Home Teaching Research UConn Home Economics Home

Economics 3479

Economic Growth

Fall 2012

Prof. Francis W. Ahking

   

Office:  Oak Hall, Room 332,    Office hours:  TuTh, 11:00 - 12:00 noon, and by appointment

Office telephone:  6-3026,    e-mail:  francis.ahking@uconn.edu

Required:  Economic Growth, 2nd ed., by David N. Weil

A newer edition (3rd) of this book has just become available.  For this semester, we'll use the older (2nd) edition.  This book is available from the UConn Co-op.  You can also buy a new/used copy from Amazon.com at a discount, or rent one.   You can buy an e-copy from Coursesmart.com.  Another source is Barnes and Noble, which also has a textbook rental service.  There are many other websites on the internet that sell used/new textbooks or rent them.  You are encouraged to check them out on you own.

The publisher’s website for the textbook contains a wealth of useful information including multiple choice questions, flashcards, and exercises using graphs for each chapter.

 

 

 

    

 

Introduction

 

    Welcome to economic growth.  In this course, we study economic growth at the macroeconomic level.  We will also look at development issues, but the main focus will be on economic growth.  Economic growth is the study of the process of growth and development by combining several areas of economics, such as microeconomics, macroeconomics, labor and population economics.  We now know that economic factors alone cannot fully explain the growth process.  Other important factors include location (including climate and natural resources) and institutional factors such as the rule of law.  Please start by taking a careful look at this syllabus.  Hopefully, it contains answers to most or all the questions that you may have about this class.  If not, make sure you ask.  Again, welcome!

 

Quizzes, Examination and Grade

 

Participation and online discussions: To encourage discussions and taking an active role in class, participation will count for 10% of your final grade.  We will have two online discussions.  We will also have exercises, both in class (graded) and not graded.  I'll ask students to provide solutions in class.  You can also raise questions in class for discussion.

You can find more information about online discussion by going to this class's HuskyCT's website and looking under Information for Discussion.

 
Quizzes: There will be six quizzes given on Thursdays over the semester, approximately one every two weeks. Only your five best quizzes will count toward your final grade.  Quizzes will consist of multiple choice questions, definitions, and/or short-answer questions.

 
Examinations: There will also be one midterm and one final examination.  The midterm and the final examinations will also consist of multiple choice questions, definitions, short-answer questions, but will also include short essay questions.

 
Quiz dates:

Note:  All quizzes are given on Thursdays:

 

1st quiz:  September 6                     2nd quiz:  September 20                  3rd quiz:  October 4

4th quiz:  October 25                      5th quiz:  November 8                     6th quiz:  November 29

                 

Examination dates:

Mid-semester examination:  Thursday, October 11

Final examination (preliminary):   Friday, December 14, 8:00 - 10:00

 

Grading:

Discussion and Participation:

Quizzes:

Midterm (Th, 10/11):

Final (F, 12/14, 8:00 - 10:00):

 

  10%

  20%

  30% 

  40%

Your letter grade is determined according to the following.  You numerical average may be adjusted before the letter grade is determined.

A A- B+ B B-    
92%+ 88% - 91% 84% - 87% 80% - 83% 76% - 79%    
C+ C C- D+ D D- F

72% - 75% 

 68% - 71% 64% - 67% 60% - 63% 56% - 59%  52% - 55%    < 51%

 

 

Other Class Policies

 

Missed quizzes

and examination:

 If you miss one quiz, you will not be given a makeup since only your best five out of six quizzes will count. If you miss more than one, you will need to give me a verifiable reason and makeup will be at my discretion.   If you know you are not going to be here for a quiz or an examination, let me know ahead of time.  Very often, I can make arrangement for you to take the examination or quiz before the scheduled time.  If you miss the final examination, you will need to get permission from the Dean of Student to arrange a makeup.

 
Electronic devices: The classroom is a learning community.  As such respect for each other must always be maintained.  Certain behaviors are considered disrespectful while others are considered disruptive.  We will adopt the following community rule of behavior concerning electronic devices:

Cell phone/Smartphone and/or pager, MP3 players:

Please turn them off for the duration of the class.

Laptop computer, ipad, or other similar devices:

Laptop computers and other similar devices should only be used strictly for the purpose of note-taking during the class.  Net-surfing, instant-messaging, e-mailing, etc., are not permitted for the duration of the class.  I will trust everyone to follow this rule.  However, in the event that someone is caught violating this trust, that person will only be allowed to return to class without the laptop computer or similar devices.

If you are still enrolled in this class after the drop/add period, you are agreeing to the class's policy on electronic devices.
Attendance:  You are expected to attend all classes at their scheduled time and be responsible for all assigned materials.  Students who have to miss class or assignments because of official university activities, e.g., student-athlete, must inform me in writing prior to the event so that special arrangement could be made.

 
Students with disabilities: Students who may need special accommodations should contact me as early as possible in the semester.  Students should also have contacted the Center for Students with Disabilities (CSD) to verify their eligibility for special accommodations.  Please visit CSD for more information.

  

Cheating and plagiarism: You are, of course, encouraged to discuss your assignments with other students. However, any work that you turn in for grade must represent your own independent work.  Anyone who violates this policy will be dealt with according to the Student Code of the University, which may be found on the website of the Division of Student Affairs.  Pay special attention to Appendix A:  Academic Integrity in Undergraduate Education and Research. If you have any questions, check with me.  This is the only reminder that you will receive.

 

Course outline and schedule

    After the two introductory chapters (chapters 1 – 2) and the last concluding chapter (chapter 17), the course is divided into three core areas; Factor Accumulation (chapters 3 – 6); Productivity (chapters 7 – 11); and Fundamentals (chapters 12 – 16, omitting the discussion in chapter 15 on geography and climate). We will cover all the mentioned chapters, but not all will be covered in the same depth.  There are many "boxed" articles throughout the textbook.  They are relatively short and are designed to supplement the lecture materials.  I mostly do not cover the "boxed" articles on time.  You are, however, responsible for all the "boxed" articles whether or not they are discussed in class.  

I.  Introduction to Growth Economics

 

8/28, 8/30:

Chapters 1 and 2

            

II.  Factor Accumulation

           

9/4, 9/6:

Chapter 3, 1st quiz

 
9/11, 9/13: 

Chapters 3, 4

 

Class note on Solow's Model

 
9/18, 9/20: 

Chapter 5, 2nd quiz

 
9/25, 9/27: 

Chapters 6

 
10/2, 10/4:

Chapter 6, 7, 3rd quiz

 

Note to chapter 6

 

Note to chapter 7

III.  Productivity

 

10/9: 

Chapter 8

 
10/11:  

 Mid-semester examination (chapters 1 - 7)

 
10/16 -  10/18:

Chapters 8, 9

 
10/23, 10/25: 

Chapters 10, 11 4th quiz

 
10/30, 11/1: 

Chapter 11, 12

 

IV.  Fundamentals

 

11/6, 11/8: 

Chapter 13 5th quiz

 
11/13, 11/15:

Chapters 14, 15 (pp. 458 - end of chapter)

 
11/19 - 11/23  

Happy Thanksgiving!

 
11/27, 11/29: 

Chapter 16, 6th quiz

 

V.  Conclusion

 

12/4, 12/6:

Chapters 16, 17

 

 

 Tentative final examination date: Friday, December 14, 8:00 - 10:00 a.m.

 
 

Last revised in August, 2012