"Grade" distribution of Test 1

Your reported score is a raw score out of 40 possible points. You can turn that into a more familiar percentage score by

your score
---------- x 100
40

Here are some descriptive statistics which are used to determine the grade scale:

average = 29.1 out of 40, or approximately 72.8%
median = 28.5 (this is the "middle" score if we ranked all scores)
mode = 32 (this is the most frequently occuring value. there were four 32s)

All of the above help determine the "middle". For this, I think the mode is not a good middle. But I think 29 is a good middle. That score, then, is the lowest B.

The standard deviation can be used to measure the distribution of scores around the mean. I like to target 10%. The standard deviation for this test was 4.3 out of 40 or about 10.8%. Pretty close.

So here's a grade you can associate with your score:

A range: 33 and higher (11 people)
B range: 29 - 32.5 (10 people)
C range: 25 - 28.5 (13 people)
D range: 20 - 24.5 (8 people)
F range: 19.5 and lower (1 person)

This is an odd distribution as it is more "uniform" rather than "normal".

Be aware: I do not enter a letter grade into my gradebook for any assignment. I enter only your raw score. It is appropriately weighted given point value of the assignment (40 points in this case) and the weighting value as expressed on the syllabus (15%). So, using measured language here, if you got the score of 26.5 you received a B-type grade. However, you did not "get a B" because that letter isn't recorded. What ultimately matters is the weighted average of all assignments at the end of the term.

After the second test and the mid term grades are determined I will carefully go over the weighted average calculations. It is fair that you know your overall standing in the class after each exam. Given the number of assignments so far, this test is your first measure of "expected grade".

Woohoo! Snow Day!

I hope you're all enjoying the snow day. It is a rarity for a college campus like IUP to actually shut down. But I've been out on the roads and on campus and I suggest that you all stay home and watch good movies or bad tv. Or play videogames.

Your article review assignment is due next Wednesday, the 21st.

You really should read chapter 4 of Krugman and Wells. I aim to get through it all next Wednesday. The analysis can be quite technical.

I'm going to figure out a way to anonymously post your test grades. As of Thursday morning you should be able to stop by the office and pick up your graded test. Since the tests scores are "curved" I'll have to make a blog post discussion the distribution of scores. So stay tuned.

J

Answer Key to Sample MC questions for Test !

Here is the key to the sample test and a few comments below.

1-C, 2-D, 3-A, 4-B, 5-B, 6-B,
7-C, 8-C, 9-B, 10-A, 11-D,
12-D. 13-B, 14-B, 15-B, 16-D, 17-A,
18-B, 19-D, 20-B, 21-A, 22-B, 23-B, 24-C,
25-B, 26-A, 27-A, 28-B, 29-D, 30-C,
31-A, 32-C, 33-B, 34-B, 35-D.



On 3: goods are scarce in supply, but we would not call them resources

On 7: Trade between countries is based on the same principle as trade among individuals: exploiting different opportunity costs.

On 8: I did not discuss this in class but it should be clear from the readings. In a nutshell: Positive economics seeks to explain economic phenomena and to draw inferences based on these relationships (e.g., the price is $5, or if the supply decreases we can expect higher prices and lower quantities). However, values, morals, and other personal preferences can come into play, often in policy situations. (Taxes on cigarettes should be raised. We should build a highway directly from Pittsburgh to Indiana. We should subsidize farmers.) In class, we aim to be positive.

On 12: The production of football helments decreases at an increasing rate. But given that is not an alternative, decreasing would be the answer. But decreasing at an decreasing rate means "decreasing opportunity cost".

On 22: Keep in mind, demand curves slope down

On 24: B is not true because as the price of getwids decreases, there is an increase in quantity demanded--but not an increase in demand.

Changes in demand are when the demand curve shifts. Changes in quantities demanded are due to changes in the price of the good. Since price is on the vertical axis, we merely find movement along the existing demand curve.

On 31: Sorry, that is a tough one.

I hope you saw the announcement regarding the tutoring (see entry on Sunday evening). Please see Ali if you need some assistance.

Tutoring

I'd like to inform you of the tutoring opportunities available to you this semester. The details have just been ironed out...

Arrangements have been made to have a student tutor available
for our course (Econ 122 Wed 5-8pm) and for the principles of macroeconomics
course (Econ 121) taught by Dr. David Yerger also on Wed from 5-8pm.

The student tutor is Ali Cannoni and she will be available on Mondays
from 4-6pm in the classroom McElhaney 206 (top floor of building),
starting this Monday Feb 5.

Please understand that this tutoring has nothing to do with the
Learning Enhancement Center and its offered walk-in assistance. The
director of the LEC regards it as an acceptable outcome that the only
night peer assistance is offered for Econ 121 and 122 is the only
night of the week that ECON 121 & 122 are taught. The economics
department has no control over these decisions. We pointed out the
obvious shortcomings in their scheduled times, and the LEC Director
responded that no change would be made in the tutor hours for these
two courses.

Dr. Yerger and I feel strongly that night class students should have
access to tutor support so we decided to pay Ms. Cannoni from our own
personal funds. Obviously, we are setting this whole thing up on the
fly so please be patient if the first week or two has a couple
glitches, if they happen we'll get things figured out going forward.

Good luck on your studies this week.

Regards,

JJ