Welcome to Intermediate Microeconomics ECON 306 online Fall 2013

Updated 8/20/13

Class introduction:

I am William Vazquez, your instructor for Intermediate Microeconomics this Fall semester. I am very excited for this class and I know you are too. This document has all of the important administrative-type of information about our class. Consider it a contract between you, myself, and the University. I expect you to read and understand this document completely. If you have any questions, please contact me at any time. This document will provide; 1. A description of the course. 2. Prerequisites required to take the course 3. Required course materials 4. Course policies 5. Assignments required to complete the course 6. How to calculate your final grade

Instructor Information:

Instructor: William Vazquez Email address: wvazquez@colostate.edu On campus office location: Clark C311C, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80522 Phone: 765-418-5994 Office hours: TBA

Course Description and Objectives

Course description and objectives Intermediate Microeconomics is a core economic theory course that will further your ability to apply models to explain economic decision-making by individuals and firms, how markets allocate resources, how the structure of markets affects choices and social welfare, and the ways that government intervention can improve or impair the functioning of markets. You will be given the opportunity to apply these models to describe real world current events. By the end of the course, you should be able to: Apply microeconomic models to explain economic decision making by firms and consumers Explain how resources are allocated efficiently and how the structure of markets may have an effect on this allocation Show how government intervention can improve or impair the functioning of markets Solve economic problems where agents are strategically interdependent on one another Apply these tools to real world examples in a correct and proficient manner

Course Prerequisite

ECON 202 (Principles of Microeconomics); ECON 204 (Principles of Macroeconomics); MATH 141 (Calculus in Management Sciences) or MATH 155 (Calculus for Biological Scientists I) or MATH 160 (Calculus for Physical Scientists I).

Required Course Materials:

We are using Microeconomics by Goolsbee, Levitt, and Syverson with the EconPortal online program. The website can be found here: http://courses.bfwpub.com/gls1e.php There are three options for getting the required materials:

Online only: $81 This gives you access to EconPortal and the full eBook. Do not buy this at the bookstore; it is cheaper to just go the EconPortal website and buy it there. To purchase online: Go to http://courses.bfwpub.com/gls1e.php Click on Purchase Select CO Select Colorado State University Select Intermediate Microeconomics (ONLINE) Will Vazquez Loose leaf Bundle: $114 This gives you access to EconPortal, the eBook, and a looseleaf copy of the book. (You will probably want to also buy a big binder to put the book in.) ISBN-10: 1-4641-4989-5 NOTE: You can only buy this from the CSU bookstore, but they will ship it to you. Hardcover Bundle: $200 This gives you access to EconPortal, the eBook, and a hardcover copy of the book. ISBN-10: 1-4641-4990-9
EconPortal will be the main way you access the material and assignments. It is necessary to access EconPortal at least 4-5 times per week to be successful in this course. We will also use RamCT Blackboard through Colorado State University during the course. The URL is http://ramct.blackboard.com . You will be able to access RamCT the weekend before the term begins. RamCT will have the basic information about the class and links to the EconPortal website. Course Policies and Procedures: Online Classroom Procedures Attendance: This course is conducted entirely online. You are expected to be online at least 4-5 times per week and you will have something due every week. You need to be highly selfmotivated and have good time management skills. To access the EconPortal class website: Go to http://courses.bfwpub.com/gls1e.php Login using your email address and password To access the RamCT class website: Go to http://ramct.blackboard.com Login using your eID and password Under Course List, click 2013FA-ECON-306-801: Intermediate Microeconomics. Late work & Educational Responsibility: All assignments for the week that are not completed by the due date will be considered late unless an alternate due date has been previously approved or documentation has been provided for extreme circumstances. It is the student's responsibility to communicate with the instructor about extreme circumstances or questions concerning the assignment and their due dates. There will be a 24-hour grace period for late assignments, after that 10% of the total possible score will be deducted from the students score for each day the assignment is late

For example: Problem set 1 is due on Friday, May 24 at 11pm. If a student turns in the problem set at 3pm Saturday, there is no penalty. If the student turns in the problem set at 8am on Sunday, there will be a 20% grade penalty. Online Etiquette: A majority of class time is spent sharing opinions and sharing information. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to communicate with courtesy and professionalism. Professional Courtesy includes respecting others' opinions, being courteous and respectful, and working together in the spirit of cooperation. Sexist, heterosexist, and racist language should not be used when communicating in the course. Discussions and assignments will be graded on quality and professionalism. Gradebook: Grades will be posted within 7 days after the scheduled due date. Gradebook questions should not be asked before the 7 day window. Any request for grade change, whether related to a test or assignment, will have to be submitted to the instructor within one week after each grade is posted. The appeal should state specific reasons you believe additional points should be rewarded. The instructor reserves the right to re-grade the entire exam or assignment, not just questions or content under appeal. Academic Integrity: To achieve the best possible learning experience, students must complete all of the assignments in the course on their own. If a student fails to complete their own work they are cheating themselves out of their education and are committing plagiarism. Plagiarism, or failing to meet the academic honesty policy will result in dismissal from the class. Refer to http://tilt.colostate.edu/integrity/ for specific information on Academic Integrity. When an offense occurs, the student receives a minimum of zero credit for the entire paper, exam, quiz, homework, lab, etc, in which the incident of academic dishonesty occurred up to a failing grade in the course and additional sanctions from the University. CSU Student Honor Pledge: "I have not given, received, or used any unauthorized assistance." http://tilt.colostate.edu/integrity/honorpledge/ Communication I want you to succeed. Do not hesitate to contact me about anything.

E-mail: wvazquez@colostate.edu All e-mail sent to me should include Econ 320 in the subject line. I will respond to email within 24 hours during the week. You can also use the email button in RamCT to send me an email. If you email through RamCT the subject line will automatically include the course number. Also note that the same rules for online etiquette (as mentioned above) apply to content in an e-mail. Sending e-mail that violates the rules mentioned above can result in disciplinary action taken by the school. I always respond to email. If you have not had a response within 48 hours I did not receive the email. Phone or Texting: (765) 418-5994 Call or text anytime between 8am 9pm MTN. I am usually quicker at replying to texts than to calls. In person: My on campus office location is Clark C311C, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80522. Office hours are listed above. Academic Policies Turning in completed coursework: Projects, assignments, and coursework will be submitted online either through Blackboard as electronic files, through the online course tools (Problem sets, discussion posts),or through a proctor. Assignments will not be accepted by email. All assignments related to class must be submitted in the correct format in order to be graded.

Student Evaluation and Grading Scale: Students will be evaluated and assessed using quizzes, tests, journal writing assignments, and discussion posts. This class uses a traditional A-F (4.0-0.0) grading system, with A representing excellent work, B representing above average work, C designating average work, D designating below average work, and F indicating failure by a student. Pluses and minuses will be used. Course Completion Requirements: Students must achieve a passing grade of D or above by completing all required examinations, submitting all required lab exercises and projects, and meeting the standards of the school attendance policy. Course Assignments which count towards your grade: *** All due dates and times are based on MTN time zone **** ***Refer to your Class Schedule on Blackboard for a schedule of your weekly coursework*** 1. Online Quizzes There will be quizzes each week. Quizzes are due 15 times during the course. The due dates and assignments are shown on the class schedule. Only the highest 14 (out of 15) quizzes will be counted towards your grade. Quizzes are due at 11:55pm on the day it is due as listed on the class schedule. For example, Quiz #1 is due on 8/30, so Quiz #1 must be completed by 11:55pm on 8/30 for full credit. The quizzes will be posted at least 60 hours before they are due. All the quizzes are weighted equally and will count for 40% of the total grade 2. Online Discussion Posts The purpose of the discussions is to gain a deeper understanding of the economic topic and to make connections with your fellow students. Discussion posts enable a student to have a richer experience because it is meant to mimic a traditional class discussion. The discussions will be posted at least 60 hours before they are due. Each discussion post is 2 parts. You will (1) post a comment to respond directly to the topic and (2) respond to another students comment. Online discussions will be posted on Blackboard. There will be 4 discussion posts and each is worth 5% of your total grade. Students should demonstrate quality post based on the following thread criteria:

Demonstration of having read the material by volunteering answers to questions and seeking clarification of points in the readings Asking questions that extend the thinking of the class and the instructor Contribution of relevant examples that support and justify claims Sharing experiences when asked or when relevant Maintaining a positive attitude and professional courtesy Bringing unique thought, insight and depth to the topic at hand Using proper grammar, spelling, punctuation and citations where appropriate

Discussion posts must be completed by 11:55pm on the day they are due to receive full credit. 3. LearningCurve Each chapter has a LearningCurve module associated with it. These are untimed, adaptive quizzes that aim to help you improve you understanding of the text and let you see where you have the most difficulty. These are graded based on completion. You get full credit if you complete assignment. There is no partial credit. These assignments may take more or less time depending on how familiar you are with the material. I recommend reading the material first, then doing the learningCurve assignment, but you can also do it while you are reading and it will point you to the sections in the book that you struggle with. In total, the LearningCurve assignments will be worth 10% of the total grade.

4. Exams There will be one proctored, comprehensive final exam consisting of both multiple choice and short answer questions. This exam will be worth 30% of your total grade. Proctoring see RamCT for additional information Depending on your circumstances, the exams can be either print-based or online. Proctors are individuals who administer the exam process following the guidelines provided by Colorado State University to ensure academic integrity. Who can be my proctor? College or university testing center representatives if you are in Fort Collins, you can take your exam on campus in the Economics Department or at the offices of CSU OnlinePlus. Military educators Pastors or ministers Continuing education officers Certified school teachers School principals Supervisors

While most proctors serve on a voluntary basis, you are responsible for any cost associated with using a proctor. Proctors cannot be co-workers or subordinates, family members, friends, tutors, personal advisers, or anyone with a potential conflict of interest. CSU reserves the right to verify a proctor's identity, require additional proof of eligibility, or require the selection of a different proctor. You may use ProctorU, an online proctoring service that uses a webcam and microphone. Additional information about using ProctorU is provided on RamCT. There is no additional cost for using ProctorU. What do I need to do for my proctored exam? 1. At the start of your course, select a proctor that is the most convenient for you. o If you are having a person proctor (e.g., Dept. of Economics, CSU OnlinePlus), fill out the Proctor Agreement Form and submit prior to your first exam (even if being proctored on campus). o If you are using ProctorU, review the system requirements documentation posted in your course to ensure you have adequate Internet connectivity and technologies, including a webcam and microphone, and prior to your first exam notify your instructor you will use ProctorU. 2. Contact your proctor or ProctorU prior to your exam and schedule an appointment. o It is your responsibility to ensure that your proctor receives the information prior to the exam appointment. Print-based exams or online exam passwords are sent directly to your proctor prior to the exam. 3. Take the exam as scheduled. Your proctor will return the print-based exam. Course Assignments which DO NOT count towards your grade: Student Help: Practice Quizzes I will post a practice quiz each week that you may use to prepare for the regular quiz. These will cover the same topics that the regular quiz will cover.

Resources for Disabled Students: Students with disabilities may be eligible for accommodations in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act. It is the students responsibility to disclose any learning disabilities. Please contact the instructor if a special

accommodation is required. To request accommodations, students should contact Resources for Disabled Students at (970) 491-6385 or go to http://rds.colostate.edu. Documentation of disability is required and the RDS office will assist in this process. Technical help: RamCT Blackboard technical support http://help.ramct.colostate.edu/ Click on the links on the right side of your Blackboard homepage. Additional support services: A variety of instructional support services, such as writing center, guidance on personal or educational issues, tutoring questions and library resources are available to the students. For more information about their services, visit their websites linked under additional resources on RamCT. Contact Hours Contact hours (classroom hours per week plus any other) and expectations for homework or other work outside of instructional time equivalent to the federal credit hour definition of 2 hours of outside work for each contact hour: Each week students are expected to: Activity Read the assigned textbook chapters and other readings Review class notes Complete quizzes, LearningCurve, and discussion posts Study for exams TOTAL = . Evaluation Breakdown: Assignment Quizzes Online Discussions LearningCurve Final Exam Frequency (14) (4) (14) (4) TOTAL Contact hours per week 3.0 1.5 3.0 1.5 9.0

Percent of Total Grade 40 20 10 30 = 100

Grading Scale: Grade A+ A AB+ B BC+ C D F Term Dates

Percentage Grade 97-100 93-96.9 90-92.9 87-89.9 83-86.9 80-82.9 77-79.9 70-79 60-69 0-59

See class schedule posted on Blackboard for additional detail. Term Start: August 26, 2013 Term End: December 13, 2013 Course Withdrawal Policy: Any student who wishes to withdraw from the course must submit a request directly to Division of Continuing Education. For complete information, please visit their website at http://www.learn.colostate.edu/help/creditstudents/registration/drop-policy.dot.