Macroeconomics is concerned with the operation of the economy as a whole, with attention paid to such things as unemployment, inflation, and interest rates, determination of the level of national income, savings and investment, and the exchange rate and the current account of the balance of payments. The course develops a consistent model of the economy to explore the interactions of key macroeconomic markets and variables and to examine the impacts of different kinds of shocks to the economy and the role of government budgetary and monetary policy in influencing the level of economic activity.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. Understand the core theoretical models used by macroeconomists, in particular, the Solow growth model and the AS/AD-model;
2. discuss the usefulness and limitations of these models;
3. explain and understand some of the associated empirical implications and policy issues;
4. critically read and understand many newspaper and magazine articles covering current economic events;
5. have a brief overview of some of the institutional features of the Australian economy and some overseas economies.

Research-Led Teaching

While the course’s mission is to teach macroeconomic principles, a strong emphasis will be placed on critical thinking. The lecturer is an active researcher, with expertise in macroeconomics, monetary economics, international finance and behavioural economics. Whenever possible, he draws attention to new ideas and evidence in macroeconomics.

Examination Material or equipment

Final examinations will be scheduled by the central examinations office and will most likely be held online. Further details about the final exam, including the exact format, will be made available on Wattle no later than the end of Week 10.

Required Resources

Students are strongly urged to have access to the following textbook which forms the basis for much of this course:

 ·        Jones, Charles I., Macroeconomics, 5th edition, New York: Norton, 2020.

Earlier editions, in particular the third and fourth editions, of this textbook are also acceptable. Hardcopies of the textbook will be available in the reserve section of Chifley library. An online version of the textbook is also available through the ANU library website.

If you wish to purchase a copy, you should be able to do so through the Harry Hartog campus bookshop. Alternatively, order a copy through www.amazon.com  or www.bookdepository.com.

The ebook is available at: https://wwnorton.com/books/9780393417326.

Other materials, available online, will also be prescribed to supplement the text on certain topics. These links will be provided on the Wattle site in advance of the relevant lectures.

Recommended Resources

Other useful texts for the course include:

·        CORE, The Economy, available at https://www.core-econ.org/project/core-the-economy/ . (This is a modern textbook with a wider, more critical approach. I strongly encourage you to regularly consult this source in addition to the Jones textbook as it will provide you with a broader view of the subject matter. The ebook version of this textbook is free.)

The next best textbook, which comes closest to the Jones textbook but is less technical is:

 ·        Stevenson, Betsey, and Justin Wolfers, Macroeconomic Principles, 1st edition, New York: Macmillan, 2020.

Otherwise, consider any number of standard macro textbooks, in particular:

·        Bernanke, Ben, Nilss Olekalns and Robert Frank, Principles of Macroeconomics, 5th edition, Sydney: McGraw Hill, 2019.

·        Colander, David, Macroeconomics, 10th edition, New York: MacGraw-Whill, 2017

·        Mishkin, Frederic S. Macroeconomics: Policy and Practice, New York: Pearson, 2012.

·        Stonecash, Robin, Joshua Gans, Stephen King, and N. Gregory Mankiw Principles of Macroeconomics, 6th edition, Melbourne: Cengage Learning, 2015.

If you cannot afford, or do not wish to own, a personal copy of the textbooks, copies are available from the ANU Library's 2-hour reserve listing.

You should try to stay abreast of current events and regularly read the business and economics sections of leading newspapers and magazines (The Economist, Financial Times, Australian Financial Review, the Guardian, etc.)

You may need access to a calculator to complete exercises required for this course.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following ways:

·        Oral feedback in online tutorials and during consultations

·        Written comments, where relevant, will be included in the assignments returned to students.

·        Online feedback through the Wattle course site, especially in the Discussion Forum

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). Feedback can also be provided to Course Conveners and teachers via the Student Experience of Learning & Teaching (SELT) feedback program. SELT surveys are confidential and also provide the Colleges and ANU Executive with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement.

Other Information

Referencing Requirements

Students are expected to familiarize themselves with and apply standard referencing procedures. Carefully read and understand the information contained in the relevant web pages  under  http://www.anu.edu.au/students/learning-development/academic-integrity.

Please pay particular attention to the pages on:

·        academic integrity (http://www.anu.edu.au/students/learning-development/academic- integrity/academic-integrity), and

·        academic misconduct and plagiarism (http://www.anu.edu.au/students/program- administration/assessments-exams/academic-honesty-plagiarism).

Scaling

Your final mark for the course will be based on the raw marks allocated for each of your assessment items. However, your final mark may not be the same number as produced by that formula, as marks may be scaled. Any scaling applied will preserve the rank order of raw marks (i.e. if your raw mark exceeds that of another student, then your scaled mark will exceed the scaled mark of that student), and may be either up or down.

Warning

There is a growing tendency for students to haggle over grades. This is totally unacceptable. You are reminded that you need to earn your grades. This requires hard work, many hours of studying, and focus. Top grades (high distinction) are rare; they are evidence of outstanding academic achievement. In the past typically no more than 10% of students earn HD’s. It is important that you are realistic about your expectations.

Support for Students

The University offers a number of support services for students. Information on these is available online from http://students.anu.edu.au/studentlife/.

Building Access Hours

Both CBE and HW ARNDT buildings:

·        TEACHING PERIOD: Mon-Fri 07.45 to 21.15 and SAT, SUN and Public Holidays is not accessible by students.

·        NON TEACHING PERIOD: Mon-Fri 08.00 to 18.00 and SAT, SUN and Public Holidays is not accessible by students.

 RSE has a Frequently Asked Questions page where you can find relevant policies and information on a broad range of topics, the onus is on the student to familiarise themselves with this page and the information available.  https://www.rse.anu.edu.au/students/students/frequently-askedquestions/

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Unless otherwise specified, chapter numbers refer to the Jones textbook (5th edition). You will be told in advance which sections in the textbook are relevant. The choice of topics is not set in stone, viz. it is somewhat dynamic. Some topics may take a bit longer, others a bit shorter and some topics may even be added or dropped. Introduction and Measuring the Economy (Chs 1 & 2)
2	Measuring the Economy (Chs 2)
3	Measuring the Economy (Chs 2)	Presentation (different for each student, beginning in week 3 or 4)
4	Economic Growth I (Chs 3 & 4)
5	Economic Growth II (Ch 5)	Assignment 1
6	The Labour Market (Ch 7), Money, Inflation and Finance (Ch 8)
7	Introduction to Short-Run (Chs 9 & 10)	Midterm Online Quiz
8	IS Curve (Ch 11), Monetary Policy and Phillips Curve (Ch 12)
9	AS/AD Model I (Ch 13)
10	AS/AD Model II (Ch 13)
11	Open Economy Macroeconomics (Chs 19 & 20)	Assignment 2
12	Miscellanea and Behavioural Macroeconomics

Tutorial Registration

We expect most tutorials to be delivered on-campus face-to-face, but there may also be one remote (online) tutorial. ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage: https://www.anu.edu.au/students/program-administration/timetabling.

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Presentation	10 %	*	06/03/2023	2,3,4
Assignment 1	15 %	20/03/2023	31/03/2023	2,3,4,5
Mid-Semester Quiz	15 %	18/04/2023	28/04/2023	2,3,4,5
Assignment 2	15 %	15/05/2023	26/05/2023	1,2,3,4,5
Final Exam	45 %	*	*	1,2,3,4,5

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines , which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Integrity Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Guideline and General Information 
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure
• Code of practice for teaching and learning

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the Academic Skills website. In rare cases where online submission using Turnitin software is not technically possible; or where not using Turnitin software has been justified by the Course Convener and approved by the Associate Dean (Education) on the basis of the teaching model being employed; students shall submit assessment online via ‘Wattle’ outside of Turnitin, or failing that in hard copy, or through a combination of submission methods as approved by the Associate Dean (Education). The submission method is detailed below.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

Lectures are in person and will be recorded. Tutorials are not recorded. Students are strongly encouraged to attend all lectures and tutorials. Further details on the delivery of this course and expectations of student engagement will be outlined in further detail on the Wattle course site. 

It bears repeating: attendance at all teaching events, while not compulsory, is expected in line with “Code of Practice for Teaching and Learning”, clause 2 paragraph (b). Outside work commitments are, generally speaking, not acceptable grounds for missing tutorials and lectures. Furthermore, for pedagogical reasons, based on 20+ years of experience, worked solutions of the weekly problem sets will not be provided. Students who, through unavoidable and unplanned occurrences, are unable to attend a tutorial class one week are encouraged to work through the problems and attend a consultation session with their tutor for discussion and solutions.

Examination(s)

See information above, under assessments.

Assessment Task 1

Presentation

10%, compulsory & non-redeemable

Students, grouped into pairs, or groups of three, will have to prepare a short analysis studying macroeconomic data. Beginning in week 3 or 4, each group will give an 8-10 presentation and prepare a brief written summary of no more than one typed page. Students will be emailed their topics by the lecturer in the week before they have to give their presentations. Students will have to email a one-page written summary to the lecturer, which will then be uploaded to the Wattle site for everyone's benefit. The student pairs/groups will be formed at the beginning of week 3. Students can choose their partners from within the same tutorial; those who have not found a partner will be randomly assigned partners by the head tutor and/or lecturer. The presentation dates will be randomly assigned to each group and made available to everyone in week 3.

Presentations will be video recorded, which will enable later validation and verification of assessment if required (in accordance with point 7 of the ANU Student Assessment (Coursework) policy.

Assessment Task 2

Assignment 1

15%, compulsory & non-redeemable

Take-home tasks to be typed and submitted through Turnitin, involving problem-solving questions and modelling exercises.

These are individual assignments. The topics will be made available on Wattle 10 days prior to the due date. We will return the marked assignments before the end of week 6. 

Assessment Task 3

Mid-Semester Quiz

15%, compulsory & non-redeemable

There will be one midterm quiz, testing the entire material covered in the first six weeks. It will be held in the early evening of week 7, probably on the Tuesday. The exact time will be announced as soon as practical to avoid any clashes with other midsemester examinations. The mid-term quiz will consist of multiple choice questions and will be delivered online. Students will have approx. 45 minutes to complete a random selection of questions from a bank of multiple choice questions. The quiz will be accessible for one hour only, so students need to make themselves available for the quiz, just like for any other exam. Further details about the quiz will be provided in week 6.

Assessment Task 4

Assignment 2

15%, compulsory & non-redeemable

Take-home tasks, similar to Assignment 1, to be typed and submitted through Turnitin, involving problem-solving questions and modelling exercises.

These are individual assignments. The topics will be made available on Wattle 10 days prior to the due date. We will return the marked assignments before the end of week 12. 

Assessment Task 5

Final Exam

45%, compulsory & non-redeemable

Probably 150 minutes

The final exam will probably be an open book exam (but not yet decided), meaning students are allowed to consult their lecture and tutorial notes, their past assessments and the textbook but not any online sources. It will test the entire material covered throughout the semester, with an emphasis on the second half of the course. (Roughly one third of the exam will cover the first half of the course, and two thirds of the exam will cover the second half of the course.) It will be held during the university examination period.

The format of the final exam, which will probably be 150 minutes long, has not yet been determined. Most likely, it will consist of two parts. The first part contains multiple choice questions (MCQ), to be completed online through Wattle. The second part contains a combination of “short answer” questions (SAQ) that typically focus on a single concept and "long answer" questions (LAQ). Good answers to SAQs range from a couple of sentences to approx. half a page, rarely longer. LAQs, which typically have several sub-questions, test your technical skills as well as your general understanding, intuition and knowledge of macroeconomics.

Answers on exams should be clear, neat, relevant and concise. Students will be given a practice exam (with answers) to prepare for the exam. Further detailed information about the exam, what is expected of you, permitted materials, etc. will be provided by the end of week 10.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of the ANU culture as a community of scholars. The University’s students are an integral part of that community. The academic integrity principle commits all students to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support, academic integrity, and to uphold this commitment by behaving honestly, responsibly and ethically, and with respect and fairness, in scholarly practice.

The University expects all staff and students to be familiar with the academic integrity principle, the Academic Integrity Rule 2021, the Policy: Student Academic Integrity and Procedure: Student Academic Integrity, and to uphold high standards of academic integrity to ensure the quality and value of our qualifications.

The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 is a legal document that the University uses to promote academic integrity, and manage breaches of the academic integrity principle. The Policy and Procedure support the Rule by outlining overarching principles, responsibilities and processes. The Academic Integrity Rule 2021 commences on 1 December 2021 and applies to courses commencing on or after that date, as well as to research conduct occurring on or after that date. Prior to this, the Academic Misconduct Rule 2015 applies.

 

The University commits to assisting all students to understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. All coursework students must complete the online Academic Integrity Module (Epigeum), and Higher Degree Research (HDR) students are required to complete research integrity training. The Academic Integrity website provides information about services available to assist students with their assignments, examinations and other learning activities, as well as understanding and upholding academic integrity.

Online Submission

You will be required to electronically sign a declaration as part of the submission of your assignment. Please keep a copy of the assignment for your records. Unless an exemption has been approved by the Associate Dean (Education) all submissions must be through Turnitin. As a further academic integrity control, students may be selected for a 15 minute individual oral examination of their written assessment submissions. Any student identified, either during the current semester or in retrospect, as having used ghost writing services will be investigated under the University’s Academic Misconduct Rule.

Hardcopy Submission

All assessments will need to submitted electronically, through Wattle. There will be no hardcopy submissions.

 

Late Submission

No submission of assessment tasks without an extension after the due date will be permitted. If an assessment task is not submitted by the due date, a mark of 0 will be awarded.

Referencing Requirements

The Academic Skills website has information to assist you with your writing and assessments. The website includes information about Academic Integrity including referencing requirements for different disciplines. There is also information on Plagiarism and different ways to use source material.

Returning Assignments

The assignments will be returned, and marks uploaded onto the Wattle grade book, as soon as they are marked. An announcement will be made in Wattle.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure. Extensions may be granted for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Resubmission of Assignments

Re-submission of assignments is not possible.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information.
In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service – including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy.
If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes.

Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Access and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students