Tutorials constitute a critical learning experience of this unit, within which the tutor will facilitate a highly student-centred discussion of answers to pre-set questions. A tutorial is also an active forum to present to the tutor difficulties you may have encountered when preparing for the questions. Students are required to participate in tutorial classes and submit homework in order to earn 10% of the unit mark.

Tutorial assessment: Altogether tutorial homework and participation will contribute 10% to your final mark in this unit (Homework (5%) and Participation (5%)).

1. Homework requires students to do the following: a) Post a response to your online discussion board every week on time i.e., BEFORE the next tutorial. This is mandatory towards the homework mark. Therefore, if you do not post your response to the online discussion board before beginning of next weeks tutorial you are not eligible for any homework mark for that week.  b) attempt tutorial questions before each class and submit the answers to the tutor. You will get a homework mark only if you have posted your response on the online discussion board for your group and submitted your homework on time. You will be awarded the entire 5% if you submit homework for at least 9 tutorial classes (out of 12 in total). For each submission less than 9, 1% will be deducted from the 5% allocated for homework (i.e, if you make 8 submissions, you will be awarded 4%; 7 submissions 3% and so on. If you make 4 or fewer submissions you will not receive any marks for this component). To make each submission count: (i) you must attempt at least 2 questions. (Note that it does not matter if your answer is right or wrong, your attempt is what to be counted); (ii) your answer must be written and your tutor will check it at the beginning of the class each week.
2. Participation  will assess how active you are in the class and online discussion board. The in class participation assessment will include how often you answer your tutor's question; and/or volunteer to work out the solution on white board.  For the final assessment your participation from ten (of the twelve) tutorials will count towards your final grade. Thus, only if you are absent for more than two tutorials, should you apply for Disruption to Studies. Based on your activity throughout the whole session, you will be awarded the whole 5% or a part thereof. It is your responsibility to get engaged in the tutorial class, that means if you prefer to sit back and just listen, you may receive 0% for this component. (Note that: there is no mark for attendance only.). It is strongly recommended that students make themselves available and attend as many tutorials as possible.

Disruption to studies: If you are unable to attend a class due to illness or misadventure, you may apply for Disruption to Studies (see the Policies and Procedures section for details). Please note the best 10 of your 12 tutorial submission and participation are summed for the 10%. Only if you miss more than two tutorial submissions should you apply for disruption to studies. And if you get approval, you will be required to submit an alternative homework tasks based on the number of missed tutorials. The submission time and date is set by the Unit Convenor. These details are not negotiable. This task could be an oral task.

Facts you may need to know:

(i) Even though tutorial solutions will be made available on iLearn at the end of each week, those are mere guide only and tutors explain them in details during the tutorials. Thus do NOT rely only on the published solution for understanding, rather attend the tutorials.

(ii) Statistics show that among those who failed, 50% of them got zero in tutorial assessment. That means had they participated during the tutorials and submitted homework regularly, they would have passed the unit.

There will be 4 online quizzes in this course, and each containing 25 multiple choice questions. They are of equal weight and together they will contribute 20% to your total mark in the unit. Each student will most likely face a slightly different set of questions. The quizzes will be accessed online through the unit web page at http://ilearn.mq.edu.au. The opening and closing dates and time for each quiz. are as follow:

Quiz 1: Open: 9am Saturday 19 August; and Close: 11pm Monday 21 August.

Quiz 2: Open: 9am Saturday 9 September; and Close: 11pm Monday 11 September.

Quiz 3: Open: 9am Saturday 14 October; and Close: 11pm Monday 16 October.

Quiz 4: Open: 9am Saturday 04 November; and Close: 11pm Monday 06 November.

Please note that no extensions will be granted. Failure to complete any quiz will result in a zero mark for that quiz. The penalty does not apply for cases in which an application for disruption to studies is made and approved. In this case, students will have to complete an alternative quiz.

Students must be aware that IT failures may occur, and that with large numbers of students, congestion can at times limit access. It is the student’s responsibility to plan for these possibilities, and completion of the quiz soon after release is strongly advised.

Read the "Instruction for Online Quizzes" carefully before attempting.

You are required to prepare a research report to be submitted in Week 10, contributing  20% to the overall grade. The details of the research report will be available on iLearn in Week 5. The research report is aimed at encouraging students to investigate ethical and sustainability issues in the society along with written communication skills using material outside the assigned text.

Submission: Submission of the research report must be made to Turnitin on iLearn by 5pm on Monday, 16th October 2017. Detailed instructions on submission will be provided as separate document in Week 5. Guidance on how to submit a Turnitin assignment may be accessed from: http://mq.edu.au/iLearn/student_info/assignments.htm#turnitin.

Report marking: The research report will be marked on the basis of the marking criteria, which will be provided on iLearn in Week 5.

Extensions/Penalties: No extension will be granted. There will be a deduction of 10% if the total available marks made from the total awarded marks for each 24 hour period of part there off that the submission is made (for example, 25 hours late in submission - 20% penalty). This penalty shall not apply for cases where Disruption of Studies is made and approved. 

  The following learning outcomes are going to be addressed through this assessment task:

• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the analytical skills relevant to the assessment of different theories and models of microeconomics.

• Demonstrate creativity and critical thinking in challenging the students to apply theoretical understanding of economics to real life economic problems.

• Demonstrate the ability to effectively communicate theories and knowledge of microeconomics in technical and non-technical language.  

A 2 hour final examination for this unit will be held during the University Examination period. For details check: http://www.timetables.mq.edu.au/exam. The examination will contain multiple choice questions and written-answer questions.

The conditions for the requesting and granting of Disruption to Studies are set out in the Policies and Procedures section of this Unit Guide. If a Supplementary Examination is granted as a result of the Disruption to Studies process, the examination will be scheduled after the conclusion of the official examination period. You are advised that it is Macquarie University policy not to set early examinations for individuals or groups of students. All students are expected to ensure that they are available until the end of the teaching semester, the final day of the official examination period. Also, although the material coverage for the Supplementary exam would be the same as the final exam, it will include ALL written answers questions (NO multiple choice questions).