MW 11:00a - 12:20p
General Learning Goals:
Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:
1) Demonstrate problem solving and decision making abilities through the critical analysis, evaluation, and interpretation of business information.
2) Demonstrate a competency in speaking and writing for common business scenarios.
3) Have an understanding of the influence of global and multicultural issues on business activities.
Course Specific Learning Goals:
1) Have acquired factual knowledge about economic terminology, methods, and trends.
2) Understand basic economic principles necessary for thinking critically about the economizing problem, specific macroeconomic issues, and available public policy alternatives.
3) Understand how to apply economic principles in the contexts of business, government, politics, and society.
4) Recognize the importance of economics with respect to private and public decisions.
5) Have basic tools to evaluate economic options and changes from the perspective of an informed voter and member of society.
Grading and Evaluation:
Grades will be based on student performance and achievement as measured by a series of homework assignments, unannounced quizzes, and examinations. The relative value of each is:
Unannounced and scheduled quizzes: 10%
Average of homework assignments: 25%
Examination grades: 45%
Class participation 10%
Assignment presentation* 10%
* This factor is based on how your assigned work in the class appears (e.g. is it legible, logical, and well articulated using correct grammar, etc.).
An optional comprehensive final exam will be given. This exam will be the make-up exam for those individuals who, for one reason or another, miss one of the mid-term exams. For all students who take the final exam, the achieved grade will replace the lowest mid-term exam score that is recorded.
Exams:
Exams will be given electronically, typically at the conclusion of each textbook unit division. Specific instructions will be included for each exam, but in general, each exam will include randomly selected multiple choice questions along with appropriate problems, short – answer essay questions, and/or multi-part essay questions.
There will be no make-up for the exams. It is the student’s responsibility to know when and where exams will be available. The comprehensive final exam will serve as the make-up exam for this class. The final exam is scheduled for Monday, 06 DEC 10 from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm.
Participation:
Student participation is very important for this course. Therefore participation credits are assigned to encourage students to attend classes and engage in class discussion. Participation grade depends on the following factors:
Students with outstandingly good participation can earn up to 10 points of participation grades, while students that seldom participate or are disruptive to class may get zero participation grade. There is no guarantee that a student attending every class will automatically receive the full credit of class participation.
For the record keeping purpose, each class period a roll sheet will be passed through the class and students need to make sure that they sign on the roll sheet. Signing any other student’s name on the roll sheet is considered as a disruptive conduct in this course. A student who needs to leave the classroom early must ask the instructor for an approval before the class.
Students are expected to attend all class meetings for this course, following the university attendance policy. (See Midwestern State University Undergraduate Catalog, Vol. LXXVII, p. 85 & p. 90). Each meeting of the class will run as scheduled. So as not to disturb the class, you are not to walk in and out of the classroom during the class hour except for an emergency.
Students are expected to attend class and participate in discussions. Students who are absent for three (3) consecutive class sessions may be dropped from the class with a “WF”. Meaningful participation in discussions will require that assigned materials and projects be completed before the class in which they are considered. Assignments are to be turned in at the beginning of class. Assignments turned in late (after the first 5 minutes of the class period in which they are due) will be accepted for grading, provided they are submitted before solutions are posted. Late submissions may be subject to a potential penalty equal to no more than 12% of the grade earned. Make-up quizzes will not be given, even if an absence is determined to be excused.
Other Course Policies
1) Please bring a calculator to class.
2) Please do not use your communication device(s) during the class.
3) It is obviously in a student’s best interests to attend class regularly. The materials are cumulative in nature, so if a student misses some lectures, she or he will not make sense out of subsequent lectures. In addition, she/he potentially loses opportunities to earn quiz credits in the event of an absence. So skip at your own risk!
4) Students are expected to read the class material before and after the scheduled classes.
5) Announcements not made in class will be posted online through WebCT. Students have the responsibility to check the postings regularly.
6) Video, audio, and image recording other than taking hand-written or typed notes in the classroom is not allowed without the prior consent of the instructor. Redistribution of course material prepared by the instructor in any form outside this class is not allowed.
Academic Integrity
Students shall follow the “Student Honor Creed” on p. 4 of the Midwestern State University Student Handbook (2009-2010). A student who commits academic dishonesty is subject to conduct sanctions (Please see p. 71 Item 11 of the Handbook for the definition of Academic Dishonesty, p. 73 and p. 74 for Conduct Sanctions, and p. 75 Section 4 for the Academic Misconduct Procedures).
References
Midwestern State University Student Handbook (2009-2010) and Undergraduate Catalog (2008-
2010), respectively, at http://students.mwsu.edu/dean/ and http://registrar.mwsu.edu/catalog/.
Blackboard/WebCT
Extensive use of the MSU Blackboard/WebCT program is a part of this course. Each student is expected to become familiar with this program as it provides a primary source of communication regarding assignments, examination materials, and general course information. You can find access to the system through the MSU homepage. If you experience difficulties using it, please contact the technicians listed for the program or contact your instructor.
Important Dates for Fall 2010 term:
Last day for fall term schedule changes: 25 AUG 10
Deadline to apply for graduation in December 2010: 04 OCT 10
Academic Integrity:
With regard to academic honesty, students are referred to the “Student Honor Creed” on p. 22-23 of Midwestern State University Undergraduate Catalog, Vol. LXXVII, No. 1.
Americans with Disabilities Act:
This class follows the guidelines suggested by the Center for Counseling and Disabilities Services for those students who qualify for disability services. See Midwestern State University Undergraduate Catalog, Vol. LXXVII, No. 2, p. 26.
Electronic Class Supplements:Several electronic class supplements are under consideration and will be introduced as they are selected.
Syllabus Change Policy: This syllabus is a guide for the course and is subject to change. All changes will be announced in class and students will be responsible for incorporating the changes into the syllabus.