gmu.edu
kciocco@gmu.edu
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.
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.
20 |
Jan
26 preferable but up to Jan. 31 |
Chapter
3: Supply and Demand |
|
Jan.
26 |
Feb.
2 |
Chapter
4: Equilibrium |
|
Feb.
2 |
Feb.
9 |
Chapter
5: Elasticity |
|
Feb.
9 |
Feb.
16 |
Chapter
6: Taxes and Subsidies |
|
Feb.
16 |
Feb.
23 |
Chapter
7: The Price System |
|
Feb.
23 |
March
2 |
Chapter
8: Price Floors and Ceilings |
|
Mar
9 |
Mar.
23 |
Chapter
2: Comparative Advantage, Chapter
9: International Trade |
|
Mar.
23 |
Mar. 30 |
Chapter
10: Externalities |
|
April
1 |
April
3 |
Midterm
must be completed by April 3 |
|
Mar
30 |
April
6 |
Chapter
11: Costs and Profit Maximization, |
|
April
6 |
April
13 |
Chapter
12 Competition and the Invisible Hand Chapter
13: Monopoly |
|
April
13 |
April
20 |
Chapter
14: Price Discrimination |
|
April
20 |
April
27 |
Chapter
18: Labor Markets |
|
April
27 |
May
5 |
Chapter 19: Public Goods and Tragedy of the Commons Chapter
23: Stock Markets and Personal Finance |
|
|
|
|
|
May
9 |
May
11 |
Final
Exam must be completed by May 11. |
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.)
This class is part of the Mason Core curriculum and fulfills requirements for Exploration.