Econ 2020 Principles of Macroeconomics

Professor C. James Hueng

 

Class Website:              http://homepages.wmich.edu/~chueng/EC202.htm

Office:                          5412 Friedmann Hall.

Phone:                          387-5558

Email:                          James.Hueng@wmich.edu

Office Hours:                By appointments.

 

Prerequisite:    ECON 2010.

 

Course Description:

An introduction to macroeconomics, the study of total output and employment, inflation, economic growth, and introduction to international trade and development. For students who plan to take both ECON 201 and ECON 202, it is preferable to take ECON 201 before taking ECON 202.

 

Objectives:

This course seeks to develop the conceptual tools that economists use to analyze macroeconomic problems and public policies.  By the end of the course, you should be able to use these tools to analyze current macroeconomic events and policy questions.

 

Textbook:        Macroeconomics, Michael Parkin, 8th Edition (ISBN# 0321416570).

 

Exams:

There are three midterm exams and a final exam.  Take this course only if you can take all four exams as scheduled.  The exams cannot be taken earlier or later.  A score of zero will be given to any missed exam.  There is no make-up exam for the midterms.

For students who miss a midterm exam but have a reasonable excuse supported by legitimate documentation, the score from the final exam will be counted twice.  For example, if a student misses a midterm, makes a 70 and an 80 in the other two midterms, and makes a 60 in the final exam, her three raw midterm scores will be 60, 70, and 80.  If a student misses two midterms, makes a 70 in the other midterm, and makes a 60 in the final exam, his three midterm raw scores will be 0, 60, and 70.

Students who miss the final exam and have a reasonable excuse supported by legitimate documentation will receive an “incomplete” grade and be scheduled for a make-up final exam.  A proposal for taking the make-up final exam should be approved by the instructor by 5:00PM on August 14, 2008.

 

 

Students with disabilities are encouraged to register with the Office of Disabled Student Resource and Services, 387-2116.  Thereafter, you are invited to schedule appointments to see me during my office hours to discuss accommodations and other special needs.

 

 

Schedule for the Exams:

 

EXAM

TIME

MATERIALS (subject to changes to be announced in class)

Midterm #1

In class, Tuesday, July 8

Chapters 5, 6

Midterm #2

In class, Tuesday, July 22

Chapters 12, 11

Midterm #3

In class, Tuesday August 5

Chapters 9, 13, 14

Final Exam

In class, Thursday, August 14

Chapters 5, 6, 9, 11-15

 

Quizzes:

There will be 8 open-book quizzes given in classes during the semester.  Any quiz will only be available once in class.  A grade of zero will be given to any missed quiz.  There is no make-up quiz.

 

Grading:

 

Weights:

Five highest scores from the quizzes:                                         20%

The highest midterm score:                                                       25%

The medium midterm score:                                                     20%

The lowest midterm score:                                                        10%

Final exam score:                                                                      25%

 

Bonus:  Let x be the average of the three lowest quiz scores and n be the number of non-zero scores of these three quizzes.  The bonus point is n*ln(1+x), where ln is the natural log operator on a calculator.  For example, if your three lowest quiz scores are 0, 0.5, and 4, then 2* ln(1+1.5) = 2*0.916 = 1.832 will be added to your final score.  No other extra credit in any other form is available.

 

After the final weighted-average score plus the bonus point is calculated, the 100-point scale score (which will not be curved in any way) will be transformed into the University grading system at the end of the term in the following way:

90 and above:            A                     85-89.99:                      BA       80-84.99:          B

75-79.99:                   CB                   65-74.99:                      C          60-64.99:          DC

50-59.99:                   D                     49.99 and below:           E         

 

Attendance Policy:

Students are required to attend the lectures.  Attendance will be taken.  Handouts and announcements are only available in class once.  Students who miss the class will not receive handouts and announcements made in class after the class.  

 

The University Academic Honesty Policy: Academic Integrity:

You are responsible for making yourself aware of and understanding the policies and procedures in the Undergraduate (pp. 274-276) Catalog that pertain to Academic Honesty. These policies include cheating, fabrication, falsification and forgery, multiple submission, plagiarism, complicity and computer misuse. If there is reason to believe you have been involved in academic dishonesty, you will be referred to the Office of Student Conduct. You will be given the opportunity to review the charge(s). If you believe you are not responsible, you will have the opportunity for a hearing. You should consult with me if you are uncertain about an issue of academic honesty prior to the submission of an assignment or test.