Econ1: Principles of Macroeconomics
Section 0201, fall 2023 Course Syllabus

This syllabus is also available as a Word document: fall2023-0201.doc

Professor

Emilio Gomez

Contact Information

Phone: 707.521.6907 (preferable to use email for a quicker response)

Email: egomez@santarosa.edu (I respond to emails within 12 hours, 7 days a week)

Office Hours

Online via Zoom Link: https://santarosa-edu.zoom.us/j/86874209778

M/T/TH: 5pm – 6:30pm; W: 5pm -6pm; these hours may change during the semester to accommodate various schedules                           

Course Logistics

Online Asynchronously

Students will use Canvas to access all course requirements

Required Textbook

“Open Educational Resources” are required for this course. In other words, the textbook for this course is free. You can access it in the Canvas course shell inside the modules section or click here to go directly to it now: $CANVAS_COURSE_REFERENCE$/file_ref/gb088656ec498f1e21afdadeb3e6b504f

Course Description

This course is an introduction to macroeconomic concepts and principles of economic analysis.  Topics include: foundations of economic life, national income and employment, business cycles, money and banking, monetary and fiscal policy, economic growth and stability, public finance, international trade and the position of the U.S. within the context of the global economy, World Trade Organization policies, International Monetary Fund, World Bank structure, and global agricultural subsidies

"My" Course Description

It is my intent to impart my passion and excitement for economics by introducing you to the basic concepts of macroeconomics with the purpose of conveying to you the working and conceptual knowledge to understand and explain the daily events that transpire in any economy. Economics is woven into the fabric of all other disciplines that it is difficult to ignore. As a result of current domestic and global economic events and all the fodder that it provides, there is no better time than the present to feel an urgency for knowing what is happening!!

Your homework assignments will not only test your rote comprehension of discussed material, but will challenge your cognitive thinking or ability to infer cause and effect of particular economic courses of action. Your participation and curiosity will make the class enjoyable and fruitful both for you and your classmates.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Analyze and explain current economic conditions as announced by various governmental and non-governmental agencies with respect to full employment goals.
2. Compare and contrast the potential economic policy options of the Federal Reserve System versus the economic policy options of the Legislative and Executive branches of government with respect to unemployment, inflation, and full employment.
3.  Assess the nation's (United States) economic performance in the context of the global economy.

Course Performance Objectives

Important Dates

Day Class Begins: 8/14/2023

Day Class Ends: 12/8/2023

Last Day to Add without add code: 8/20/2023

Last Day to Drop with refund: 8/27/2023

Last Day to Add with add code: 9/3/2023

Last Day to Drop without a 'W' symbol: 9/3/2023

Last Day to Opt for Pass/No Pass: 12/15/2023

Last Day to Drop with a 'W' symbol: 11/12/2023

Dropping the Class

If you decide to discontinue this course, it is your responsibility to officially drop it. A student may be dropped from any class when that student's absences exceed ten percent (10%) of the total hours of class time. It is strongly advised that if you need to miss more than one class/homework deadline in a row that you contact the instructor to avoid being dropped from the class.

Attendance

Students who fail to log on and initiate participation by 11:59 p.m. Pacific Time of the first day of the class may be dropped by the instructor. Each week begins on Monday and ends at 11:59pm on Sundays.

In addition, I reserve the right to drop you from this course should there be evidence that you have not been logging into the course through Canvas. Such evidence is readily available, digitally, on my end, as well as through incomplete assignments, quizzes or any other materials that I may post.

Lastly, should you miss one or more exams and I haven’t heard from you, I will assume that you plan to no longer attend and I will officially drop you from the roster.

Grading Policy

Click the “Grades” link in Canvas to keep track of your grades. I grade after each exam and post grades and comments in the Canvas gradebook.

Three Study Guides	100 Points (3 x 33 pts.)
Quizzes	200 Points (10 x 20 pts.)
Two Exams	200 Points (2 x 100 pts.)
Final Exam	200 Points
Total	700 Points

Your grade in this class will be based on a total of 700 points. There will be 10 quizzes each worth 20 points. Each of the two exams is worth 100 points, each of the three study guides is worth 33 points and the final exam is worth 200 points. Grades will be determined using the following table:

If you earn at least this many points:	Then your grade will be:
630	A
560	B
490	C
420	D
<420	F

Quizzes

There will be 10 quizzes each worth 20 points. Quizzes will be available by noon on Fridays (though usually published on Thursday afternoons) of the week scheduled and are to be completed online by the end of the week. The end of each week is Sunday at 11:59pm. Quizzes consist of multiple choice questions and are meant to assist you in keeping up with the class. No extensions are given for missing quizzes. You will be allowed two attempts on each quiz.

Study Guides / Homework Assignments

You will have a total of three study guides to complete for this course. Study guides are posted in Canvas for you to download, print and complete. Incomplete study guides will not receive any credit. An incomplete study guide is any study guide that is missing any work, even if just one question is left blank, or if there is any modicum of plagiarism (cheating, copying and pasting, etc.). 

These are “all or nothing” assignments, meaning that if you complete them entirely, you will get the full 33 points for each. If turned in incomplete, or plagiarized, zero (0) points will be given. Therefore, it is critical that you be responsible and take these assignments seriously.

Late submissions are accepted at a loss of 25% of points for every hour it is turned in late.

I can’t stress enough how important it is that you complete these study guides. The questions posed in the assignments will mirror those on tests and exams very closely.

Exams

Throughout the semester, there will be two exams and the final. All exams will consist primarily of short-answer questions that require computation and that mirror what we have covered in class. Only the final exam will be cumulative to the beginning of the semester.

Please note that there are absolutely no exam make-ups without my prior consent.

Extra Credit

My policy regarding extra credit is that I don’t assign it. My experience has been that most students who ask for extra credit are the same students who have spotty attendance records or do not complete the homework assignments.  Despite all your efforts and participation in the course, if you are having a difficult time in this class (which is normal by the way), I would prefer that you set up time with me or the tutoring center to address your deficiencies. Only then can you really address the problem. Having me assign you some extra credit assignment to complete does not address your deficiencies and you will continue in the class only masking your shortcomings.

To that end, extra credit points (2) will be given for every minimum tutoring session of 60 minutes with me or at the tutoring center. Evidence of having attended the tutoring center is required and must be submitted before each exam! Otherwise, absolutely no credit will be given for your efforts. Should anyone attempt to falsify their tutoring sessions, they will be subject to immediate academic disciplinary action.

In Canvas, you will find the document that must be filled out and submitted to me at the end of the semester if attending tutoring here at SRJC. The use of the College’s Net Tutoring system, available through Canvas is also allowed so long as you can provide evidence. Since this is an online delivery system, there should be an online log that records your sessions. The link to tutoring is: http://college-skills.santarosa.edu/tutorial-centers

Conduct and Academic Honesty

Students who register in SRJC classes are required to abide by the SRJC Student Conduct Standards. Violation of the Standards is basis for referral to the Vice President of Student Services or dismissal from class or from the College. See the Student Code of Conduct page.

Collaborating on or copying of tests or homework in whole or in part will be considered an act of academic dishonesty and result in a grade of 0 for that test or assignment. Students are encouraged to share information and ideas, but not their work. See these links on Plagiarism:
SRJC Writing Center Lessons on avoiding plagiarism
SRJC's statement on Academic Integrity

As a student in this class and as a member of this academic community, you not only have the right to enjoy and exercise your freedom to learn, but you have the responsibility to share that right with others. What that means is that any conduct in this class that prohibits or infringes on the rights of your fellow classmates to learn will not be tolerated. Examples of such behavior include, but are not limited to:

• CHEATING ON EXAMS by accessing online or other resources
• Arriving late for class (there is a grace period of 5 minutes)
• Operating a hand-held communication device (texting, emailing, etc.)
• Engaging in conversation with others
• Leaving or walking out prior to the end of class
• Attending class unprepared (without proper learning and writing materials)
• Wearing headphones
• Smoking in class, including vapor cigarettes

Plagiarism or cheating also will not be tolerated. “Academic dishonesty of any type by a student provides grounds for disciplinary action by the instructor or college. In written work, no material may be copied from another without proper quotation marks, footnotes, or appropriate documentation.” In this class, cheating on homework assignments, tests and jeopardy reviews will result in action against those involved. Please refer to https://student-conduct.santarosa.edu/discipline-due-process for more information regarding conduct and academic honesty, as well as disciplinary actions taken in the case of academic dishonesty. The college’s policy on academic integrity can be found at http://www.boarddocs.com/ca/santarosa/Board.nsf/Public?open&id=policies.

Special Needs

Every effort is made to conform to accessibility standards for all instructor-created materials. Students should contact their instructor as soon as possible if they find that they cannot access any course materials. Students with disabilities who believe they need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact Disability Resources (527-4278).

How to Do Well In This Course

In order to do well in this course, the following are a few worthy suggestions:

1. 2x1 Plan: Plan on spending two hours of studying outside of class for every hour spent in class. Therefore, since this class meets for close to three hours per week, you should aim to spend about six hours of study time per week outside of class
2. Attend class: I will always lecture on the most important points of the chapter which will inevitably be on tests and the final. In addition, only if you come to class will you know for sure what you will be tested on as I make frequent revelations. Lastly, some material covered in class does not necessarily match up with the material in the textbook.
3. Review and then Read: Peruse the chapter and look through the lecture slides prior to class. If you can’t read the entire chapter in one sitting, space it out throughout the week as we cover the material in class.
4. Complete the Homework Assignments: It’s not obvious now, but it will be after the first test that much of the content for the tests will resemble that of the assignments. Why wait until the tests to make mistakes when you can make them during the assignment phase, which is not graded.
5. Work in Groups: Very often students are able to comprehend something when one of their own peers explains it. Make a friend or friends and establish a weekly time to get together to work on the homework assignments and to review the chapters. You’ll be surprised how helpful it is to work in groups.
6. Ask Questions & Seek Help: Statistically, about 2 people in this class will really understand everything being discussed. They are the exception, not the norm. We all need clarification when it comes to economic topics because it is a complex subject.
7. Take Advantage of the free tutorial services offered by the college:
8. Disability Resource Department (DRD): Students with disabilities who believe they need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact Disability Resources (527-4278), as soon as possible to better ensure such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.

The Bottom Line:

 You can pass this course. Although I cannot guarantee that you will pass this course, I can tell you for a fact that if you do what is asked of you, you will pass this course. You are responsible for your own actions and results. It is normal and I expect for you to struggle through this course. However, as long as you put in a valiant effort to learn and be intellectually curious, you will be rewarded.  

I really believe that the structure of this course is set up to benefit both face-to-face learners, as well as online learners. By providing pre-recorded course lectures and/or videos (available to you 24/7), the opportunity to do more than would be possible in a face-to-face environment is limitless.

Course Schedule

Week of:	Topic
August 14th	Course Introduction Chapter 1: Welcome to Economics! Course Contract: Due by 8/20 at 11:59pm
August 21st	Chapter 2: Choice in a World of Scarcity Chapter 20: Sections 20.1– 20.2 Quiz #1: Due by 8/27
August 28th	Chapter 3.1-3.3: Demand and Supply Quiz #2: Due by 9/3
September 4th	Chapter 3.4: Price Ceilings & Price Floors Quiz #3: Due by 9/10
September 11th	Chapter 3.5: Demand, Supply & Efficiency Quiz #4: Due by 9/17
September 18th	Study Guide #1: due by 9/20 at 11:59pm Exam #1: due by 9/24
September 25th	Chapter 6: The Macroeconomic Perspective Quiz #5: Due by 10/1
October 2nd	Chapter 8: Unemployment Quiz #6: Due by 10/8
October 9th	Chapter 9: Inflation Quiz #7: Due by 10/15
October 16th	Chapter 11: The Aggregate Demand / Aggregate Supply Model
October 23rd	Study Guide #2: due by 10/25 at 11:59pm Exam #2: due by 10/29
October 30th	Chapter 12: The Keynesian Perspective & Appendix B: The Expenditures-Output Model Quiz #8: Due by 11/5
November 6th	Chapter 13: The Neoclassical Perspective
November 13th	Chapter 14: Money & Banking
November 20th	Chapter 15: Monetary Policy and Bank Regulation Quiz #9: Due by 11/26
November 27th	Chapter 17: Government Budgets and Fiscal Policy Quiz #10: Due by 12/3
December 4th	Study Guide #3: due by 12/6 at 11:59pm
December 11th	Final Exam: Due by 12/15