ECONOMICS 1312
PRINCIPLES OF MACROECONOMICS
FALL 1998

Jorge G. Gonzalez
Office: CGC N417
Phone: 736 - 7224
E-Mail: Jgonzal1@trinity.edu
Web: www.trinity.edu/jgonzal1

Office Hrs:

Tuesday          1:30 - 3:30
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: Case, K.E. and R.C. Fair, Principles of Economics, Fourth Edition, 1996.

Recommended: Beveridge, T.H., Study Guide Principles of Economics, Fourth Edition, 1996.

Recommended: Wall Street Journal.

 COURSE REQUIREMENTS: Exam 1 (Thursday, October 1) = 200 points
Exam 2 (Thursday, November 5) = 200 points
Take-home Assignments = 200 points
Class Participation = 50 points
Final Exam (Saturday, December 12, 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 15. Nobody will be allowed to join a group after September 15. 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 (pages 1 and 2).

 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
Chapter 21.

II. NATIONAL INCOME ACCOUNTING
Chapter 22.

III. UNEMPLOYMENT AND INFLATION
Chapter 23.

IV. AGGREGATE EXPENDITURES AND EQUILIBRIUM OUTPUT
Chapter 24.

V. FISCAL POLICY AND THE INTERNATIONAL SECTOR
Chapters 25 and 31.

VI. MONEY AND MONETARY POLICY
Chapters 26, 27, 28, and pp. 863-868.

VII. AGGREGATE DEMAND, AGGREGATE SUPPLY, AND SUPPLY-SIDE ECONOMICS
Chapter 29 and pp. 874-878.

VIII. INTERNATIONAL ECONOMICS
Chapters 36 and 37.

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