Course Introduction to Economics

The session starts with a quick overview of what you need to know, plus a preview of where things are on campus. The instructor plans to cover core requirements for success in the class and some general logistics.
Emphasis on practical guidance rather than theoretical digressions during this intro.

The instructor explicitly states: do not lecture at office hours; lectures are given during class time.
Rationale: lectures during class are seen as the most efficient method because the instructor can’t physically fit 300 students into an office, and it would be unfair to arrange a single lecture in an office.
Office hours are for specific, substantive questions, not broad lectures or existential questions.

The class uses electronic access to the textbook through an open-access option (Red Shelf/open access).
You may already be charged for the book; it appears on your statement, so you should have access to the electronic version and the associated homework.
The open-access option is described as the cheapest option; the bookstore has a direct relationship with the publisher to secure this pricing.
If you opt out of the open-access/electronic route, you must still obtain access to the homework separately; the instructor cannot imagine a way to get the homework otherwise.
The electronic version is described as part of the course’s open-access participation; the electronic book comes with the homework assignment bundle.

The “open access” arrangement is positioned as more affordable; the bookstore coordinates with the publisher to offer the cheapest option.
The description emphasizes that all course information and materials you need are accessible here, with the electronic version linked through Red Shelf/open access.

The grading policy and all major rules are aligned with the official syllabus; there is no deviation, no step-by-step exceptions, and no extra credit opportunities.
The instructor states: there is no concept of extra credit or additional loopholes.
The rationale given for strictness is fairness given the large class size (approximately 300 students).

The class size is stated as 300 students.
The instructor asks, rhetorically, how many people will be unhappy and how many exceptions will have to be made, then asserts: there are no exceptions.
A counterpoint is raised about having to make exceptions, but the concluding stance is that there are no exceptions, emphasizing fairness and consistency.

The instructor emphasizes a growth mindset: "5% talent, 95% work" with the suggestion that dedication and effort are the key predictors of success.
The takeaway: if you work, you’ll pass; natural genius is not required.
This stance underlines the importance of sustained effort over time.

There will be 5 in-class quizzes, each lasting 20 minutes: 5 quizzes, each of length 20 minutes.
There is no final exam scheduled for this course.
Finals week may still show up on PeopleSoft; the registrar schedules finals regardless of the course’s own status.
The registrar’s scheduling process is implied to be outside the instructor’s control.
The grading structure is described as heavily weighted, consistent with the syllabus.

Grading is designed to be transparent and predictable, with the final grade calculated based on the items listed in the syllabus.
There is an automatic score drop: the instructor will drop one lower score for everyone if someone has a bad day.
This drop provides a buffer against a single poor performance affecting everyone’s overall grade.
There are many “drops” across all assignments to accommodate real-life events and contingencies; the policy includes multiple opportunities to recover from setbacks.
By the end of the term, students can create a personal spreadsheet to compute their grade, as grading will be computed exactly as described in the course materials.

In-class Top Hat questions will be used for engagement and assessment.
These questions are only available in class, so attendance/timing matters for performance.
The instructor mentions that there will be a large number of Top Hat questions and implies some form of scoring manipulation or dropping related to these questions, though the exact mechanism is not fully detailed in the transcript.
There is a note about potential questions regarding why certain cutoffs or thresholds exist, indicating some nuance in how Top Hat scores contribute to final grades.
A key point: Top Hat questions are tied to in-class presence and participation rather than traditional attendance tracking.

The instructor encourages students to track their own progress with a personal worksheet to anticipate the final grade.
The grading system is described as transparent and predictable, so students can audit their standing at any time.

The teacher mentions a plan to show students where things are on campus and how to navigate the environment during the course.
This portion reinforces practical navigation and campus integration as part of the course experience.

The transcript ends with a heading: "Modules. This is where a lot of stuff" but the content under this heading is not included in the provided transcript.
This indicates that there are likely module-based topics to be covered, but the details were not captured in the excerpt.

Expect a lecture-heavy format during class time; office hours are not used for full lectures.
Use the open-access textbook or Red Shelf link to access the homework and materials; opt out only if you are prepared to source homework independently.
Prepare for five in-class quizzes (each ~20 minutes); no formal final exam, with finals scheduling managed by the registrar.
Leverage the auto-drop mechanism (one score dropped) and the broad set of “drops” to mitigate occasional poor performance.
Track your grade with a personal calculator/spreadsheet to stay informed about your progress.
Be present for Top Hat questions to maximize participation-based scoring; understand that attendance has a direct link to those scores.
Expect strict adherence to the syllabus with minimal allowances for exceptions; work consistently to succeed.

Class size: 300 students
Quizzes: 5 quizzes
Quiz duration: 20 minutes each
Talent vs. work: 5\% talent, 95\% work
Final exam: 0 (none); finals scheduling via PeopleSoft and registrar
Open access pricing: described as the cheapest option through the bookstore’s publisher relationship
Drops: one automatic drop per student; multiple “drops” across assignments to accommodate life events

The transcript cuts off mid-sentence at "Modules"; further details would be needed to flesh out the remaining content in that section.