ECONOMICS 1312

PRINCIPLES OF MACROECONOMICS

FALL 2001

 

Jorge G. Gonzalez

Office: CC N417

Phone:  999 - 7224

E-mail:  jorge.gonzalez@trinity.edu

Web:  www.trinity.edu/jgonzal1

 

Office Hrs:                    Monday              2:00 -   4:00

                                    Wednesday       10:00 - 12:00

                                                               2:00 -   4:00

                                    And by appointment

 

These office hours are designed to help you throughout the whole term.  Please do not wait until the end of the term to use them.

 

            The purpose of this class is to give you some insight in how a national economy operates and how it is affected by the world economy.  The determinants of Gross Domestic Product, unemployment, inflation, productivity, and international trade will be studied.  Additionally, we will talk about the policies available to national governments to manipulate the direction of their economies.

 

TEXT:

Required:  McEachern, William A., Economics:  A Contemporary Introduction, Fifth Edition, 2000.

 

Recommended:  Lunn, John E., Study Guide Economics:  A Contemporary Introduction, Fifth Edition, 2000.

 

            Recommended:  Wall Street Journal.

 

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

            Exam 1 (Thursday, October 4)                                                 200 points

            Exam 2 (Thursday, November 8)                                              200 points

            Take-home Assignments                                                           200 points

            Class Participation                                                                      50 points

            Final Exam (Monday, December 15, 6:30 p.m.)                        350 points

 

            The take-home assignments will consist of problems sets that will be graded and several class assignments in the form of readings or problems to be done at home but that will not be handed in.

 

 

            Students are allowed and encouraged to do their problem sets in groups of 3 to 4 members.  Students that decide to work in groups will only hand in one problem set per group and all group members will receive the same grade for the assignment.  Those students that wish to work in groups should form their groups and inform me about their members by September 18.   Students are allowed to quit their groups at any point during the semester, but these students will not be able to join another group.

 

            Class participation is strongly encouraged.  Class participation is not only 5% of your grade but also decisions on borderline grades will take into consideration the class participation of the student during the term.

 

            Although class attendance is not directly represented as part of your grade, if you are absent from class you will miss points from class assignments and class participation and this will be reflected in your grade.

 

            There will be no make-up exams.

 

            Problem sets are due at the beginning of the stated class period.  Under no circumstances will problem sets be accepted late.

 

            Cheating and plagiarism cannot be tolerated within the Trinity community.  Any student who violates the regulations on academic integrity will be subject to the penalties described in Trinity University’s Student Handbook and 2001-02 Academic Planner (pages 87-90).

 

 

GRADING SCALE:

 

                                                Total Points                              Grade

                                                 950 - 1000                                A

                                                 900 - 949                                  A-

                                                 870 - 899                                  B+

                                                 830 - 869                                  B

                                                 800 - 829                                  B-

                                                 770 - 799                                  C+

                                                 730 - 769                                  C

                                                 700 - 729                                  C-

                                                 650 - 699                                  D+

                                                 600 - 649                                  D

                                                 Less than 600                            F

 

 

 

 

 

 

COURSE OUTLINE:

 

I.  INTRODUCTION TO MACROECONOMICS

                        Chapters 5 and 6.

 

II.  UNEMPLOYMENT AND INFLATION

                        Chapter 7.

 

III.  NATIONAL INCOME ACCOUNTING

                        Chapter 8 (+ Appendix).

 

IV.  AGGREGATE EXPENDITURES AND EQUILIBRIUM OUTPUT

                        Chapters 9 (+ Appendix), 10 (+ Appendixes A and B), and 12 (pp. 250-254).

 

V.  FISCAL POLICY

                        Chapters 12 (pp. 255-268) and 17.

 

VI.  AGGREGATE DEMAND, AGGREGATE SUPPLY, AND SUPPLY-SIDE ECONOMICS

                        Chapter 11.

 

VI.  MONEY AND MONETARY POLICY

                        Chapters 13, 14, and 15.

 

VIII.  INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS

                        Chapters 32 and 33.