Economics H92: Microeconomic Principles

Instructor: Andrew J. Buck

e-mail: buck@astro.ocis.temple.edu

Description: An introductory course in microeconomics. Topics include the market system, supply and demand, consumer choice, production, costs, industry structure, factor markets, and international trade. Knowledge of elementary algebra is required. The topics will be developed in conjunction with newspaper coverage of recent and current events in the world market place.

Approach to teaching: Lectures will be limited to providing additional background for discussion. Most class time will be spent exploring and debating issues and problems among one another and small groups.

Evaluation: The ugly truth is that mastery of economics comes only through writing homework and exams. In lieu of a paper we will work on interactive mathematical and graphical web pages for later use by Economics 52 students.

About the instructor: Professor Buck's research interests are eclectic. While the bulk of his published work is in the area of the economics of crime, more recent work deals with baseball cards, health care for the poor, the minimum wage and privatization of government services.