ECONOMICS 201: PRINCIPLES OF MICROECONOMICS
Fall 2011
TTh 9:30am – 10:45am
Bryan 122
Professor Garth Heutel
Email: [email protected]
Office: Bryan 446 (Ph: 336 334 4872)
Office Hours: TTh 11:00am-12:00pm
This is an introductory course designed to introduce students to the basic concepts behind
microeconomics. These concepts include market systems, supply and demand, market equilibrium,
elasticity, business costs, and resource markets.
Required Course Materials
TEXTBOOK: The required textbook is Microeconomics: Brief Edition by McConnell, Brue and Flynn,
published by McGraw Hill. We will cover all 12 chapters of this book.
ONLINE ACCOUNT: You are also required to register for an online account with McGraw-Hill Connect
Economics. You will be able to access this account through this course's Blackboard page. Each student
is required to have his or her own account. All homework assignments will be turned in through this
account. If you bought the textbook new at the bookstore, it should have come with access to an
account. If not, then you will have to purchase a stand-alone Connect account (which comes with access
to an online copy of the textbook).
Register online as soon as possible. The last date to register online is September 13th. If you are not
registered by this date you will be unable to complete the course. The first homework assignment is
due August 25th, and you must have an account in order to turn in the assignment.
HOW TO REGISTER: Register online via this course's Blackboard page
1. Sign in to Blackboard: https://blackboard.uncg.edu
2. Select this course (ECO-201-05)
3. Select the "Tools" link on the list on the left of the page
4. Select the "McGraw Hill Higher Education" link
5. Below "My Connect Section", click Go to My Connect Section
6. Follow the on-screen instructions to register
You will need your access code that you received with your textbook, or you will need to buy an account
at this step with your credit card. An alternative way to register is to go directly to the Connect website
page: http://connect.mcgraw-hill.com/class/g_heutel_5. However, then you will not be able to access
Connect via Blackboard.
Grades
Grades will be determined according to the following allocation of points:
 Problem Sets
 Midterm 1
20% of course grade
15% of course grade
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Midterm 2
Midterm 3
Final Examination
Attendance
15% of course grade
15% of course grade
30% of course grade
5% of course grade
Problem Sets
Problem sets will be assigned throughout the course, usually one for each chapter of the book. Problem
sets are designed to be representative of the material on the midterms and final exam. All problem sets
must be turned in via your online Connect account, and are due at 11:59pm on the assigned due date.
You are encouraged to work together in groups on completing the assignments, although each student
must turn in his or her own problem set.
Midterms
Three in-class midterm exams will be held on Thursday, September 15th, Thursday, October 13th, and
Tuesday, November 15th. The midterms are to be done independently, in class, without use of notes or
textbooks. No make-up midterms will be given.
Final Examination
The final examination is scheduled for Thursday, December 8 at 8am-11am (note the early start time),
in the regular class meeting room (Bryan 122). The final exam will cover all material in the course. It will
not over-represent material presented after the midterm. It is to be done without use of notes or
textbooks.
Attendance
Attendance is taken at the beginning of each class (9:30am). Please be in your assigned seat on time to
be counted present. Being tardy (arriving after attendance is taken) will count as an absence. Likewise,
if I notice you leaving class early, you will be marked absent. You are allowed one unexcused absence.
Each additional absence lowers your attendance grade by 10 percentage points.
NOTE ON ATTENDANCE POLICY: There are few acceptable excuses for missing class. These include a
death in the family, a serious illness documented by a physician, a religious holiday, and a Universitysponsored event. Acceptable excuses must be requested and approved by email by the instructor
before the date of absence. Any absence without a prior approval by email by the instructor will be
counted as an unexcused absence. IF THE UNEXCUSED ABSENCE OCCURS ON A MIDTERM DATE, THE
MIDTERM GRADE WILL BE ZERO AND NO MAKE-UP WILL BE ALLOWED.
The University's attendance policy can be read here:
http://web.uncg.edu/reg/Bulletin/Current/AcaRegs/ClassAttendance.aspx
Letter Grades
Grades will be based on the following:
 A: 90% and higher
 B: 80% to 89%
 C: 70% to 79%
 D: 60% to 69%
 F: 59% and below
Pluses and minuses may be added to these at the instructor's discretion. Grade assignment may change
from what is indicated above by a curve, but grades will only be curved upwards and never downwards.
Thus, a curve will never hurt you and may help you.
Academic Integrity Policy
Students are expected to know and abide by the academic integrity policy in all matters pertaining to
this course. Violations of this code will be pursued in accordance with the code. The link to UNCG’s
academic integrity policy is: http://academicintegrity.uncg.edu/complete/
Graduate Assistant
The graduate assistant for this course is Stephanie Norris. She will be assisting in the grading of the
problem sets, midterms, and the final exam. You may contact her directly at [email protected] if you
would like to meet for office hours.
Additional Requests/Advice
 No talking to your neighbors during class, even if you are discussing the class. If you have
questions raise your hand, or wait to ask them during office hours. No cell phone use or texting.
 Limit laptop use to taking notes and following along with the online course materials. No email,
etc.
 A rule of thumb for college courses is that you spend three hours per week working on the
course (studying, completing assignments, reading) for every one hour that the course meets.
For this course that means you should expect to work about nine hours per week in addition to
the lectures. If this is not feasible for you given your schedule, then perhaps this is not the
course for you.
 To succeed in this class, you should
1. Complete all of the assigned reading before the day of class, reading carefully and taking
notes.
2. Come to each class, pay attention, and take notes.
3. Do all homework assignments, making sure that you understand each problem.
4. Come to office hours whenever you have questions, especially early on in the course.
COURSE SCHEDULE
Note: The assigned readings in the course schedule below are to be read before that class
meeting.
8/23 – Lecture 1
Chapter 1
8/25 – Lecture 2
Chapter 1
Problem Set #1 due
8/30 – Lecture 3
Chapter 2
9/1 – Lecture 4
Chapter 2
Problem Set #2 due
9/6 – Lecture 5
Chapter 3
9/8 – Lecture 6
Chapter 3
9/13 – Lecture 7
Chapter 3
Problem Set #3 due
9/15 – Lecture 8
Midterm #1
9/20 – Lecture 9
Chapter 4
9/22 – Lecture 10
Chapter 4
Problem Set #4 due
9/27 – Lecture 11
Chapter 5
9/29 – Lecture 12
Chapter 5
Problem Set #5 due
10/4 – Lecture 13
Chapter 6
10/6 – Lecture 14
Chapter 6
Problem Set #6 due
10/11 – Fall Break
10/13 – Lecture 15
Midterm #2
10/18 – Lecture 16
Chapter 7
10/20 – Lecture 17
Chapter 7
Problem Set #7 due
10/25 – Lecture 18
Chapter 8
10/27 – Lecture 19
Chapter 8
Problem Set #8 due
11/1 – Lecture 20
Chapter 9
11/3 – Lecture 21
Chapter 9
Problem Set #9 due
11/8 – Lecture 22
Chapter 10
11/10 – Lecture 23
Chapter 10
Problem Set #10 due
11/15 – Lecture 24
Midterm #3
11/17 – Lecture 25
Chapter 11
11/22 – Lecture 26
Chapter 11
Problem Set #11 due
11/24 – Thanksgiving Break
11/29 – Lecture 27
Chapter 12
12/1 – Lecture 28
Chapter 12
Problem Set #12 due
12/6 – No Class
12/8 – Final exam; 8am-11am, Bryan 122
Course Contract
ECO 201: Principles of Microeconomics
Professor Garth Heutel
Fall 2011
I have read the course syllabus and I agree to all of the requirements of the course.
Name__________________________________________
Signature_________________________________________
Date__________________