PrintEBF 200: Introduction to Energy and Earth Science Economics
This syllabus is divided into several sections. You can read it sequentially by scrolling down the length of the document or by clicking on any of the links below to “jump” to a specific section. It is essential that you read the entire document as well as material covered in the Course Orientation. Together these serve as our course "contract."
- Course Instructor
- Course Overview
- Required Course Materials
- Assignments and Grading
- Course Schedule
- Course Policies
Instructors
Farid Tayari, Ph.D., Energy Management and Policy, Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering, Pennsylvania State University
E-mail: I will read and respond to Canvas e-mail and discussion forum posts at least once a day during the work week (Mon - Fri), and during most weekends.
NOTE: Please use Canvas for all e-mail communications with course faculty (see the Canvas Inbox tab). You will receive the quickest response if you send your e-mail to "All in Teachers" in Canvas.
Office Hours:
Tuesday: Online via Adobe Connect (Instructions for using Adobe Connect) 11:00 a.m.– 12:30 p.m. The Adobe Connect office hours allow me to speak to you and see you (if you have a microphone and a webcam), so it really is a convenient way to meet from anywhere. You are also welcome to send me an e-mail using the “Inbox” tab in Canvas. Besides, I encourage you to write your question in discussion forums first (it might be other students' question as well) and also read the discussion forums regularly, you might be able to find your answer or other helpful materials there.
Course Overview
EBF 200 (GS): Introduction to Energy and Earth Sciences Economics (3)—Resource use decisions and their effect on local, national, and global development.
Prerequisites: None
This class is an introductory course in microeconomics with a focus on the applications of economics to energy and environmental markets. In the course, we introduce the economic method of analysis to the environmental and resource questions facing society. It introduces a "paradigm"—a way of thinking—that has four elements:
- What advantages can be gained by using market forces?
- What are the drawbacks of the market (“market failures") that may lead to a rationale for government intervention?
- What are the drawbacks of using government intervention ("government failure")?
- How do you apply these three concepts to real-world situations?
As a result of this class, students are expected to be able to synthesize information to better appreciate the complexity of modern resource policy. In addition, they are expected to be in a position to make more informed judgments on the nature and seriousness of these issues.
EBF 200 will be conducted entirely on the World Wide Web. There will be no set class meeting times, but you will be required to complete weekly assignments. The content of this course is divided into 12 lessons. Each lesson will be completed in approximately 1 week. Lesson learning activities take the form of discussions and quizzes.
On average, most students spend seven to nine hours per week working on the course. Your workload may be more or less depending on your prior experience with computing and the Web in general and with economics in particular.
I have worked hard to make this the most effective and convenient educational experience possible. The Internet is still a novel learning environment, but, in one sense, it is no different than a traditional college class: how much and how well you learn is ultimately up to you. You will succeed if you are diligent about keeping up with the class schedule and if you take advantage of opportunities to communicate with me, as well as with your fellow students.
Specific learning objectives for each lesson and project are detailed within each lesson. The class schedule is published under the Calendar tab in Canvas (the course management system used for this course).
Required Course Materials
Textbook: Microeconomics: Private and Public Choice, 14th Edition, by Gwartney, Stroup, Sobel and MacPherson.
12th or 13th Edition of the book can also be used.
You will find that the textbook can be ordered as a physical book, or can be purchased with online access. Online access is a cheaper option and is fine for this course if you do not mind reading the text on your computer.
Among other things, that web page allows you to rent the textbook, or to get an on-line, digital version. Renting the textbook in digital format is an inexpensive way to access the materials if you do not mind reading it on your computer.
If you look on the websites of some on-line booksellers (or used goods sites) you may find used copies of this textbook for less money.
You will, of course, find many other economics education resources on-line, so if you have a pressing question or are having difficulty with a topic and I cannot be reached in short order, you may find that looking at some of these other resources may give you a helpful, different perspective from the one I am presenting.
Lesson material and any additional reading assignments for this course are presented online through this Course Web site and in Canvas. In order to access all materials, you need to have an active Penn State Access Account user ID and password (used to access the online course resources). If you have any questions about obtaining or activating your Penn State Access Account, please contact the Outreach HelpDesk.
Assignments
There are 12 lessons in this course. We can consider the course to be divided into four units, with three lessons in each unit (also see Course Schedule below). There will be 10 quizzes, 10 homework, one mid-term, and one final exam. Your grade in EBF 200 will be based on the total number of points you accumulate. We consider 100 points to be a perfect score. You earn points this way:
- Weekly Quizzes (16 points)
There will be 10 multiple choice quizzes in this course. Each quiz is worth 2 points. We will consider the 8 highest scores (out of the 8) and add them together, so you can get up to 16 points from quizzes. You can choose to skip 2 of the quizzes if you wish, but I suggest taking all of them, just in case you catch the flu or run into technical difficulties along the way and want to use that week for your dropped grade.
The quizzes will be open for seven days every week of a unit: 8:00 a.m. on Monday morning -- 11:55 p.m. on Sunday night.
- Weekly Homeworks (32 points)
There will be 10 homeworks in the form of essay and problem solving questions. We will consider the 8 highest scores (out of the 8) and add them together. Each homework is worth 4 points so there will be total of 32 points from homeworks.
The homeworks also will be open for seven days every week of a unit: 8:00 a.m. on Monday morning -- 11:55 p.m. on Sunday night.
- Mid-term Examination (22 points)
There will be a mid-term exam which will be worth 22 points. The mid-terms will cover material from lessons 1-6.
- Comprehensive Final Exam (30 points)
The final exam will be worth 30 points. The final exam is cumulative, meaning that it covers the entire course. The best way to do well on this exam is to stay current with all the material, and to carefully review the feedback I provide in the weekly unit quizzes, homeworks, and mid-terms. The final exam will be similar to the quizzes and homeworks, but will not repeat exactly the same questions. - Discussion Forum Participation(2 extra points) One of the features of this course is the existence of a discussion forum. Use the course Discussion Forums to get to know one another, work together, and learn from one another. It’s a special opportunity. You’ll learn more, enjoy the course more, and probably make a better grade. The designated Discussion Forums provide a place where you can work together to surface problems and questions and give me the chance to redirect or provide additional information if needed. You are welcome to write your questions and topics or add your thoughts and answers to the questions or topics of other students. You will be graded at the end of the semester on the quantity and quality of your contributions (posting and also replying) to the Discussion Forum. Since I expect there to be around 50 students registered in this section of the course, I am expecting some spirited discussion. I strongly recommend you to read the forums regularly and I would like the forum to be a place where we all exchange ideas about the interaction between the course material and the real world. This might be the place where you do the most "learning" in this course.
NOTES:
- Check your answers carefully: On quizzes, homeworks, exams, or other things handed in, please check your answers before you submit them electronically. Materials submitted online are graded in the same way as any other course submissions--we grade what you submit. If the answer is D but you chose C, the answer is wrong.
- Computer Connections: You are also responsible for your computer connection. If you were driving to campus to take an in-class exam, the instructor would not come out to get you if your car broke down. If you are taking an online quiz and your apartment's wireless goes down, the situation is the same. Thus, you should find a good, solid connection. We let you "drop" two quizzes and one midterm exam when calculating your grade, and this should cover an occasional electronic issue on your end.
- Scheduling your time: Since all assignments rely on technology, we strongly recommend that you plan to take the quiz early in the time period provided so that if you encounter any technical problems, they can be resolved in time. Note that quizzes "auto-submit" when the allocated time is up (e.g., at the end of 30 minutes for a 30 minute quiz). The quizzes, homework, and the mid-terms all really do close at 11:55 p.m., so, if you start to take a quiz at 11:50 p.m., you will have only 5 minutes—don’t wait!
These elements will be weighted as a percentage of your course grade as follows:
| ASSIGNMENT | WEIGHT |
|---|---|
| Weekly quizzes (8 @ 2% each) Multiple choice questions. Drop the lowest two grades |
16% |
| Weekly Homework (8 @ 4% each) Essay and problem solving questions. Drop the lowest two grades. |
32% |
| Discussion forum participation | 2% (extra) |
| Mid-term examination | 22% |
| Comprehensive Final Exam | 30% |
Grades for each assignment will be posted in the Canvas gradebook.
Letter grades will be based on the following percentages:
| GRADE | PERCENT |
|---|---|
| A | 93–100% |
| A- | 90–92.9% |
| B+ | 87–89.9% |
| B | 83–86.9% |
| B- | 80–82.9% |
| C+ | 77–79.9% |
| C | 70–76.9% |
| D | 60–69.9% |
| F | <60% |
| X | Unsatisfactory (student did not participate) |
Percentages refer to the proportion of all possible points earned by the student.
NOTE: Grades will not be curved. Put your best effort into all of the assignments as you complete them.
EBF 200 Course Schedule
Printable Schedule
Below you will find a summary of the primary learning activities for this course and the associated time frames. Each lesson is one week long.
NOTE: For specific time frames and due dates, please see the "Calendar" tab in Canvas.
| Unit: WEEK | DATES | TOPIC | CONTENT | ASSIGNMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week 1 | May 16- May 22 | Orientation |
|
Course Orientation Quiz Initial Course Survey Introduce Yourself |
| Unit 1: Week 1 |
May 16- May 22 | Lesson 1: Thinking about economics |
|
Lesson 1 Quiz Lesson 1 Homework |
| Unit 1: Week 2 |
May 23- May 29 | Lesson 2: Markets: Demand |
|
Lesson 2 Quiz Lesson 2 Homework |
| Unit 1: Week 3 |
May 30- June 5 | Lesson 3: Markets: Supply |
|
Lesson 3 Quiz Lesson 3 Homework |
| Unit 2: Week 4 |
June 6- June 12 | Lesson 4: Market dynamics |
|
Lesson 4 Quiz Lesson 4 Homework |
| Unit 2: Week 5 |
June 13- June 19 | Lesson 5: Market power |
|
|
| Unit 2: Week 6 |
June 20- June 26 | Lesson 6: Other market failures |
|
Lesson 5 and 6 Quiz Lesson 5 and 6 Homework |
| Unit 3: Week 7 |
June 27- July 3 | Lesson 7: Externalities and Environmental Economics |
|
Midterm June 30th |
| Unit 3: Week 8 |
July 4- July 10 | Lesson 8: Government failure |
|
Lesson 7 Quiz Lesson 7 Homework |
| Unit 3: Week 9 |
July 11- July 17 | Lesson 9: Government intervention |
|
Lesson 8 and 9 Quiz Lesson 8 and 9 Homework |
| Unit 4: Week 10 |
July 18- July 24 | Lesson 10: Topical Issues: Climate Change and Carbon Policy |
|
Lesson 10 Quiz Lesson 10 Homework |
| Unit 4: Week 11 |
July 25- July 31 | Lesson 11: Topical issues: Resource scarcity and energy security |
|
Lesson 11 Quiz Lesson 11 Homework |
| Unit 4: Week 12 |
Aug 1- Aug 7 | Lesson 12: Topical issues: Changes in the electricity business |
|
Lesson 12 Quiz Lesson 12 Homework |
| Finals Study and Exam | Aug 8- Aug 12 | Final Exam Review, Study and Complete |
|
Final Exam will be available August 10 |
Course Policies
Technical Requirements
For this course, we recommend the minimum technical requirements outlined on the World Campus Technical Requirements page, including the requirements listed for same-time, synchronous communications. If you need technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the IT Service Desk (for World Campus students) or Penn State's IT Help Portal (for students at all other campus locations).
Internet Connection
Access to a reliable Internet connection is required for this course. A problem with your Internet access may not be used as an excuse for late, missing, or incomplete coursework. If you experience problems with your Internet connection while working on this course, it is your responsibility to find an alternative Internet access point, such as a public library or Wi-Fi ® hotspot.
Mixed Content
This site is considered a secure web site, which means that your connection is encrypted. We do, however, link to content that isn't necessarily encrypted. This is called mixed content. By default, mixed content is blocked in Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Chrome. This may result in a blank page or a message saying that only secure content is displayed. Follow the directions on our Technical Requirements page to view the mixed content.
Equations
This course must be viewed using the latest version of Firefox, Safari, Chrome, or Edge. Internet Explorer is not supported. If you use any other browser, or if you are not using the latest version of your browser, some pages containing equations may not render properly. In addition, javascript must be enabled for equations to render properly. If you have any issues with equations not rendering properly, please update your browser to the latest version or try using a different browser. If you need additional technical assistance at any point during the course, please contact the HelpDesk (for World Campus students) or the IT Service Desk (for students at all other campus locations).Penn State E-mail Accounts
All official communications from Penn State are sent to students' Penn State e-mail accounts. Be sure to check your Penn State account regularly, or forward your Penn State e-mail to your preferred e-mail account, so you don't miss any important information.
Academic Integrity
This course follows the procedures for academic integrity of Penn State's College of Earth and Mineral Sciences. Penn State defines academic integrity as "the pursuit of scholarly activity in an open, honest and responsible manner." Academic integrity includes "a commitment not to engage in or tolerate acts of falsification, misrepresentation, or deception." In particular, the University defines plagiarism as "the fabrication of information and citations; submitting others' work from professional journals, books, articles, and papers; submission of other students' papers, lab results or project reports and representing the work as one's own." Penalties for violations of academic integrity may include course failure. To learn more, see Penn State's Academic Integrity Training for Students.
Course Copyright
All course materials students receive or to which students have online access are protected by copyright laws. Students may use course materials and make copies for their own use as needed, but unauthorized distribution and/or uploading of materials without the instructor’s express permission is strictly prohibited. University Policy AD 40, the University Policy Recording of Classroom Activities and Note Taking Services addresses this issue. Students who engage in the unauthorized distribution of copyrighted materials may be held in violation of the University’s Code of Conduct, and/or liable under Federal and State laws.
For example, uploading completed labs, homework, or other assignments to any study site constitutes a violation of this policy.
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
Penn State welcomes students with disabilities into the University's educational programs. Every Penn State campus has an office for students with disabilities. The Office for Student Disability Resources website provides contact information for Campus Disability Coordinators at every Penn State campus. For further information, please visit the Office for Student Disability Resources website.
In order to receive consideration for reasonable accommodations, you must contact the appropriate disability services office at the campus where you are officially enrolled. You will participate in an intake interview and provide documentation. See documentation guidelines at Applying for Services from Student Disability Resources. If the documentation supports your request for reasonable accommodations, your campus’s disability services office will provide you with an accommodation letter. Please share this letter with your instructors and discuss the accommodations with them as early in your courses as possible. You must follow this process for every semester that you request accommodations.
Change in Normal Campus Operations
In case of weather-related delays or other emergency campus disruptions or closures at the University, this online course will proceed as planned. Your instructor will inform you if there are any extenuating circumstances regarding content or activity due dates in the course due to these delays or closures. If you are affected by a weather-related emergency, please contact your instructor at the earliest possible time to make special arrangements.
Reporting Educational Equity Concerns
Penn State takes great pride in fostering a diverse and inclusive environment for students, faculty, and staff. Acts of intolerance, discrimination, or harassment due to age, ancestry, color, disability, gender, gender identity, national origin, race, religious belief, sexual orientation, or veteran status are not tolerated (Policy AD29 Statement on Intolerance) and can be reported through Educational Equity via Report Bias.
Counseling and Psychological Services
Many students at Penn State face personal challenges or have psychological needs that may interfere with their academic progress, social development, or emotional well-being. The university offers a variety of confidential services to help you through difficult times, including individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, consultations, online chats, and mental health screenings. These services are provided by staff who welcome all students and embrace a philosophy respectful of clients’ cultural and religious backgrounds, and sensitive to differences in race, ability, gender identity, and sexual orientation. Services include the following:
Counseling and Psychological Services at University Park (CAPS): 814-863-0395
Counseling Services at Commonwealth Campuses
Penn State Crisis Line (24 hours/7 days/week): 877-229-6400
Crisis Text Line (24 hours/7 days/week): Text LIONS to 741741
Military Personnel
Veterans and currently serving military personnel and/or spouses with unique circumstances (e.g., upcoming deployments, drill/duty requirements, disabilities, VA appointments, etc.) are welcome and encouraged to communicate these, in advance if possible, to the instructor in the case that special arrangements need to be made.
Connect Online with Caution
Penn State is committed to educational access for all. Our students come from all walks of life and have diverse life experiences. As with any other online community, the lack of physical interaction in an online classroom can create a false sense of anonymity and security. While one can make new friends online, digital relationships can also be misleading. Good judgment and decision-making are critical when choosing to disclose personal information to others whom you do not know.
Deferred Grades
If you are prevented from completing this course within the prescribed amount of time for reasons that are beyond your control, it is possible to have the grade deferred with the concurrence of the instructor, following Penn State Deferred Grade Policy 48-40. To seek a deferred grade, you must submit a written request (by e-mail or U.S. post) to the instructor describing the reason(s) for the request. Non-emergency permission for filing a deferred grade must be requested before the beginning of the final examination period. It is up to the instructor to determine whether or not you will be permitted to receive a deferred grade. If permission is granted, you will work with the instructor to establish a communication plan and a clear schedule for completion within policy. If, for any reason, the coursework for the deferred grade is not complete by the assigned time, a grade of "F" will be automatically entered on your transcript.
Attendance
This course will be conducted entirely online. There will be no set class meeting times, but you will be required to complete weekly assignments with specific due dates. Many of the assignments are open for multiple days, so it is your responsibility to complete the work early if you plan to travel or participate in national holidays, religious observances or University approved activities.
If you need to request an exception due to a personal or medical emergency, contact the instructor directly as soon as you are able. Such requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
Diversity, Inclusion, and Respect
Penn State is “committed to creating an educational environment which is free from intolerance directed toward individuals or groups and strives to create and maintain an environment that fosters respect for others” as stated in Policy AD29 Statement on Intolerance. All members of this class are expected to contribute to a respectful, welcoming, and inclusive environment and to interact with civility.
For additional information, see:
- Penn State Affirmative Action Nondiscrimination Statement
- Policy AD 85 Sexual and/or Gender-Based Harassment and Misconduct, Title IX
- Penn State Values
- Advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Penn State
- Assessment of the Living, Learning, and Working Environment (ALLWE) in EMS| Penn State College of Earth and Mineral Sciences
Mandated Reporting Statement
Penn State’s policies require me, as a faculty member, to share information about incidents of sex-based discrimination and harassment (discrimination, harassment, sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, dating violence, domestic violence, stalking, and retaliation) with Penn State’s Title IX coordinator or deputy coordinators, regardless of whether the incidents are stated to me in person or shared by students as part of their coursework. For more information regarding the University's policies and procedures for responding to reports of sexual or gender-based harassment or misconduct, please visit Penn State's Office of Sexual Misconduct Prevention & Response website.
Additionally, I am required to make a report on any reasonable suspicion of child abuse in accordance with the Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law.
Disclaimer
Please note that the specifics of this Course Syllabus can be changed at any time, and you will be responsible for abiding by any such changes. All changes will be communicated to you via e-mail, course announcement and/or course discussion forum.