CONCORDIA UNIVERSITY

Department of Economics

ECON 203/4 SECTIONS D, E, F, G and EC

INTRODUCTION TO MACROECONOMICS1
WINTER 2023
SECTION D SECTION E SECTION F
Instructor: Fatina Siblini Maria Da Palma David Desjardins
Email: fatina.siblini@concordia.ca maria.dapalma@concordia.ca david.desjardins@concordia.ca
Office Hours: TuTh 13:00 – 14:00 (H 1155.33) M 18:00 – 19:00 (H 1150) F 12:30 – 14:30 (H 1150)
Lecture Hours: TuTh 14:45 – 16:05 (MB 1.210) Sa 11:45 – 14:30 (H 110) F 14:45 – 17:30 (H 110)
SECTION G SECTION EC
Instructor: Maria Da Palma Xintong Han
Email: maria.dapalma@concordia.ca xintong.han@concordia.ca
Office Hours: M 18:00 – 19:00 (H 1150) Tu 10:00 – 11:30 (H 1155.15)
Lecture Hours: MW 16:15 – 17:30 (MB 1.210) Online (Asynchronous)

Course Description:
A university-level introduction to national income determination, short- and long-run macroeconomic
models, money and banking, fiscal and monetary policies, exchange rates and the balance of payments.

Course Prerequisite:
None.

Course Objectives:
This objective of this course is to give students insight into the dynamics of the modern macroeconomy,
making them better-informed citizens and allowing them to follow the media’s coverage of economic
policy debates and issues. At the end of this course, students should understand the various measures of
a macroeconomy’s wellbeing (eg, GDP, and unemployment, inflation, interest and exchange rates),
monetary and fiscal policies, and the modern fractional reserve banking system.

Required Textbook and Lab Component:

Ragan, C. Macroeconomics, 17th Canadian Edition. Pearson, 2022.
§ To purchase access to the e-text and MyLab, click on the MyLab and Mastering icon on Moodle.

Course Assessment:
COMPONENT WEIGHT DESCRIPTION
Labs (10) 20 percent Due Sundays before 11:59pm starting January 29
Midterm 1 20 percent Chapters 4 – 8 (Sunday, February 26, 13:15 – 14:30 Eastern)
Midterm 2 20 percent Chapters 9 – 13 (Sunday, April 2, 13:15 – 14:30 Eastern)
Final Exam 40 percent Chapters 4 – 16, 19 (Date and Time To Be Determined)

Coordination:
ECON 203 is coordinated across all sections in terms of course content, pace of coverage, labs and exams.

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Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained in this course outline. In the event of
extraordinary circumstances and pursuant to the Academic Regulations, the University and/or instructor may modify the
delivery, content, structure, forum, location and/or evaluation scheme. In such an event, students will be informed.

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Lectures:
§ Lectures (except for section EC) take place in person. Attendance is not required, but lectures are
not recorded so you are responsible for any material covered in class (see Tentative Lecture
Schedule and Assigned Readings on page 6).
§ For section EC only, lectures are pre-recorded and posted on Moodle for asynchronous delivery. These
lectures should be watched according to a traditional in-class semester schedule to ensure deadlines are
met and exams are not missed (see Tentative Lecture Schedule and Assigned Readings on page 6).
§ While the lectures (for all sections) focus overwhelmingly on what is in the textbook, you are
ultimately responsible for familiarity with the content covered in the textbook but not in the lectures
and the content covered in the lectures but not in the textbook.

Office Hours:
§ Office hours are not recorded, optional and take place in person (see banner on page 1).
§ Office hours are offered on a first-come, first-served basis and not by appointment.
§ If you use office hours, you are expected to “arrive” prepared (ie, with your questions ready) and to
be efficient so that the maximum number of students can make use of the available time.
§ If you are unable to attend office hours because of scheduling conflicts, you can email your
questions with attached audio, video and/or pictures. The more precise the information you provide,
the faster and more precise the instructor can respond.

Labs:
§ There are ten (10) MyLab labs, each worth two percent. These labs are very similar to more
traditional, hardcopy assignments that students would submit to instructors. The purposes of the labs
are to: (1) reinforce material covered in class; (2) teach material for which there is insufficient time
in class; (3) keep students on track with course learning objectives; and, (4) provide students with
immediate evaluation and feedback.
§ Labs are always accessible (except during exams) by clicking on the MyLab and Mastering icon on
Moodle after purchasing the access code and registering in the appropriate section. Do NOT
register by going directly to MyLab’s website as you will be asked for a course ID and you are
not provided with one.
§ The grade on your FIRST attempt for each question (if it is before the deadline) is the one that is
recorded. After the deadline, a copy of each lab is available for you to practice as much as you like.
Grades from those attempts do not count.
§ Labs are due Sundays at 11:59pm Eastern (see Tentative Lecture Schedule and Assigned Readings on
page 6). The time is based on MyLab’s clock. The best way to avoid missing deadlines is to do the
labs ahead of time, not just prior to the deadline.
§ You may ask for a 48-hour extension for any ONE of the ten labs. No documentation and no reason
are required, but you should use the extension opportunity judiciously and not use it without
legitimate reason because a second extension will not be provided.
§ If Pearson makes MyLab unavailable for an unscheduled reason (eg, a technical error on its part) and
the instructor determines that this makes it impossible for you to complete your lab by the assigned
deadline, then you may request an extension, without penalty, equal to the time that MyLab was
unavailable. Note that this does not apply when you experience technical difficulties on your part.
§ Each lab consists of some multiple-choice, graphical, numerical and conceptual questions. Evaluation
and feedback are provided immediately.
§ Some MyLab questions are based on computer algorithms. This means that every time a lab is
attempted, some parameters (eg, numbers, wording) of the questions may differ.
§ Labs do not have a preset amount of time to finish, but inactivity for extended periods could result in
MyLab automatically logging you out.
§ Address technical problems and questions directly to Pearson (https://support.pearson.com/getsupport).
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Exams:
§ There are two midterms written outside of class time (Sunday, February 26 and Sunday, April 2)
that cover the first- and second-thirds of the course, respectively, and a cumulative final written
during the final exam period. (See Course Assessment on page 1 and Tentative Lecture Schedule and
Assigned Readings on page 6 for more details about the contents and weights.)
§ You are responsible for knowing the date, time and location of the final exam and can find the
information posted in multiple places around the Concordia campus and online.
§ The format, content and delivery of the midterm and final exams are identical across all sections
(including section EC): closed book, multiple choice and in person.
§ The weight of a missed midterm, for any reason (eg, illness, religious, work obligation, exam
scheduling conflict, etc.), is shifted automatically to the final. There are NO MAKEUP, ALTERNATE
OR DEFERRED MIDTERMS under any circumstances, nor may they be written early.
§ If you miss, or cannot write, the final, you must request a deferred exam according to the process
described here. Final exam accommodations are almost never approved for reasons relating to
personal/family travel/events.
§ You may use a non-programmable calculator and scrap paper that is provided to you by the instructor
to assist you, but you may NOT use any other additional materials (eg, formula sheets, dictionaries,
etc.). If you fail to follow any of these instructions, you will receive a grade of zero for the exam and
will face academic misconduct proceedings in accordance with Concordia’s policies on academic
integrity. If you are unsure if what you are doing is acceptable, ask first.
§ You must use pencil and fill out the student number on the Scantron correctly. You must also write the
exam in the classroom to which you are assigned (your instructor will provide room assignments
closer to the midterm dates). If you fail to follow any of these instructions, you will receive a grade of
zero for the exam without the opportunity to shift the weight to the final. No exceptions.
§ Do NOT underestimate the difficulty of the exams. The style of the exams is to ensure timely
feedback; you should not interpret that the exam is easy because it is multiple choice.
§ Questions involve algebra, definitions, interpretations and multi-part questions where the answer to
one multiple-choice question may lead to another.
§ If you require university-approved special accommodations (eg, 30 min/hr extra writing time), you
must secure the necessary approval from the Concordia Access Centre for Students with Disabilities
(ACSD) and notify the instructor at least one week prior to the exam to receive it.
§ You may review your exam during in-person office hours. During that time, you may not take notes,
pictures, etc. of the exam contents. Intellectual property laws protect the contents of the exam.

Correspondence:
If you need to email the instructor, it must originate from your Concordia email address. Any email
from any other address will be treated as spam and will be neither read nor answered. This policy
protects confidentiality and confirms the student’s identity. If you have not activated your address
already, follow the instructions at www.concordia.ca/it/services/email-for-students-office-365.html.

Drop-In Centre:
In place of the traditional in-class tutorials, graduate students in the department of economics provide a
“drop-in centre” both on campus and on Zoom, where students can seek clarification on course-related
materials. These drop-in centre hours are not recorded and are optional.

The centre begins in week 3 and continues until the final exam. Hours may change week to week with
extra hours provided before the midterms and final if there is insufficient time within the existing
hours. Information will be posted on Moodle when it is available.

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Discussion Board:
Graduate students manage a discussion board on Moodle for those looking to post course-related
questions. Students can expect responses within 24 – 48 hours depending on the day of the week and
the volume of questions posted. This, rather than the instructor, should be used as a point of first
contact for course-related questions, comments and issues.

Study Group Sessions:

The Student Success Centre organises study groups for students enrolled in ECON 203. Students
attending the groups can review course content, work on sample problems together and review
prerequisite material needed to succeed in economics. Students who have had previous success in the
courses run these groups. Schedules are available on Moodle.

Grade Criterion:
A+ 90 – 100 4.3 B+ 77 – 79 3.3 C+ 67 – 69 2.3 D+ 57 – 59 1.3 FNS
A 85 – 89 4.0 B 73 – 76 3.0 C 63 – 66 2.0 D 53 – 56 1.0 DNW 00 – 49 0.0
A- 80 – 84 3.7 B- 70 - 72 2.7 C- 60 – 62 1.7 D- 50 – 52 0.7 NR

Grade Distribution:
It is the policy of the Department of Economics that courses at the 200-level should not have more than
half of the class receiving grades of A’s and B’s without “serious reflection”. In the event that the
actual distribution differs from department policy, department policy takes priority and adjusting the
thresholds listed in Grade Criterion may be necessary to ensure compliance. This adjustment (up or
down) will not be considered as grounds for appealing a final grade.

Copyright of Lectures:
Content belonging to instructors shared in courses, including, but not limited to, online or in-person
lectures, course notes, exams and video/audio recordings of classes remain the intellectual property of
the faculty member. It may not be distributed, published or broadcast, in whole or in part, without the
expressed permission of the faculty member. Students are also forbidden to use their own means of
recording any elements of an online class or lecture without express permission of the instructor. Any
unauthorised sharing of course content may constitute a breach of Concordia University’s Academic
Code of Conduct and/or Code of Rights and Responsibilities as well as The Canadian Copyright Act.
As specified in the Policy on Intellectual Property, the University does not claim any ownership of or
interest in any student IP. All university members retain copyright over their work.

Third-Party Software:
Students are advised that an external website is used in the course and students will be asked to submit
or consent to the submission of personal information (eg, name and email) to register and to the
submission of their work for evaluation. Students are responsible for reading and deciding whether to
agree to any applicable terms of use. Use of this external website is voluntary. Students who do not
give their consent should identify themselves to the course instructor as soon as possible, and in all
cases before the DNE deadline, to discuss alternate modes of participation.

Students are advised that the University cannot guarantee the protection of intellectual property rights
or personal information provided to any external website. Intellectual property and personal
information held in foreign jurisdictions are subject to the laws of such jurisdictions.

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Private Tutors:
Students are advised that the Department of Economics does not support and cannot guarantee the
quality of any private tutoring service offered by outside institutions. Students are encouraged to use
caution and should be aware that they enrol in such services at their own risk.

Student Responsibilities:
Students are expected to be aware of their academic responsibilities as outlined in the Code of Rights
and Responsibilities.

Student Services:
Access Centre for Students with Disabilities Department of Economics Academic Advising
Student Success Centre Counselling and Psychological Services
Health Services Financial Aid and Awards
Academic Integrity Dean of Students Office
International Students Office Student Hub
Sexual Assault Resource Centre Concordia Student Union
Academic Calendar Third-Party Educational Software or Services

Important University Dates:

DATE EVENT
January 9 Classes begin and Moodle page available
January 23 Deadline to add winter-term courses
January 23 Deadline for withdrawal with tuition refund (DNE) from fall‑term courses
February 27 –
Reading Week – no classes
March 5
Deadline to apply for admission to Fall 2023 undergraduate programs and degree
March 1
transfer
March 17 Last day to register with ACSD to receive accommodations for winter-term finals
April 6 Last day for instructor-scheduled exams
April 7 – 10 Easter – university closed
April 17 Last day of classes
April 18 Last day for academic withdrawal (DISC) from fall-term courses
April 18 Make-up day for classes scheduled on April 7 and April 8
April 20 – May 2 Final exam period (date, time and location posted on campus and online)

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Tentative Lecture Schedule and Assigned Readings (Sections D and EC):
DATE EVENT COVERAGE
January 10 Introduction ––
What Macroeconomics Is All About Chapter 4
January 12 What Macroeconomics Is All About Chapter 4
January 17 The Measurement of National Income Chapter 5
January 19 The Measurement of National Income Chapter 5
January 24 The Simplest Short-Run Macro Model Chapter 6
January 26 The Simplest Short-Run Macro Model Chapter 6
January 29 LAB 1 DUE Chapters 4 – 5
January 31 Adding Government and Trade to the Simple Macro Model Chapter 7
February 2 Adding Government and Trade to the Simple Macro Model Chapter 7
February 5 LAB 2 DUE Chapter 6
February 7 Real GDP and the Price Level in the Short Run Chapter 8
February 9 Real GDP and the Price Level in the Short Run Chapter 8
February 12 LAB 3 DUE Chapter 7
February 14 From the Short to the Long Run: The Adjustment of Factor Prices Chapter 9
February 16 From the Short to the Long Run: The Adjustment of Factor Prices Chapter 9
February 19 LAB 4 DUE Chapter 8
February 21 Long-Run Economic Growth Chapter 10
February 23 Long-Run Economic Growth Chapter 10
February 26 MIDTERM 1 (13:15 – 14:30) Chapters 4 – 8
March 7 Money and Banking Chapter 11
March 9 Money and Banking Chapter 11
March 12 LAB 5 DUE Chapters 9 – 10
March 14 Money, Interest Rates and Economic Activity Chapter 12
March 16 Money, Interest Rates and Economic Activity Chapter 12
March 19 LAB 6 DUE Chapters 10 – 11
March 21 Monetary Policy in Canada Chapter 13
March 23 Monetary Policy in Canada Chapter 13
Inflation and Disinflation Chapter 14
March 26 LAB 7 DUE Chapters 12 – 13
March 28 Inflation and Disinflation Chapter 14
March 30 Unemployment Fluctuations and the NAIRU Chapter 15
April 2 MIDTERM 2 (13:15 – 14:30) Chapters 9 – 13
April 4 Unemployment Fluctuations and the NAIRU Chapter 15
Government Debt and Deficits Chapter 16
April 6 Government Debt and Deficits Chapter 16
April 9 LAB 8 DUE Chapter 14
April 11 Exchange Rates and the Balance of Payments Chapter 19
April 13 Exchange Rates and the Balance of Payments Chapter 19
April 16 LAB 9 DUE Chapters 15 – 16
April 23 LAB 10 DUE Chapter 19
TBD FINAL EXAM Chapters 4 – 16, 19