ECON 260-4

Principles of Microeconomics
DuSable Hall 280
Monday, Wednesday and Friday
11:00 A.M.-11:50 A.M.

Instructor: Murshed Jahan

Email: murshed1@niu.edu
Office: Zulauf Hall 502
Office Hours: Monday 1:00 PM -3:00 PM and by appointment
Note: Please include both your name and the course in the subject line of your email. It may take
24 hours for a response to your email, and I do not reply on weekends.

Required Textbook and Access to Online Materials:

1. N. Gregory Mankiw, Principles of Microeconomics (8th edition) (online copy included in the
Mind Tap, you can use a printed copy, but it is not required)
2. This course will require MindTap from Cengage. You can choose to access it through  Cengage
Unlimited.

Mind Tap registration:

Course URL
https://www.cengage.com/dashboard/#/course-confirmation/MTPQZ2QNLN60/initial-course-
confirmation
Course Key: MTPQ-Z2QN-LN60

MindTap Registration and Login

https://play.vidyard.com/m52vRVVKTAor2M5PCFMQ9S

Course Objectives:

This course is an introduction to the fundamental ideas of microeconomics: a branch of

economics that deals with the behaviors of individuals, household and firms. It involves the
study of market and non-market mechanisms in the allocation of productive resources. Topics
include the study of supply and demand, monopolies, oligopolies, government actions within
markets, consumer choice. At the end of the course, students should be able to frame everyday
events in the context of economic models and be able to use them to answer conventional
questions.

Grading and Assessment:

1. Homework assignments: (30% points) Every end of the week there will be a homework. To
complete the online assignments, you should login to your MindTap account. Be sure to check
the MindTap website often for assignments and due dates.
2. Exams: (70% of final grade) there are two midterm exams (20% of final grade each) (October
3rd, 2019, & November 2nd, 2019) and a final exam (30%) (December 11, 2019)
3. Letter grades will be assigned according to the scale below:

A 92 and above C+ 70-74

A- 89-91 C 65-69
B+ 85-88 C- 60-64
B 80-84 D 56-59
B- 75-79 F 55 and below

Tentative Course outline:

1. Choice, Scarcity, Individual demand and supply

Chapter 1: Ten Principles of Economics
Chapter 2: Thinking like an Economist
Chapter 3: Interdependence and the gain from trade
Chapter 4: The market force of supply and demand
Chapter 5: Elasticity and its Application
Chapter 6: Supply, Demand and Government Policies

2. Market Efficiency and Market Failure

Chapter 7 and Chapter 9: Consumers, producers and efficiency of the markets including
Application and International Trade, Government Intervention
Chapter 8 and chapter 12: The cost of the Taxation and the Design of Tax System
Chapter 10 and Chapter 11: Externalities, Public Goods and Common Resources

3. The theory of the Firm

Chapter 13: The cost of production
Chapter 14: Firms in Competitive Markets
Chapter 15: Monopoly
Chapter 16: Monopolistic Competition
Chapter 17: Oligopoly

Expectations and Policies:

Students should come to lecture on time, stay for the entire period, and be prepared to take notes.
Students are permitted to have a beverage but should not eat during the lecture. For the courtesy
of others, please keep your cell phone on mute and avoid disturbing the class. Texting while in
class is not allowed. No electronic device or cheat paper will be allowed in the closed book
exams.

Academic Misconduct:
The receipt or transmission of unauthorized aid on assignments or examinations, Plagiarism,
unauthorized use of examination materials, cheating or other forms of dishonesty in academic
matters is punishable according to the University Policy and procedure. Please read further detail
of the policy and procedure from
http://www.niu.edu/communitystandards/audience/faculty_staff.shtml

Notification of Services for Student with Disabilities:

If you need an accommodation for this class, please contact the disability Resource Centre as
soon as possible. The DRC coordinates accommodations for students with disabilities. It is
located on the 4th floor of the Health Services Building and can be reached at 815-753-1303 or
drc@niu.edu.

Also, please contact me personally as soon as possible for discussing your accommodations.
Please note that you will not be required to disclose your disability, but only your
accommodation. The sooner you let me know, the better it would be for you.

Special instructions for better understanding and securing good grade:

Required reading is an integral part of any college course. The best way to read the text is to use
an “active” reading approach:
1. Review MindTap assignments
2. Read the chapter summary to get the “big picture” of the material covered in the chapter.
3. Review the Terms and Concepts. Find definitions and examples as you read the chapter.
4. Redraw graphs (on paper to practice for the test), pay attention to:
 The variables that are measured along each axis
 The slope (positive or negative) of the line on the graph
 The reason why the graph is shaped the way it is
 If any lines in the graph intersect, then be sure you know the economic implication of that
point of intersection.
5. Finally, do the MindTap practice examples and ask questions in the class.