ECON 2102 Semester 1, 2017

Course Journal

Aim

The course journal is designed to help you organise and keep track of your thoughts on the required
reading for the course as well as a place to record your practice problem attempts. It is also a way
for you to better connect the tutorial problems and the models learned in class to real world
examples.

What to do

The journal is composed of three separate components:

1. Reading and podcast notes

2. Tutorial problems attempts

3. Assignment problem attempts

Reading/Podcasts: There are assigned readings/podcasts to be completed outside of the tutorials

(details are given in the course outline) and the potential for some additional readings assigned
during the course (additional readings normally reflect current events that arise during the course
that are related to topics we cover). For each of these readings/podcasts you are required to write,
in long-hand (i.e. not typed), notes on the assigned content. The content of these readings/podcasts
is assessed on the mid-term exam and on the final. The length requirement for the notes is at least
one page of notes for every assigned reading with the exception of readings that are actually shorter
than two pages in length. For these shorter readings, there is no length requirement on the notes
just a requirement that an entry is made in the journal. Notes may be in outline form.

Some of the readings are journal articles that have technical components which are beyond the
scope of this class. You are not expected to fully understand and retain the information in these
technical sections. You may skim these passages looking for key results and otherwise disregard the
more technical aspects. In general, it should be pretty clear what is technical and what is not. If
uncertain, please ask.

Tutorial Problems: In seven of the tutorials there will be small problem set to be completed. Each
problem set is distributed during the tutorial and is to be completed in class in a small group. The
work and notes related to the completion of this problem set should be recorded in your course
journal.

Assignment Problems: There are four assignments in this course. The assignment attempts should be
recorded in your course journal. The assignments will be reviewed during tutorials.

How to structure the journal

The journal may be structured chronologically with all three of the above components together or it
may be broken into three separate sections, which must be individually ordered chronologically.
Everything must be contained in one notebook and properly labelled and dated. Remember, the
easier your notebook is to mark, the better your mark will be. If markers have to hunt for your
entries, you risk losing marks.
Many students also like to put their class notes in the journal. This is allowed but NOT required. If
you do this, make sure that the marked entries are easy to find and to distinguish from your notes.
Structure is assessed (see rubric below) so points can be deducted if the marker has trouble finding
your entries.

By the end of the semester, the course journal should be an excellent resource to prepare for the
final exam.

Pro Tip: Use a notebook that allows for pages to be added and removed. This way you can easily
reorder the journal if necessary or add missing entries.

Marking and Assessment

The course journal is due in week 12 at the completion of the tutorial. The journal is assessed using
the rubric provided at the end of this document. In addition, periodic spot checks are done by the
tutors to check whether notes and assigned problems are completed before attending the tutorial.

Group work and plagiarism

This assignment is an individual assignment. The contents of your journal should be created
independently by you, and no one else. Do NOT copy passages of text from original or secondary
sources without proper citation and do NOT copy content directly from another student into your
journal. Violations will be considered plagiarism.

In the School of Economics all cases of substantial plagiarism are reported to the Associate Head of
School. The following penalties will apply:
Reduction in marks for the assessment item, including zero;
Failure in the course [00FL] in extreme cases;
Other additional penalties in accordance with the UNSW Procedures for Dealing with
Student Plagiarism, may be considered in extreme cases;
All cases will be recorded on the UNSW Plagiarism Central Register
More information about plagiarism and how to avoid it can be found at:
http://www.asb.unsw.edu.au/learningandteaching/studentservices/resources/Pages/r
eferencingandplagiarism.aspx
Marking Rubric
Exceeds Expectations
Criteria and Below Expectations Meets Expectations
Weightings 75% (Distinction-High
<50% (Fail) 50% - 74% (Pass-Credit)
Distinction)

Journal does not meet the Journal meets the one page per Journal meets the one page per
one page per outside activity outside activity minimum. outside activity minimum.
minimum.
All entries are present and All entries are present and of
Evidence that student of correct length correct length
attempted to exaggerate Minor formatting issues No formatting issues
the length using wide Some irrelevant information No Irrelevant information
margins or other included in the journal to
formatting. increase length
1. Length Missing material including
(10%) readings or tutorial
problems
Irrelevant information
included to increase
length
Portions of the journal
which are not hand
written will be marked
zero

More than 10% of the content Less than 10% of the content is Journal is legible and clearly labelled.
is illegible. illegible. Although, some areas
were hard to read and
2. Legibility understand. Some labelling
(10%)
issues are present with respect
to the journal entries.

Incomplete or missing tutorial All tutorial problems, notes, and Journal is complete and well
problems, notes, or assignments are contained in structured
assignment problem attempts the journal
Tutorial notes in chronological
Tutorials out of order Tutorials in correct order order and well labelled.
Partial attempts at Clear labelling All tutorial problems well labelled,
3. Content
tutorial problems All tutorial problems are in order, and done well.
and
No date or tutorial labels reasonably attempted All assignment problems well
Structure
(40%) No evidence of All assignment problems are labelled, in order, and done well.
assignment problem reasonably attempted
attempts
Copying assignment
problem answers directly
from answer key

Student was not present or Student completed some of the Student completed the required
4. Spot required activity. activity and satisfied all requirements
did not complete outside
Checks
(40%) activity prior to the tutorial.