SyllabusF2009

Contact Information

Professor Jennifer Thacher
Econ 2005
277-1965
jthacher.at.unm.edu
Tues (10:45-11:45), Thurs (2:30-3:30), and by appointment
http://economics.thacher.us/

Textbooks and Class Website

There is one required text for the course: Klein (2001). I selected this book because I particularly liked its focus on economic applications. Note that you can get this book significantly cheaper online than at the bookstore.

All assignments will be posted on the class website. There is also a class calendar posted on this site that will list due dates and readings.

Course Description

The primary goal of this class is to expose you to the use of math in economics. Economics is very much a mathematical discipline. Understanding the underlying math makes the economic models easier to understand.

Pre-requisites of this course include Econ 300 and 303 with a grade of C or better. This class does not pre-assume any calculus. However, it does assume a knowledge of algebra. More importantly, it assumes a willingness to work hard to quickly learn a few basics of calculus, such as derivatives.

Upon completion of this course you will have acquired a basic understanding of how to apply mathematical methods to economics. Specifically, you will have a good understanding of how to do derivatives, how to read mathematical notation, the basics of linear algebra, how to conduct optimization with and without constraints, and how to express an economic problem in mathematical form. This class will provide you with a strong background for other classes in the economics major and related disciplines. Additionally, it will help prepare you for advanced courses in economics.

The topics covered and associated readings are shown in Table 1. The course schedule and topics covered may be adjusted by the instructor.

Most classes will be a mix of lecture and problem-solving. There will be occasional labs.

Grading Policies

Table 2 shows how your grade will be calculated.

There will be two exams, a midterm and a comprehensive final. If your score on the final is higher than on the midterm, it can replace your midterm. There will be no make-up exams. We will have four quizzes. The goal of these quizzes is to give you frequent feedback about your understanding of the material. You may drop your lowest quiz. If for some reason you cannot take a quiz, regardless of the circumstances, this will count as your dropped quiz.

Table 3: Exam and quiz dates

Quiz 1
Quiz 2
Midterm
Quiz 3
Quiz 4
Final	Tues, from 7:30-9:30 AM

The only way to learn the material is to dive in and do problems; thus, we will have lots of homework. If your assignment is turned in after the beginning of class but within 24 hours, your grade will go down by 25%. Thus, if you scored 100% but turn it in within the next 24 hours, you will receive an 75%. For every additional 24 hour block, your grade will go down 25%. Do not ask for exceptions to this rule; that's my story and I'm sticking to it. You may drop your lowest homework. If you miss a homework, this will count as your dropped homework. I would recommend saving your freebies for a time you really need it: these will cover you for the time you get sick, the time your grandmother gets sick, or the time your dog gets sick.

Tips for success

• This class will require a significant time commitment. On non-test weeks, you should anticipate spending four to six hours per week outside of class studying for this class. Obviously, you will spend more time around test time.

• Coming to class will without doubt help you do better in this class. However, by itself, it will not be enough to pass the class.

• Everybody has different learning styles. To do well, it is important that you develop an understanding of how you learn best.

• Read the assigned chapter before class. Make sure you have a broad understanding of the topic that I will be lecturing about.

• Remember the 4-H motto: learning by doing. It holds for economics too. Within 24 hours after class ends, look over your notes and write brief explanations in your own words. Think up some of your own examples. Make sure you are clear on all the concepts of the previous class before the next class begins. If you are not clear on something, it is your responsibility to read the book, talk to other students, or talk to me.

• The most common mistake by students is to try and memorize the material. Memorizing is not learning. Unless I'm playing you in a game of Memory, I don't care if you can memorize and will never test your memorization skills. You will find that there are only a few concepts taught in this class - they appear in different forms, with different names, but the idea is always the same. If you can truly understand these ideas, you will ace the course.

• Don't procrastinate! The main reason people have difficulty with economics is that they try to learn all the material in a few days.

• Don't be afraid to ask questions.

Policies

I take academic honesty very seriously. Cheating is potentially punishable by a failing grade for the course and referral to the university. Submitting or copying other's work or not appropriately citing other's work is considering cheating.

If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit to me a letter from Accessibility Services (7-3506) by the second week of class so that your needs may be addressed.

If you have a conflict between religious observance dates and course examinations or assignments, you must notify me two weeks in advance so that your needs may be addressed.

If you have more than three examinations scheduled in any one day, you may notify the instructor of the last examination listed a month before finals, and an alternate day will be scheduled.

In case you were curious.....
I'm originally from Whittier, CA. Whittier's four claims to fame are: (1) Richard Nixon was raised there; (2) Lou Henry Hoover (the President's wife) was born there; (3) It is named after the abolitionst Quaker poet, John Greenleaf Whittier; and (4) The epicenter of the 1987 earthquake was in Whittier. My 'accent' comes from the fact that my mom is English and my dad is from Boston. I'm the first person in my family to go to college. I earned a B.A. in Economics and History from the University of California at Davis and an MA and PhD from the University of Colorado at Boulder in Economics. I am an environmental economist who focuses on survey research. This semester my research focuses on water infrastructure and invasive weeds. Last summer I taught a class in Nepal, focusing on environmental pollution and development. If you get a chance, I encourage you to go this coming summer! Call me Professor Thacher or Dr. Thacher but not Mrs. Thacher.

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