Economics
100B, Fall 2005
Sections
108 & 109
David R. Agrawal, GSI
Main Course Web Page:
Professor Jones, Department of Economics, Berkeley
Section Syllabus:
Announcements:
1. I have updated Handout 3 as of
9/21/05.
2. Starting with Problem Set 4,
any papers must be stapled for me to grade the homework.
3. On Thursday, September 29, the Economics Department will
videotape my 2 PM section (109). The Department will only use the video for my
teaching evaluation and it is not used to evaluate you. The teaching advisor
and I will be the only people to see the tape. Therefore, do not worry about
the camera and feel free to continue participating in class.
4. I will hold additional "phone in" office hours for Midterm 1 on Wednesday (10/5) from 8 PM to 11 PM. Please see the following guidelines before calling me. I will distribute my number via email.
5. I have finished correcting Midterm 1. Please see the following exam data statistics for my sections (mean, median, standard deviation, quartiles, and range). I have updated the statistics as of 10/10/05.
6. I will hold additional "phone in" office hours for Midterm 1 on Wednesday (11/9) from 8 PM to 11 PM. Please see the following guidelines before calling me. I will distribute my number via email and post it here during office hours.
7. I have noticed that some students' email addresses are bouncing back to me. I am communicating a number of extremely important pieces of advice and / or substantive clarifications for the midterm via email. If you are not getting my emails, please let me know by email what your updated address is.
8. I have
finished correcting Midterm 2. Please see the following exam data
statistics for my sections (mean, median, standard deviation,
quartiles, and range). Remember the following
information on how Professor Jones will calculate your final grade.
9. The official site of the Nobel Prize in Economics has an
interesting computer game, which demonstrates why countries engage in and
benefit from trade. It is a fun activity to go along with Chapter 14 of the
Jones text. I recommend you take 15 minutes and play the Trade
Ruler Game.
10. I will hold my regular office hours on Monday, December
12 from 2:30 to 4:30 in 508-7 Evans.
11. I have prepared a preliminary grade distribution for
the problem set scores. Please see the following
data
statistics for my sections (mean, median,
standard deviation, quartiles, and range.) You can calculate your cumulative
problem set score by dropping the two lowest grades and then adding the
remaining 9 assignment scores.
12. I will hold a final exam review session on Sunday, December
18 from 2 to 4 PM in 150 GSPP. The review session will be in a question and
answer format, so please come with specific
questions.
13. My office hours on December 19 from 2:30 to 4:30 are
moved to the GSPP Living Room (
Handouts:
Handout 1: Review of Economics 1
Handout 2: Chain-weighting
Handout 3: The Solow Growth Model
Handout 4: Midterm 1 Review
Handout 5: Review of Present Discounted Value
Handout 6: Midterm 2 Review
Handout 7: Derivation of Equation for Changes in Debt-GDP Ratio
Handout 8: International Trade Problem Data Tables
Handout 9: Lessons of Economics 100B
Handout 10: Final Exam Review
Articles:
Will, George. "Nominal vs. Real News." Newsweek. 5 September 2005.
"Japan Posts Strong Growth Rate." CNN. 11 September 2005.
"India and China: Rivals or Fellow 'Tigers'?." CNN. 15 September 2005.
"Germany Stands at Crossroads on Economy." AP. 16 September 2005.
"German Vote Deadlock Hits Markets." BBC. 19 September 2005.
"German Vote Standoff May Damp Efforts to Spur Growth in Europe." Bloomberg. 19 September 2005.
"The OECD on China's Economy: A Model of Reform." The Economist. 15 September 2005.
Revkin, Andrew C. "A New Measure of Well-Being From a Happy Little Kingdom." New York Times. 4 October 2005.
Henderson, Nell. "Storms
Took Toll on Jobs in September."
Henderson, Nell. "Fed
Worried Katrina Would Boost Inflation, Minutes Show."
Crutsinger, Martin. "Greenspan: Energy Prices to Drag Economy." AP. 17 October 2005.
Hibbs, Douglas A. "Political Parties and Macroeconomic Policies and Outcomes in the United States." American Economic Review. V. 76. No. 2. 1986. 66-70.
Keech, William R. "Party Differences in Macroeconomic Policies and Outcomes." American Economic Review. V. 76. No. 2. 1986. 71-74.
Isidore, Chris. "Why Fed Chair Is Important on Main Street, Not Just Wall Street." CNN. 24 October 2004.
Andrews, Edmund L. "Bush Nominates Bernanke to Succeed Greenspan as Fed Chief." New York Times. 24 October 2005.
Hagenbaugh, Barbara. "Greenspan
Proved a Steadying Force."
Robb, Gregg. "Greenspan's
Deft Touch."
Altman, Daniel. "Bernanke's Models, and Their Limits." New York Times. 30 October 2005.
Aversa, Jeannine. "Greenspan Warns U.S. on Budget Deficits." AP. 3 November 2005.
Bernanke, Ben S. "Testimony of Ben S. Bernanke from Nomination Hearing." Federal Reserve Board. 15 November 2005.
Weisman, Jonathan. "Republicans
in House Pass $50 Billion in Budget Cuts."
"Medicare
Reform: The Biggest Turkey of All?." The Economist. 27 November 2003.
Krugman, Paul. "The Myth of Asia's Miracle." Foreign Affairs. 1994 December.
Kurtenbach, Elaine. "China Vows to Work to Trim Trade Surplus." AP. 28 November 2005.
Greenspan, Alan. "Remarks by Chairman Alan Greenspan: International Imbalances." Federal Reserve Board. 2 December 2005.
Wardell, Jane. "G-7 Renews Pressure on China Exchange Rate." AP. 4 December 2005.
Bryan, William Jennings. "Cross of Gold." 9 July 1896. Paragraphs 14-21.
Sample Problems:
Here are the links to some sample macroeconomic exam problems that I have written.
"Measuring the Macroeconomy": Chapter 2 Questions | Solutions
"The Labor Market": Chapter 7 Questions | Solutions
"The Open Economy": Chapter 15 Questions | Solutions
Macroeconomists:
Here are some macroeconomists (who I have worked with).
Steve Cunningham (great alternative web page with additional advanced readings, news articles, notes, and general information)