Course Syllabus

Principles of Microeconomics  ECO 101

What a time to study our economy!  Join us for an investigation into the current economic problems and what we can do about them.

Instructor contact information

  • Mark Maier
  • GCC Email: mmaier@glendale.eduor click on "Inbox" in Canvas
  • Text messaging to: 626-506-2670
  • Online Office Hours: I will be holding online office hours

You can join these meetings by clicking on this Zoom link https://cccconfer.zoom.us/j/2800786493

Please note that these meetings are a time for questions you have about the course, assignments, and tests, as well as what is happening in the economic world.  During test weeks I will schedule an additional office hour.

Course Description

Microeconomics is the study of how individual people and businesses participate in the economy (as opposed to macroeconomics, how the entire economy works).  Thus, we will study why people buy things, why companies make profits (or don’t), why people make money (or don’t), and what determines the value of the dollar. I suggest the following main goals for the course:

  1. Use a supply and demand model predict how markets allocate resources with a focus on currency and financial markets.
  2. Identify the advantages and disadvantages of using markets to allocate resources.
  3. Use the concept of elasticity to make predictions about quantity demanded, quantity supplied and the implications for tax incidence.
  4. Evaluate the distribution of the US tax burden with its implications for income and wealth distribution and environmental sustainability.
  5. Use cost categories including fixed, variable, average, marginal, implicit, explicit, short run and long run costs to make predictions about business decisions.
  6. Use the profit maximization rules for a business including shutdown rules to make predictions about business profitability and evaluate the implication of market structures, including monopoly, oligopoly, and monopolistic competition for prices, profits and output.

About Your Class 

  • This course is 100% online. We will not meet on-campus for any reason.
  • This course will officially begin on August 30, 2021 and end during final exam week  December 2021.

Textbook

Waymaker for Principles of Microeconomics. Available on Canvas. Cost $25 payable here  https://www.bkstr.com/glendaleccstore/course-materials-results?shopBy=course&divisionDisplayName=&departmentDisplayName=ECON&courseDisplayName=101&sectionDisplayName=95&programId=3123&termId=100069271

 You will use Waymaker to read the textbook and receive feedback on your understanding.

Please let me know right away if any materials are not accessible in this course and I will ensure access in a timely matter.

Course Communication

Email 

You may email me either at mmaier@glendale.edu  or through Canvas by clicking on "Inbox" on the left side of your homepage. Click on "Compose a new message", select this course and then select "Teachers" under the "To" field and you will find my name, Mark Maier. I will respond to your email within 24 hours. If you do not hear back from me within this time, please assume I did not receive your email and resend it.

Text

You may text me at: (626) 506-2670. Then, if needed we can also arrange a phone call.

Zoom

We can set up individual Zoom sessions in addition to regular office hours. Contact me to set this up.

Course Assignments

Important Dates

The due dates for your assignments can be found in the Calendar in the global navigation links at the top of your screen. Please review these. In addition, I will post reminders prior to the due dates in the Announcements.

Because things happen, you may use one "Oops" email to me that will offset a late deduction. 

Weekly Assignments

Each week you will need to complete one or more of the following:

  • Reading in Waymaker including assessment questions. (Accessible on Canvas. See below for signup requirement and $25 fee)
  • Reading written by me and posted on Canvas
  • Work with a classmate on a problem
  • Complete the individual assignment for the module. After scoring, you may revise this assignment for an improved score.
  • Complete the wrap up work . 

Grading Criteria

Introduction to course video 10 points

Six Waymaker assessments, each 30 points = 180 points

Six discussion posts, each 10 points = 60 points

One reading quiz 30 points

Six Warmups each 10 points= 60 points

Six Assignments each 55  points = 330 points

Six Wrapups each 55 points = 330 points

Total = 1000 points

A = 90%, 900 points

B = 80%, 800 points

C = 70%, 700points

D = 60%, 600 points

 

Course Grades & Feedback

You may view your grades using the Grades button in the navigation links on the left-hand side. There will be able to see your grade as well as feedback about your work. Please look carefully at that feedback. It will give you guidance for assignment that can be revised. If you have a question about a grade, please email me as soon as possible. 

 

Attendance/Participation/Refund Policies

I look forward to working with you throughout the semester. I realize it is sometimes difficult to spread the workload out over the semester.  And because it is an online course there will be flexibility to complete work on your own time whether that be day or night, weekday or weekend. But there is clear research evidence that we learn best by spacing out our work.

So, I strongly recommend that you plan to log into the course at least every other day with time to spend on the readings and assignments.

The course will be divided into 4 modules, each lasting three weeks with tasks due each week of the module. For each module you will have work based on the readings due early in the module, an assignment due midway through and a test at the end. All due dates will be posted well in advance on the course Canvas site.

If you miss an entire module you may be dropped from the course.

Please refer to Student Rights in an Online and Hybrid Course   (Links to an external site.)if you have further questions regarding the expectations from your course and instructor.

Again, please note the special requirement for online courses: 

  • DE Drop: A student must log into Canvas during the first week of an online/hybrid class and pass the Check-In Assignment by Thursday at 11:59 PM (4-8 week classes) and Sunday at 11:59 PM (10-16 week classes)  in order to remain in the class (this is a state requirement). See Refund/Payment Policy (Links to an external site.)(Links to an external site.)for more information regarding course drops.

Academic Honesty

A note on individual work: I must give you a grade based on your individually-demonstrated learning in economics (unlike the work world in which you must cooperate with others.) As a result, all test answers must be yours alone. For assignments, you are welcome to consult with others, but each answer must be yours alone.

A note on using additional sources:  All assignments will specify required reading including the textbook and, on occasion, other print or online sources. You are welcome to use additional resources. If you do so, please give those sources credit. Tell me, the reader where information or quotes came from. By noting the authority of a source your argument will be stronger and, of course, you will avoid plagiarism.

For more information, please refer to the Glendale Community College Academic (Links to an external site.) (Links to an external site.) Honesty Policy.

Late Work

Self-paced work on the textbook will prepare you for the upcoming economics content. It will be due at the beginning of each module as indicated on Canvas and at the textbook site. Work not completed on time will receive no points.

Assignments, one for each module, will be due as indicated on Canvas. Late submissions will lose 5 points (plus 5 additional points reduced if more than one week late.) All assignments can be revised for additional points but late point reductions cannot be made up. Revisions are due one week after the original due date.

One "free pass."  Because we all forget deadlines on occasion, you may use the one free pass to avoid the deduction for late work.

Students with Disabilities

  • All students with disabilities seeking accommodations are responsible for making arrangements in a timely manner through the Center for Students with Disabilities(Links to an external site.)(Links to an external site.). Please let me know right away if you will need accommodations so we can pre-plan together.
  • Please let me know if you have adaptive software and hardware to assist you with taking this course or if you have any specific needs of which I should be aware. You can find more information about Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSPS) or call the office at 818-240-1000 x5905.

Student Technical Support

Go to the Student Tech Support (Links to an external site.) (Links to an external site.)  page if you are having Canvas tech issues or check out the resources below:

Student Online Services

There are many additional services to help you during this course. A few of these include:

Additional services can be found on the GCC Student Services Webpage (Links to an external site.) (Links to an external site.).

Schedule of Assignments

Week

Topic

Assignments

Week 1

Introduction to course

Your video introduction

Week 2

Markets: supply and demand

Waymaker Supply and demand

Videos on how markets work

Warmup 

Week 3

Behavioral economics

Video: on behavioral economics

Discussion posts

Assignment 1: Applying supply and demand and behavioral economics

Wrapup 

 

Week 4

 Elasticity

Revision assignment 1

Waymaker on elasticity

Discussion 

Warmup

Week 5

 

Assignment 2

Wrapup

 

Week 6

Taxes and inequality

Revision assignment 2
Readings on taxes and inequality

Warmup

Discussion

Week 7

 

Assignment 3

Wrapup

Week 8 

Costs of production

 

Waymaker on costs

Warmp

Discussion 

Week 9

Competitive markets 

Waymaker on competitive markets 

Discussion 

Assignment 4

Wrapup

Week 10

Monopoly

Revision of assignment 4

Waymaker

Warmup

Week 11

 

Discussion

Assignment 5

Wrapup

Week 12

Oligopoly and monopolistic competition

Revision of assignment 5

Waymaker

Warmup
Week 13

Discussion

Week 14

Assignment 6

Wrapup

Week 15

Final review

Week 16

Retake of wrapups

Revision of assignment 6