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NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE
COURSE SYLLABUS
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Course Title:
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Principles of Microeconomics
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Course Prefix & Number:
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ECON2302
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Section Number:
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0403
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Semester/Year:
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Spring/
2021
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Semester Credit Hours:
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3
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Lecture Hours:
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3
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Lab Hours:
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0
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Course Description (NCTC Catalog):
Analysis of the behavior of individual economic agents, including consumer behavior and demand, producer behavior and supply, price and output decisions by firms under various market structures, factor markets, market failures, and international trade.
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Course Prerequisite(s): None
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Registration in the course gives you access to the e-book needed for ECON2302. You do not need to purchase a separate textbook.
Inclusive Access is a partnership between NCTC and McGraw-Hill Education, to provide the best learning resources on the first day of class. Students can gain access to McGraw-Hill’s adaptive online platforms with the latest version of the eBook at a discount. If students would like to purchase a physical copy of the textbook, they can order a discounted loose-leaf version through the bookstore.
Students who drop before the add/drop date will have their book fees credited back to their student account, and students who remain in the course will be charged a materials fee by the school to have continued access of the online platforms. If you remain enrolled in the course but wish to opt-out of access to the book please email the NCTC Bookstore with your name and student number to 1263mgr@follett.com.
CANVAS/CONNECT ACCESS: All students must have complete access to Canvas for the entire semester. It is the student’s responsibility to have access to the internet at all times, as well as having all needed programs to complete an online course. Students are not to give any other person access to his/her Canvas account. Students can be removed from the online course immediately up violating this rule. Once a student has given another person access to his/her Canvas account, the credibility of any work completed becomes questionable.
CANVAS WEBSITE: Students can access Canvas indirectly by going to the NCTC homepage (www.nctc.edu) and clicking on the “Canvas” icon/logo. Or, students can access Canvas directly by going straight to the website for Canvas (https://nctc.instructure.com).
Connect Technical Requirements and Support
Please review the following information from McGraw-Hill Higher Education before you begin any assignments in Connect.
- Run a system check: To have a successful experience in Connect, you will need to ensure that your computer's system meets the requirements needed to access and run your assignments (e.g.: operating system, browsers, plug-ins). It is strongly recommended that you troubleshoot your computer at least once a week, and before every test, to be sure that you will be able to complete the required exercises. Click on the following link to learn how to troubleshoot Connect and what the computer requirements are: http://connect.mheducation.com/connect/troubleshoot.do
- Get support: Connect has a Customer Experience Group (CXG) Support Center where you can connect with a tech specialist via chat, phone, or email. Click on this link to access the online support center: https://mhedu.force.com/CXG/s/ContactUs
If you have problems with registration or technical difficulties while completing assignments, contact CXG. I am not tech support! Every time you speak with a representative, you will receive a case/ticket number for reference. Be sure to keep this number so that you can easily check up on the status of any unresolved problems and also to share with me if required.
Here is the direct toll-free phone number for the Customer Experience Group (CXG) Support Center: 800-331-5094
Here are the hours of operation for the Customer Experience Group (CXG) Support Center:
Sun: 12pm - 12am
Mon-Thurs: 24 hours
Fri: 12 am - 9pm
Sat: 10am - 8pm (All in US Eastern Time)
***CONNECT TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES / ISSUES***
If you experience any technical difficulties / issues while working on assignments in Connect, it is your responsibility as the student to take the following actions:
(1) Contact the Connect Customer Experience Group (CXG) immediately to report the issue at the time the issue occurs, prior to the assignment due date, so that the issue can be documented and resolved
AND
(2) Contact your Course Instructor (me) immediately to notify me of the issue.
Technical Problem Resolution Procedure
If you experience technical difficulties while completing an online assignment, follow the procedures as outlined below.
1. Take a screen shot: Take a screen shot/Print Screen of the monitor when the problem occurs. Save as a .pdf or .jpg file.
2. Contact technical support: Make sure you give a complete description of your problem so the Help Desk staff will have the pertinent information in order to assist you properly. This may include:
o course name/reference number and/or instructor name
o operating system, Internet browser, and/or Internet service provider (ISP) information
o Print Screen file
o your contact information
3. Send a message to your instructor to notify him of the problem: Include all pertinent information of the incident (as listed above).You must provide the ticket/case number that you receive from technical support. This ticket provides proof of the time and date you tried to submit an online assignment. Any notifications that do not include this ticket/case number will be invalid.
4. Follow up: If you do not hear back from the technical support within a timely manner (less than 48 hours), it is your responsibility to follow up with the appropriate person until a resolution is obtained.
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INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
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Name of Instructor:
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Mike McCoy
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Campus/Office Location:
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Corinth/ Room 313 Cubicle 9
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Telephone Number:
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Office: (940) 498-6282 x 6256 Google Voice: (940) 217-5966
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E-mail Address:
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mimccoy@nctc.edu
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OFFICE HOURS
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Monday
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Tuesday
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Wednesday
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Thursday
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Friday
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Online:
8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
3:30 p.m.—5:30 p.m.
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Office:
10:00 a.m.-11:00a.m.
2:30 p.m.- 3:30 p.m.
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Online:
8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
3:30 p.m.—5:30 p.m.
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Office:
10:00 a.m.-11:00a.m.
2:30 p.m.- 3:30 p.m.
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Other hours by appointment. Note: If you wish, WebEx or Zoom web conference virtual office hour visits are also available. Contact the instructor for more information about virtual office hour visits.
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STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES (From Academic Course Guide Manual/Workforce Education Course Manual/NCTC Catalog
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At the successful completion of this course the student will be able to:
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Explain the role of scarcity, specialization, opportunity cost, and cost/benefit analysis in economic decision-making.
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Identify the determinants of supply and demand; demonstrate the impact of shifts in both market supply and demand curves on equilibrium price and output.
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Summarize the law of diminishing marginal utility; describe the process of utility maximization.
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Calculate supply and demand elasticities, identify the determinants of price elasticity of demand and supply, and demonstrate the relationship between elasticity and total revenue.
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Describe the production function and the Law of Diminishing Marginal Productivity; calculate and graph short-run and long-run costs of production.
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Identify the four market structures by characteristics; calculate and graph the profit maximizing price and quantity in the output markets by use of marginal analysis.
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Determine the profit maximizing price and quantity of resources in factor markets under perfect and imperfect competition by use of marginal analysis.
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Describe governmental efforts to address market failure such as monopoly power, asymmetric information, externalities, and public goods.
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Identify the benefits of free trade using the concept of comparative advantage.
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GRADING CRITERIA
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# of Graded Course Elements
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Graded Course Elements
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Weight
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12-14
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McGraw-Hill Connect (MHC) SmartBook Assignments*
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15%
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12-14
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Quizzes*
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5%
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12-14
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Discussions*
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General Class Participation
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10%
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15****
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1
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Semester Group Project
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5%
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3
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Written Assignments
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5%
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3
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In-semester Exams*
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40%
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1
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Final Exam
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20%
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1
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Mandatory Assessment Quiz
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**
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Total
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100%
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* The lowest grade from each of the elements where there is a single asterisk by the course element will be dropped if the mandatory Assessment Quiz is submitted on time.
**While the mandatory Assessment Quiz does not carry a separate percentage weight, be aware that failure to submit the Assessment Quiz by the due date and time will result in NONE of the graded course elements being dropped.
*** Discussions topics are subject to change. Some may be cancelled, some may be graded as a completion grade, and others will be graded using the included rubric.
****General class participation will be determined by looking at weekly discussions, attendance in web conferences, submitting assignments on a weekly basis, etc. The grade may not be posted until the end of the semester so that the instructor has a complete picture of your participation for the complete semester.
COURSE SUBJECT OUTLINE (Major Assignments, Due Dates, and Grading Criteria)
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It is critical that you login to the Canvas course homepage every week. You will likely miss assignments if you only look at the calendar and/or the due dates for the course when you first login to Canvas without going to the actual course homepage. Also, do not just go by due dates showing in McGraw-Hill Connect (MHC). Some activities are submitted in Canvas and some in MHC. You need to look at the announcements posted on the Canvas course homepage every week and also go to the details about each week in the Canvas course. For example, for the second week of the semester, be sure to go to the “Week 2” page in the Canvas course and be sure to do all the “To-Do” items listed.
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SmartBook 2.0 : The SmartBook 2.0 (SB) assignments are directly over textbook content and will be completed in McGraw-Hill Hill Connect (MHC) via the “Assignments” Tab in our Canvas course. SmartBook uses adaptive technology to tailor the assignment and learning experience to each individual student’s needs. SmartBook starts by identifying the topics a student knows and does not know. As the student progresses, SmartBook adapts and adjusts the content and questions on the assignment based on the individual student’s strengths, weaknesses, and confidence. Each SmartBook assignment is set to take 30 – 50 minutes to complete on average. However, it may take some students more than 50 minutes to complete and some students less than 50 minutes to complete.
**How quickly a student completes the assignment depends on (1) how many questions the student answers correctly and (2) how confident the student is that their answer is correct, prior to viewing the correct answer and their score for each question. So, if you are confident that the answer you have chosen is correct, make sure to click “I know it” when you are asked “Do you know the answer?” after having answered the question. If you are confident that your answer is correct , but instead you click on “Think so,” “Unsure,” or “No idea,” then SmartBook will keep on giving you additional questions covering those same concepts until you (1) answer all of the questions correctly and (2) are confident that you answered all of the questions correctly. Therefore, as there is no limit on the number of times that a student can attempt and work through each SmartBook assignment, if a student continues answering all of the questions that SmartBook presents him/her with in the assignment, the student will eventually achieve a perfect score and earn a “100” on the assignment.
Please be aware of the opening and closing dates for the SmartBook assignments, as no assignment will be re-opened once it has closed and no late assignments will be accepted. Again, you have no limit on the number of attempts on the SmartBook questions to get the correct answer and state that you are confident the answer is correct, and there is no time limit. Think of this as practice!
McGraw-Hill Connect Quizzes: The McGraw-Hill Connect quizzes are generally over textbook content and will consist of objective (multiple choice, true false, fill-in-the-blank, matching, etc.) questions. In addition, there may be some numerical calculation problems. Quizzes are completed in Connect via the “Assignments” tab in your Canvas course or directly by going to your McGraw-Hill Connect classroom. Please be aware of the due dates for the quizzes. You may work on the quizzes past the due date, but your grade on the due date will be the recorded grade in the Canvas grade book. You usually have three attempts on the quizzes to get the correct answer. There is no time limit.
Discussions: After the first Introduce Yourself Discussion (D1), the remaining are designed to give students the opportunity to express their knowledge about topics related to the class in an open discussion setting. It is recommended that students also comment on other students’ posts. These will be submitted in Canvas, not McGraw-Hill Connect.
Group Project: There is one major group project for the semester. The instructor reserves the right to have smaller group projects throughout the semester. See Week 5 in Canvas for more information about the group project.
Written Assignments: This assignments will determine your ability to connect the content in the class with “real world” events. It may consist of written responses to questions or other forms of assignment.
In-semester Exams: Exams 1, 2, and 3 generally contain around 40 to 50 objective (multiple choice, true false, fill-in-the-blank, matching, etc.) questions and may contain 1 or 2 essay questions. The questions will be related to the content covered up to the date of that particular exam. A study guide will be posted in Canvas prior to the due date of the exam. Exams 1-3 will be taken in McGraw-Hill Connect.
**Note: All students MUST complete the “Assessment Quiz”. It is a mandatory assignment required by the department for completion of the course. If you do not complete the “Assessment Quiz”, one of the in-semester exams will NOT be dropped.
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The “Assessment Quiz” covers all of the student learning outcomes for the course and is used by the department to measure what students have learned and mastered after having completed the entire course.
Final Exam: The final exam is cumulative. That means that the questions may cover any and all topics covered during the semester. It is located in McGraw-Hill Connect. A study guide will be provided prior to the due date.
**Details on when SmartBook Assignments, Quizzes, and Exams are open and due will be given in Connect and/or on Canvas. It is the student’s responsibility to be aware of what is due and when it is due. Failure to regularly sign into Canvas and Connect could be the difference between passing and failing.
The final grade is out of 100 percent according to the following scale:
90 – 100 = A, 80 - 89 = B, 70 - 79 = C, 60 – 69 = D, 59 or below = F
Note: Grades will be rounded only from the tenth’s position. That means, for example, if the final average is 79.5, then that rounds to 80 for a “B” grade. However, if the final average is 79.4999, then that does not round to 80 and therefore the grade is a “C” for the course. Do not ask for extra credit or for the grade to be “bumped -up” at the end of the semester.
IMPORTANT DATES
Classes Begin – Tuesday, January 19
Official Date of Record – Monday, February 1
Exam 1 – Wednesday, February 10 – Sunday, February 14*
Exam 2 – Wednesday, March 10 – Sunday, March 14*
Spring Break – Monday, March 15 – Sunday, March 21
Last Day to Withdraw with "W" – Monday, April 5
Exam 3 - Wednesday, April 14 – Sunday, April 18*
Semester Group Project – Sunday, May 2
Assessment Quiz- Sunday, May 9
Final Exam – Monday, May 10 – Wednesday, May 12***
*If the class continues as a face-to-face class, then the exams will likely be taken in class on the Thursday of the relevant week. However, if the class has to be converted to online due to the pandemic, then the due date is the relevant Sunday as indicated, but there is no penalty for submitting on the following Monday or Tuesday immediately following the assignment week. After the two-day extension, there are no make-up or extension possibilities for any reason.
Do not get behind. It is hard to recover if you get behind.
***DO NOT ASK TO TAKE THE FINAL EXAM EARLY OR LATE. IT MUST BE TAKEN ON ONE OF THE DESIGNATED DAYS. THERE ARE NO EXTENSIONS PAST WEDNESDAY, MAY 12 FOR SUBMITTING THE FINAL EXAM.
FINAL GRADES:
(To repeat) Once the Final Exam Deadline has passed, all grades are final. All final grades are determined by the coursework completed throughout the semester and follow the standard rounding rules, rounding to the nearest whole number (i.e., a final grade of 89.50 is an “A” and a final grade of 89.49 is a “B”, etc.) Do not ask for your grades to be “bumped up” once the final exam period has ended.
ATTENDANCE POLICY
Regular and punctual attendance is expected of all students in all classes for which they have registered. All absences are considered to be unauthorized unless the student is absent due to illness or emergencies as determined by the instructor. It is the student responsibility to provide documentation as to the emergency for approval and judgement by the faculty member. Approved college sponsored activities are the only absences for which a student should not be held liable and only when provided by a college official ahead of the absence. Valid reasons for absence, however, do not relieve the student of the responsibility for making up required work prior to the due date. Students will not be allowed to make up an examination missed due to absence unless they have reasons acceptable to the instructor. A student who is compelled to be absent when a test is given should petition the instructor, in advance if possible, for permission to take the exam early. Student will be dropped from a class by the Registrar upon recommendation of the instructor who feels the student has been justifiably absent or tardy a sufficient number of times to preclude meeting the course’s objectives. Persistent, unjustified absences from classes or laboratories will be considered sufficient cause for College officials to drop a student from the rolls of the College. From Board Policy FC (LOCAL)
Additional Instructor-specific Absence Policy: To repeat, regular and punctual attendance is expected of all students. For online classes, students should login to both Canvas and McGraw-Hill Connect as well as check NCTC email and Canvas announcements on a daily basis. Do not wait until the last day/minute to start assignments.
Last day to withdraw from a course with a “W” is Monday, April 5.
DISABILITY SERVICES (Office for Students with Disabilities)
The Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) provides support services for students with disabilities, students enrolled in technical areas of study, and students who are classified as special populations (i.e. single parents).
Support services for students with disabilities might include appropriate and reasonable accommodations, or they may be in the form of personal counseling, academic counseling, career counseling, etc. Furthermore, OSD Counselors work with students to encourage self-advocacy and promote empowerment. The Counselors also provides resource information, disability-related information, and adaptive technology for students who qualify.
For support, please contact the counselors at (940) 498-6207 or (940) 668-4321. Alternatively, students may stop by Room 170 in Corinth or Room 110 in Gainesville.
CORE CURRICULUM FOUNDATIONAL COMPONENT AREA (For classes in the Core)_______