Announcements

All Exams and Grading Data Are Available on either the Course Website, Blackboard My Grades or Gradescope

By Michael ManoveDecember 18th, 2021in General

Your EC101 DD or EE course grade has been submitted to the Registrar’s Office.  Your final exam scores, and all other course data was posted on BlackBoard > My Grades. Your own bubble sheet, and your answer for each question are available on Gradescope.  I gave every student an additional 6 questions counted as correct (10 percentage points) on the adjusted score of the final exam, and as a result many students have an adjusted score greater than 100 percent.  (Three students had 59 out of 60 correct answers before the adjustment was applied.)

All four versions of the Final Exam, with answers on the last page, are available on the course website under Classes > Exams.

The question booklets for the DD final will be placed outside Room B17 of 264 Bay State Road starting before the first day of January classes.

Before you write to me about possible errors in grading, please read this announcement carefully, check the data and explanations on BlackBoard My Grades and apply the grading formula under Course Info > Examinations and GradesExams and Grades includes an exact description of how letter-grades are determined. Keep in mind that unless there is an error, I will not change your grade under any circumstances.

Your course grade was computed mechanically, and the only subjective judgment used was your participation score in discussion section.  The participation score varies from 0 to 5 points.  Very few students achieved the highest participation score; most students received 3 out of 5 points.  If you have questions about your Discussion Section Scores, please email your TF, not your instructor.  But please be aware that the TF is allowed to change a score only for a serious error of fact or judgment, and all score changes require my approval.

If it is at all possible, please avoid sending email to me or the TFs until Monday, January 3, 2022.  All emails should contain “EC101” in the subject line.

Because there are so many enrolled students, course averages are very close together, and there is no gap that forms a good place to separate letter grades.  Here is a sample of actual course averages in decreasing order that covers the border between A- and B+.
90.9, 90.8, 90.8, 90.8, 90.7, 90.7, 90.6, 90.4, 90.4, 90.2, 90.2, 90.1, 90.1, 90.1, 90.0, 90.0, 89.9, 89.7, 89.5, 89.3, 89.3, 89.2, 89.1, 89.1, 89.1, 89.0
As you can see, I have no choice but to use a strict rule: I round the average to one decimal place, and those at or above the limiting average receive the higher letter grade, those below receive the lower letter grade. For students on at the border between grades, I considered clicker scores, but that affected only one student, whom I have emailed.  Also, I think that grades ought to be a reasonably accurate reflection of a student’s accomplishments in the regular coursework, so I don’t grade on the basis of need, and I don’t allow students to get points for extra work.

Believe it or not, there are more important things in your life than your grades.  So have a great holiday break and a good rest. –Michael

Important: Course Evaluations for EC101 DD/EE

By Michael ManoveDecember 3rd, 2021

Please submit your course evaluation for EC101 DD or EC101 EE as soon as possible, no later than Thursday, December 9.

Use any portable smart device (phone, tablet, laptop…) and go to bu.campuslabs.com/courseeval  .

Enter your BU login name and Kerberos Password.

Then click on EC101 DD (my morning lecture) or EC101 EE (my afternoon lecture).

These evaluations are about me (Michael Manove), not about the TFs.  (The TFs have separate evaluations for their discussion sections.)

  1. Your evaluations are anonymous, and instructors will not receive results until after all final grades have been submitted.
  2. Comments in the text fields are valued and encouraged. Please try to answer all questions, but skip any item that's not relevant to my course.
  3. When you are done, please close your browser.

Thanks for doing this.  --Michael

EC101 DD/EE FAQs

By Michael ManoveSeptember 15th, 2021in General

These are questions frequently asked by students in EC101 DD/EE.  When students send me emails with questions about the course, I will update this post. --Michael

  1. What Should I do if I missed several classes because I registered late or was quarantined?  Go to the Course Website and read all the announcements, especially the Welcome announcement at the bottom of the list.  Then review the Lecture Outlines and the Course Schedule.  If possible, borrow the notes of a friend already in the EC101 DD or EC101 EE course, and ask him or her to discuss them with you.  I will try to send you a link from last year's recorded lectures to help you catch up.
  2. Can I get a copy of the lecture slides?
    No, I don't distribute those.  But you can download a pdf copy of the Lecture Outlines, which are similar to the slides.  The outlines omit the pictures and some of the lecture details, but they leave you a place to add your own notes. To download the lecture outlines, go to Classes > Lecture Outlines.
  3. Do I have to buy a clicker?
    Yes.  You are required to buy a Turning Technologies student-response device, often called a clicker. I recommend that you buy it at the BU Bookstore.  The clicker comes with a 1-year or 5-year subscription--be careful not to lose the Subscription Voucher or the BU Bookstore receipt. Go to Course Information > How to Buy a Clicker for more information.  I no longer allow students to use smartphone apps, because they often fail to connect to the internet during the lectures.
  4. Do I have to register my clicker?  Yes.  If you bought your clicker at the BU Bookstore, you can simply follow the instructions on the Subscription Voucher that came with it. Otherwise, click on the Blackboard Clicker Registration Link. If a box asking for your Session ID appears, then you have registered before, so simply close the browser tab without entering anything.
  5. How can I tell whether my clicker is working properly?  After you answer a question in class with your clicker, it's small LED light should turn green.  If it does, my computer has received your response.  If it blinks red or red/orange, there's a problem.  If that happens, be sure the clicker is set to Channel 41.  Press Channel (bottom left), 4, 1, Channel, slowly one button at a time. BUT NEVER push the Channel button unless you are checking the channel.  Your clicker is always ON.
  6. If my clicker still doesn't work properly or if I cannot register my clicker subscription, what should I do?
    Contact Damon Carlson <dcarlson@bu.edu> and tell him what the problem is.  He will help you.
  7. I forgot to bring my clicker to lecture.  What should I do?  Forgetting your clicker won't affect your grade unless you have more than 4 absences from lecture.  Keep your clicker near your cell phone to help you remember to bring it.  Please do NOT email your instructor (Michael) about it or talk to him about it after class.
  8. Do Michael Manove (the instructor) and the Teaching Fellow Team have office hours.  Yes, for now we have office hours on Zoom.  Go to the office hour page for more information.
  9. Where are the problem-set assignments?
    All problem-set assignments will be posted on the course website. Go to Classes > Problem-Set Assignments on the Friday evening of the week before they are due.  The problems will be reviewed in your discussion sections on the week they are due.
  10. Do I have to finish assigned textbook readings in the Course Schedule by the date that's given there?
    No, the dates on the course schedule are only suggestions.  But try not to fall behind.  Keep in mind that the exams (80 percent of the course grade) are focused on the lectures, and the textbook is to be used mainly as a reference and for the homework assignments and quizzes.
  11. Can I take my final exam early?  NO, I NEVER allow students to take the final exam  (or any other exam) early.  You must be present in person for the EC101 DD/EE Final Exams as scheduled on Wednesday, December 15 (EC101 DD 12:30-2:30, EC101 EE 3:00-5:00). DO NOT PLAN TO LEAVE before you take your final exam. If you do not take your final exam in person as scheduled, you will automatically fail the course.  If you are planning to fly to another location for your winter break, I suggest that you reserve your airline seat as soon as possible, because it can be difficult to get airline reservations for the second half of December.
  12. Final-Exam Conflicts: Will EC101DD or EC101EE provide an alternative time for my final exam if I have 3 or more finals within a 24 hour period?  Generally NO.  EC101DD/EE final exams are MATRIX exams, which means that the exams are given in the time slots that the Registrar specifies.  Almost all conflicts are caused by courses with NON-MATRIX final exams, which are offered at times not approved by the Registrar.  If you have a final-exam conflict, check with your other instructors and find out if any of their exams are NON-MATRIX.  If so, ask those instructors to provide you with alternative times for their final exams.
    Here is BU's 0fficial policy for NON-MATRIX final exams.
    "Classes that opt to stray from the final exam matrix, whether to another standard exam block or otherwise, are considered Non-Matrix exams. In these circumstances, the school or college electing to reschedule a final exam for a Non-Matrix time must proactively anticipate student conflicts and be prepared to offer those students alternate accommodations."

 

Welcome to EC101 DD/EE for Fall, 2021

By Michael ManoveApril 19th, 2021in General

Dear Students,

I am Michael Manove.  I would like to welcome newly-registered students to my course, EC101 DD or EC101 EE this semester.

To find out more about the course, please explore the EC101 DD/EE course website
http://sites.bu.edu/manove-ec101/ .
Please bookmark the website and so that you can find it easily.  Always be sure to read the announcements frequently.  The course schedule, assigned problem sets, recorded lectures, office hours, course rules and regulations, online textbooks, and other important course material are available on the course website.

In general, I do NOT use Blackboard.  Almost everything of interest will appear on the EC101 DD/EE course website.

I am not planning to use commercial textbooks for this course.  Instead, you will be asked to use free textbooks that are available to read online or to download as pdf files. To learn more, go to
http://sites.bu.edu/manove-ec101/course-information/textbook/
and click on the links there.

I would like to ask you to purchase student response devices (clickers), but  clickers will not be required until Tuesday, September 21.  Please go to
https://sites.bu.edu/manove-ec101/course-information/turningpoint-license/
for information on clickers and how to buy them.

EC101 students are required to register both for a lecture and for a discussion section using BU online course-registration procedures. If you register for lecture EC101 DD, then you must register for one of the EC101D discussion sections. If you register for lecture EC101 EE, then you must register for one of the EC101E discussion sections. Registration for a discussion section is required, and any student not registered for a discussion section will be dropped from the lecture automatically. You must attend the same discussion section that you register for.  Discussion section meet on the same day once each week. Three important Jewish Holidays (Yom Tov) occur on Tuesdays. For that reason, I suggest that observant Jewish students avoid registering for Tuesday discussion sections.

If you have difficulties or conflicts with course registration for EC101, please write to the CAS Economic Advising <ecadv@bu.edu>.  I myself cannot help students with registration issues.

You are more than welcome to email me at manove@bu.edu with questions or comments. Please include “EC101DD” or “EC101EE” somewhere on the subject line (without the quotes).  BUT PLEASE DO NOT EMAIL ME WITH QUESTIONS BEFORE YOU HAVE CHECKED THE COURSE WEBSITE ANNOUNCEMENTS.

I wish you the very best for the coming academic year.

–Michael