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ECONOMICS
100
“INTRODUCTION
TO ECONOMICS”
FALL
2010
Welcome, New Student
This orientation provides answers to questions you may have as you begin your internet “Introduction to Economics” learning experience.
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“INTRODUCTION TO
ECONOMICS”
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Economics is the study of how people satisfy their unlimited wants in the face of limited resources. There are two main branches of economics: 1) microeconomics and 2) macroeconomics. Microeconomics deals with the behavior of individual households and firms; whereas Macroeconomics is concerned with a nation's economy as a whole, and with the global economics. In this course, we will cover an introductory overview of both macroeconomics and microeconomics.
In Microeconomics you will study how households make decisions about what goods to buy. You will also learn how firms make decisions about what to produce and how to produce it. Examining the behavior of households and firms will give us the necessary insight to understand how the interaction between consumers' demands and producers' supplies determines prices in the marketplace.
In this introduction to microeconomics, you will learn some of the basic economic models. These models are represented graphically. You will learn to analyze economic issues and problems through the use of these graphs. Where helpful, graphs will be animated. Understanding the graphs taught in the lessons will allow you to apply the key concepts to new real world economic events when you come across them in your daily life.
In Macroeconomics we study inflation, unemployment, and an important economic measure called gross domestic product (or GDP). We look at how economists determine an economy's output and price levels, and how they analyze changes in an economy, using a model called aggregate demand and aggregate supply. We also examine international trade and finance, and the role of monetary and fiscal policies in stabilizing an economy. Throughout this part of the course, we focus on factors that affect economic growth.
Economics affects our everyday life. Each lesson relates the concepts to be taught in real world situations. This will allow you to grasp the importance of each new concept more easily. The lessons will include additional illustrations of the applicability of the economic theory or concept.
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“INTRODUCTION TO
ECONOMICS”
COURSE FEATURES
The course is taught using a series of modules. The heart of the modules is a multimedia lesson presentation combining narrated graphics, video, animation, as well as text, in a series of screens. You'll begin a module by downloading the course notes from the course web site. The multimedia lessons are online streaming audio/video presentations using the Thinkwell course website.
The course also offers a variety of features to enhance and reinforce your understanding. Such features include downloadable course notes and a list of key terms and definitions for each module
If you have questions about the content of the course, you can contact me via e-mail.
If you have questions regarding the operation of the
software or its interaction with your computer, call the
Monday thru Friday
You can email Thinkwell Technical Support anytime at techsupport@thinkwell.com.
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WHERE DO I START?
You are enrolled in a student-paced course where all unit tutorial modules are always available for you to work through at your own pace.
Every tutorial module has its own: 1) online streaming audio/video multimedia presentation, 2) downloadable notes, 3) downloadable transcripts, and 4) an exercise.
You will be able to move backwards and see previous questions, but only before online submission, while taking any of the Thinkwell exercises
Each exercise may be submitted TWO TIMES which means that ALL exercises may be REPEATED ONCE for a possible improved score. The recorded official score for any exercise for final scoring will be the BEST SCORE that was successfully submitted online.
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“INTRODUCTION TO ECONOMICS”
GRADING POLICY
You must be currently enrolled for this section of the
course titled 'Economics 100' at
The Macroeconomics course consists of 17 chapters, with further sub-chapters, ultimately having approximately 131 tutorial modules each with its own exercise accessible on the web site. You must complete all 131 exercises to fully complete the course. Your grade is based upon the cumulative points earned for all 131 exercises compared to the total possible points for the course (approximately 1,162), expressed as one final percentage score.
This is a cumulative point grading system. There is one point for every question in each exercise of each web site unit tutorial in the course.
You will be able to move backwards and see previous questions, but only before online submission, while taking any of the Thinkwell exercises
Each exercise may be submitted TWO TIMES which means that ALL exercises may be REPEATED ONCE for a possible improved score. The recorded official score for any exercise for final scoring will be the BEST SCORE that was successfully submitted online.
ALL WORK MUST BE FINISHED AND
SUBMITTED BY THE END OF THE DAY OF DECEMBER 18th, 2010, MIDNIGHT (CENTRAL TIME)
TO RECEIVE CREDIT. The course
web site will be closed to student access at that time.
THERE ARE ABSOLUTELY NO EXTRA CREDIT ASSIGNMENTS AVAILABLE.
No grade of
“incomplete” will be given.
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CUMULATIVE POINT GRADING
SCALE
A = 93 to 100%
A- = 90 to 92%
B+ = 87 to 89%
B = 83 to 86%
B- = 80 to 82%
C+ = 77 to 79%
C = 73 to 76%
C- = 70 to 72%
D+ = 67 to 69%
D = 63 to 68%
D- = 60 to 62%
W = 0 to 59%
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Dave Cook