ECONOMICS 1312

PRINCIPLES OF MACROECONOMICS

SPRING 2005

 

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 global 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, Sixth Edition, 2003.

 

Recommended:  Lunn, John E., Study Guide Economics:  A Contemporary Introduction, Sixth Edition, 2003.

 

            Recommended:  Wall Street Journal.

 

COURSE REQUIREMENTS:

            Exam 1 (Thursday, February 24)                                              200 points

            Exam 2 (Thursday, April 7)                                                       200 points

            Take-home Assignments                                                           200 points

            Class Participation                                                                      50 points

            Final Exam (Tuesday, May 3, 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 February 10th.   Students are allowed to quit their groups at any point during the semester.

 

            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 relevant university sanctions (See the Student Handbook for details).

 

            The use of exams from previous semesters is not allowed and therefore it is considered a violation of academic integrity.

 

           

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 20 and 21.

 

II.  NATIONAL INCOME ACCOUNTING

                        Chapter 22 (+ Appendix).

 

III.  UNEMPLOYMENT AND INFLATION

                        Chapter 23.

 

IV.  AGGREGATE EXPENDITURES AND EQUILIBRIUM OUTPUT

                        Chapters 24 (+ Appendix), 25 (+ Appendixes A and B), and 27 (pp. 580-584).

 

V.  FISCAL POLICY

                        Chapters 27 (pp. 584-596) and 32.

 

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

                        Chapter 26.

 

VI.  MONEY AND MONETARY POLICY

                        Chapters 28, 29, and 30.

 

VIII.  INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS

                        Chapters 19 and 33.