Course Information
Course title
Principle of Microeconomics (with Recitation) 
Semester
111-1 
Designated for
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS  
Instructor
JOSEPH TAO-YI WANG 
Curriculum Number
ECON1020 
Curriculum Identity Number
303E10110 
Class
04 
Credits
4.0 
Full/Half
Yr.
Half 
Required/
Elective
Required 
Time
Monday 5(12:20~13:10) Wednesday 5(12:20~13:10) Friday 3,4,5(10:20~13:10) 
Remarks
The upper limit of the number of students: 250.
The upper limit of the number of non-majors: 150. 
 
Course introduction video
 
Table of Core Capabilities and Curriculum Planning
Table of Core Capabilities and Curriculum Planning
Course Syllabus
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Course Description

[For the complete info, please refer to http://homepage.ntu.edu.tw/~josephw/principles_micro_22F.htm ]

This is the introductory class for the principles of microeconomics. It serves as an introduction of economics to an audience that are not familiar with Calculus. Those who have took Calculus should consider taking (intermediate) microeconomics instead. One interesting feature of this class is there will be various classroom experiments throughout the semester, and students are expected to participate actively in them.

This is a course taught in English, and all assignments are in English. If you feel that you would be in a disadvantaged position, please take other principles classes instead. 

Course Objective
The goal of this class is to introduce how economists think (without the math required for intermediate microeconomics), and, help you think like an economist! Specifically, we will see how economists observe real world phenomenon, build simplified models of reality, derive theories to provide policy advice, and test implications with empirical or experimental data. 
Course Requirement
There are no prerequisites for this course. 
Student Workload (expected study time outside of class per week)
8 hours or more. 
Office Hours
Fri. 09:20~10:20 Note: Or by email appointment 
Designated reading
Textbook: Mankiw (2021), Principles of Economics, 9th ed., Asian Edition, Cengage. (東華) 
References
Reference: Acemoglu, Laibson and List (2022), Economics, 3rd ed., Pearson. (雙葉) 
Grading
 
No.
Item
%
Explanations for the conditions
1. 
Classroom Experiment Participation 
15% 
In-class experiments happen weekly. If you earn more than 15%, you get a “tie-breaker” which bumps you up one letter grade (A to A+, A- to A, etc.) when you are the highest-scoring person in that letter grade. 
2. 
Homework 
3% 
You are required to submit assignments 7 days after they appear in class (on the last slide of each chapter). Not turning in one assignment costs 1% each (up to 3%). The TA will NOT grade it, so try it out yourself instead of copying answers.  
3. 
Exam-Giving Contest 
2% 
Propose in groups “Economics in the News” questions for the Midterm/Final exam (1% each); the best question will appear in the actual exam!  
4. 
Quizzes 
10% 
One quiz (5% each) before each exam as practice (10/12 and 12/9). 
5. 
Midterm Exam 
30% 
10/21, 10:20am-1:10pm in class. Submit request of absence in writing before 10am exam day (except for emergencies). Submit re-grading requests in writing within one week we return the exam, and the TA will re-grade your entire exam. So, think carefully before you ask! This course is taught in English, so all assignments are in English. Taiwan-specific material in Chinese would come with translations, though quality is not guaranteed.  
6. 
Final Exam 
40% 
12/16, 10:20am-1:10pm in class. Submit request of absence in writing before 10am exam day (except for emergencies). If you do better in the final than the midterm, it replaces the midterm (counts 70%).  
 
Adjustment methods for students
 
Teaching methods
Assisted by video, Provide students with flexible ways of attending courses
Assignment submission methods
Exam methods
Others
Progress
Week
Date
Topic
Week 1
9/5, 7, 9  Ten Principles of Economics (Ch. 1)
Production Possibility Frontier (Ch. 2)
[National Holiday] 
Week 2
9/12, 14, 16  Gains from Trade (Ch. 3)
TA session
Supply and Demand (Ch. 4) 
Week 3
9/19, 21, 23  TA session
TA session
Elasticity (Ch. 5); Intervening the Market (Ch. 6) 
Week 4
9/26, 28, 30  TA session
[Teacher's Day - University Holiday]
Markets and Welfare (Ch. 7); Application to Taxation and Trade (Ch. 8, 9) 
Week 5
10/3, 5, 7  TA session
TA session
Classical Market Failure: Externalities (Ch. 10) 
Week 6
10/10, 12, 14  [National Holiday]
Quiz 1 (Ch. 1-10)
Classical Market Failure: Public Goods and Common Resources (Ch. 11)
 
Week 7
10/17, 19, 21  TA session
TA session
Midterm Exam (Ch. 1-11) 
Week 8
10/24, 26, 28  [No class (midterm week)]
[No class (midterm week)]
Cost of Production (Ch. 13) 
Week 9
10/31, 11/2, 4  TA session
Competitive Markets (Ch. 14)
Monopoly (Ch. 15) and Monopolistic Competition (Ch. 16) 
Week 10
11/7, 9, 11  TA session
TA session
Oligopoly (Ch. 17) 
Week 11
11/14, 16, 18  TA session
TA session
Factor Markets (Ch. 18); Wage Differentials and Discrimination (Ch. 19) 
Week 12
11/21, 23, 25  TA session
TA session
Frontiers of (Micro-)Economics (Ch. 22) 
Week 13
11/28, 30, 12/2  TA session
TA session
[NTU Sports Day] 
Week 14
12/5, 7, 9  TA session
TA session
Quiz 2 (Ch.13-19) 
Week 15
12/12, 14, 16  TA session
TA session
Final Exam (Cumulative, but focus on the second half, Ch. 13-19, 22) 
Week 16
12/23  [No class]
[No class]
Economics in the News (Optional)