CQUniversity Unit Profile
ECON11026 Principles of Economics
Principles of Economics
All details in this unit profile for ECON11026 have been officially approved by CQUniversity and represent a learning partnership between the University and you (our student).
The information will not be changed unless absolutely necessary and any change will be clearly indicated by an approved correction included in the profile.
General Information

Overview

This unit introduces basic principles of microeconomic and macroeconomic theory and the methods of economic analysis . You will examine the demand-supply model, market equilibrium, elasticity, and how the prices of goods and services, and the cost and revenue curves are determined. You will compare the key market structures: perfect competition, monopoly, monopolistic competition, and oligopoly and examine why government intervention is necessary in order to correct market failure and achieve allocative and productive efficiency. You will be introduced to the key macroeconomic indicators and their role in managing the economy. You will be given the opportunity to explore the dynamics of macroeconomic policies, and their effectiveness in achieving national economic objectives and dynamic efficiency to achieve long term economic growth.

Details

Career Level: Undergraduate
Unit Level: Level 1
Credit Points: 6
Student Contribution Band: 10
Fraction of Full-Time Student Load: 0.125

Pre-requisites or Co-requisites

There are no requisites for this unit.

Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).

Offerings For Term 1 - 2023

Brisbane
Melbourne
Online
Rockhampton
Sydney

Attendance Requirements

All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes – in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).

Class and Assessment Overview

Recommended Student Time Commitment

Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.

Class Timetable

Bundaberg, Cairns, Emerald, Gladstone, Mackay, Rockhampton, Townsville
Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney

Assessment Overview

1. Online Quiz(zes)
Weighting: 20%
2. Written Assessment
Weighting: 30%
3. Online Test
Weighting: 50%

Assessment Grading

This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of ‘pass’ in order to pass the unit. If any ‘pass/fail’ tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully (‘pass’ grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the ‘assessment task’ section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University’s Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.

Previous Student Feedback

Feedback, Recommendations and Responses

Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.

Feedback from In online zoom tutorial sessions.

Feedback

Please spend more time on explaining and revising graphs during the tutorial, as lecture is only for one hour.

Recommendation

As students find graphs difficult to interpret. Therefore considerable amount of tutorial time is spent on graphical interpretations, relating theory to real life economic examples.

Feedback from Unit Coordinator's self reflection based on evidence

Feedback

This first year Econ11026 unit in the last three years 2020-2022, has consistently received an overall satisfaction score of 4 (out of 5). Students consistently rated all aspects of the evaluation above 4 (out of 5).

Recommendation

The Unit Coordinators will ensure to deliiver high quality learning resources and assessment tasks to engage and satify the students in their study of first year core Econ11026 unit.

Feedback from by E-mail

Feedback

The zoom tutorials were engaging and informative, followed by consulting time, greatly assisted in my understanding and clarifying the graphs in Econ11026.

Recommendation

Weekly engagement activity in tutorial and consulting time related to graphs and discussion in breakout sessions for students will be continued on Zoom, and for on campus students in the face-to-face tutorial classes, to ensure student engagement with the unit learning activities.

Feedback from Unit Coordinator's Self reflection

Feedback

This unit underwent a 'Full Review' by the faculty in the 2nd Term 2021, due to high AF & WF rates. Suggestions were taken on board by the UC to revise the weekly content coverage and assessment task with an online invigilated test from 2022, as required by the accounting accrediting body.

Recommendation

All the recommendations from the Econ11026 review process were incorporated from 2022.

Feedback from Student T2- 2022 Evaluation Survey

Feedback

"Powerpoint slides and notes were very helpful. The revision quizzes to attempt before the grades quizzes helped me improve lots".

Recommendation

Unit Coordinators will continute to provide qulity information on slides, question bank for weekly topic to prepare for online invigilated test, and revision quizzes.

Unit Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
  1. Describe and illustrate basic economic principles as they relate to consumer and business decisions.
  2. Describe the firm's production decisions in a range of market structures.
  3. Demonstrate how government intervention may be beneficial in cases of market failure in order to achieve more desirable outcomes for the economy and the society.
  4. Explain macroeconomic goals and assess various macroeconomic policies to stabilise the economy.

This Core Unit  meets the  Bachelor of Business (Accounting) professional  outcomes and standards as required by the external  accrediting bodies. 

Alignment of Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Graduate Attributes
N/A Level
Introductory Level
Intermediate Level
Graduate Level
Professional Level
Advanced Level

Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes

Assessment Tasks Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4
1 - Online Quiz(zes) - 20%
2 - Written Assessment - 30%
3 - Online Test - 50%

Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes

Graduate Attributes Learning Outcomes
1 2 3 4
1 - Communication
2 - Problem Solving
3 - Critical Thinking
4 - Information Literacy
5 - Team Work
6 - Information Technology Competence
7 - Cross Cultural Competence
8 - Ethical practice
9 - Social Innovation
10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures
Textbooks and Resources

Textbooks

Prescribed

Essentials of Economics

Edition: 5th (2022)
Authors: Hubbard, G.R., Garnett, A. M., Lewis, P., & O’Brien, A.
Pearson Education
Melbourne Melbourne , Victoria , Australia
ISBN: 9780655702870
Binding: Paperback

Additional Textbook Information

Additional Textbook Information

Revel Book Interactive content. (***Recommended option***) is your book delivered interactively, read, practice, and study in one continuous experience on your computer, tablet or mobile device – quizzes, videos and interactive activities

e-Book of the prescribed textbook (not-interactive) is also available for half the price of paperback from the CQU -Bookshop or Pearson Direct : https://www.pearson.com.au/978148862022

IT Resources

You will need access to the following IT resources:
  • CQUniversity Student Email
  • Internet
  • Unit Website (Moodle)
  • Zoom account (Free)
Referencing Style

All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: American Psychological Association 7th Edition (APA 7th edition)

For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.

Teaching Contacts
Anita Medhekar Unit Coordinator
a.medhekar@cqu.edu.au
Schedule
Week 1 Begin Date: 06 Mar 2023

Module/Topic

Economics: Foundations, Models and Trade-Offs

Chapter

Hubbard et al. (2022) Chapters 1 & 2

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 2 Begin Date: 13 Mar 2023

Module/Topic

Market Demand, Supply and Elasticity

Chapter

Hubbard et al. (2022) Chapters 3 & 4

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 3 Begin Date: 20 Mar 2023

Module/Topic

Technology, Production and Costs

Chapter

Hubbard et al. (2022) Chapter 6

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 4 Begin Date: 27 Mar 2023

Module/Topic

Market Structures and Competition

Chapter

Hubbard et al. (2022) Chapter 7

Selected sections of Chapters 8 & 9

Events and Submissions/Topic

Term 1 Census Date = 28th March

Week 5 Begin Date: 03 Apr 2023

Module/Topic

Market Failure and The Role of Government

Chapter

Hubbard et al. (2022) Chapter 11

Events and Submissions/Topic

Online Quiz(zes) Due: Week 5 Thursday (6 Apr 2023) 11:45 pm AEST
Vacation Week - Mid-Term Break Begin Date: 10 Apr 2023

Module/Topic

Easter Break- Friday 7 April  to 10-Monday

Mid-Term Break  11th - 16th April

Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Good Friday 7th April


Week 6 Begin Date: 17 Apr 2023

Module/Topic

Introduction to Macroeconomics and GDP

Chapter

Hubbard et al. (2022) Chapter 13

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 7 Begin Date: 24 Apr 2023

Module/Topic

Unemployment and Inflation

Chapter

Hubbard et al. (2022) Chapters 14 and 15

Selected sections of Ch. 15 Aggregate Demand (AD)  & Agreegate Supply (AS)

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 8 Begin Date: 01 May 2023

Module/Topic

Monetary Policy

Chapter

Hubbard et al. (2022) Chapters 16 & 17

Selected sectons of Ch.16. Money, Bank & RBA

Events and Submissions/Topic

Written Short Answer Response Due: Week 8 Monday (1 May 2023) 11:45 pm AEST
Week 9 Begin Date: 08 May 2023

Module/Topic

 Fiscal Policy

Chapter

Hubbard et al. (2022) Chapter 18

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 10 Begin Date: 15 May 2023

Module/Topic

International Trade and Globalisation

Chapter

Hubbard et al. (2022) Chapter 19

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 11 Begin Date: 22 May 2023

Module/Topic

International Finance and Exchange Rates

Chapter

Hubbard et al. (2022) Chapter 20

Events and Submissions/Topic

Week 12 Begin Date: 29 May 2023

Module/Topic

Revision for Invigilated Online Test
Check Online Test Timetable for Day and Time

Chapter

 Invigilated Online Test Protocol and Practice

Online test based on macro-economic topics covered in weeks 6-11

Events and Submissions/Topic

Review/Exam Week Begin Date: 05 Jun 2023

Module/Topic

Review Week = 5th - 7th June

Exam Week starts = 8th to 16th June


Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Please check Invigilated Online Test Timetable for Day and Time, which will be held during the exam week

Exam Week Begin Date: 12 Jun 2023

Module/Topic

Exam Week 12th - 16th June


Chapter

Events and Submissions/Topic

Please check Invigilated Online Test Timetable for Day and Time, which will be held during the exam week

Assessment Tasks

1 Online Quiz(zes)

Assessment Title
Online Quiz(zes)

Task Description

Number of Quizzes = 4 Quiz Tests (5 marks each = 20 marks)
Students must attempt all four (4) quizzes online (Moodle). These quizzes cover the topics from the first three weeks of study (Chapters 1 - 4 & 6 of the prescribed text).

Students have two attempts for each online quiz test.
The quizzes comprise multiple-choice questions and students are expected to complete these graded quizzes weekly in a progressive manner and not in one go.


Number of Quizzes

4


Frequency of Quizzes


Assessment Due Date

Week 5 Thursday (6 Apr 2023) 11:45 pm AEST

Week 5 Thursday (6 April 2023) 11:45 pm AEST


Return Date to Students

Feedback is provided after the completion of the quiz.


Weighting
20%

Assessment Criteria

No Assessment Criteria


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Describe and illustrate basic economic principles as they relate to consumer and business decisions.
  • Describe the firm's production decisions in a range of market structures.

2 Written Assessment

Assessment Title
Written Short Answer Response

Task Description

Assessment 2 takes a short-answer format and requires responding to four questions focusing on the topics covered in
Weeks 4-5 (Chapters 7, 8, 9 & 11 of the prescribed text).

The task involves theoretical questions, graphs, calculations, real-life applications of market structures, externalities, and the role of government.

It is recommended that students work on the questions progressively rather than attempt to complete them in one go.
It is important that you familiarise yourself with the University Plagiarism
Policy https://www.cqu.edu.au/student-life/services-and-facilities/referencing/what-is-plagiarism
Penalties apply for plagiarism including own plagiarism.
Penalties (5% of the Assessment marks per day) also apply for late submissions without an approved extension.
This assessment allows for a resubmitted attempt in certain circumstances.
If you have achieved between 40–49% of the total marks for this assessment item, you may request the Unit Coordinator
for this unit to allow you to make a resubmission.
You must make this request in writing via email within three calendar days of receiving your marks and feedback for this
assessment.
The Unit Coordinator has the sole discretion for allowing a re-submission attempt. If the Unit Coordinator allows a
resubmission attempt, the decision will be conveyed to you in writing via email to your student email address.
The notice will include instructions for you on: 

What has to be done by you?  When and how you must resubmit? (no more than seven calendar days from the decision being emailed to you will be allowed).
Your resubmission will result in no more than 50% of the allowed marks for this assessment item being awarded in total.
That is, if you are allowed a resubmission, you can achieve no more than 50% for this assessment item, regardless of how well you perform in your resubmission.
Please Note: No extensions will be allowed for your resubmission.


Assessment Due Date

Week 8 Monday (1 May 2023) 11:45 pm AEST

Week 8 Monday (1 May 2023) 11:45 pm AEST


Return Date to Students

Week 10 Monday (15 May 2023)

Week 10 Monday 15 May 2023


Weighting
30%

Assessment Criteria

The assessment criteria include:
1. Clarity of presentation
2. Application of economic theory (definitions, assumptions, and relevant graphs)
3. Analysis of the real-life scenario or policy
4. Evidence of research and referencing
5. More details of Assignment 2 task and questions will be available on the Unit Moodle site.


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Submission Instructions
Online

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Describe and illustrate basic economic principles as they relate to consumer and business decisions.
  • Describe the firm's production decisions in a range of market structures.
  • Demonstrate how government intervention may be beneficial in cases of market failure in order to achieve more desirable outcomes for the economy and the society.

3 Online Test

Assessment Title
Online Test

Task Description

Final Assessment: OnlineTest
Assessment three is an invigilated OnlineTest, which will cover the macroeconomic section of the unit.
It requires you to demonstrate both theoretical and applied knowledge relating to the macroeconomy.
It is important that you familiarise yourself with the University Plagiarism Policy.
https://www.cqu.edu.au/student-life/services-and-facilities/referencing/what-is-plagiarism
Penalties apply for plagiarism including own plagiarism.
Please check Invigilated Online-Test Timetable which will be posted on the Unit Moodle. Online-Test will be held during the exam week.


Assessment Due Date

Exam Week- Check Invigilated Online Test Timetable on Unit Moodle Site


Return Date to Students

Weighting
50%

Minimum mark or grade
Minimum mark or grade 15/50 (30% of the total marks)

Assessment Criteria

No Assessment Criteria


Referencing Style

Submission
Online

Learning Outcomes Assessed
  • Describe and illustrate basic economic principles as they relate to consumer and business decisions.
  • Explain macroeconomic goals and assess various macroeconomic policies to stabilise the economy.

Academic Integrity Statement

As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.

Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.

When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.

Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.

As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.

What is a breach of academic integrity?

A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.

Why is academic integrity important?

A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.

Where can I get assistance?

For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.

What can you do to act with integrity?