• Examine the problem of scarcity in the world around us
• Learn the basic skills of the agricultural economist
• Understand the role of agriculture in the U.S. Economy
• Be able to explain the changing complexion of agriculture in the U.S.
• Discuss the role of the government in agriculture
• Examine the importance of foreign trade to the U.S. farm business sector
• Study market structures of the agribusiness industries in the U.S.
• Analyze agricultural policy in the U.S.
• Identify and discuss agricultural problems in Illinois

Required Textbook:

• You have to submit it using WebCT (under "Assignments")
• Please submit your papers as Word document attachments.
• The name of the file attached should be: "Your name- SP-paper number.doc"
• The length of the paper should not exceed two pages
• NO LATE PAPERS WILL BE ACCEPTED
• Topic of the paper: one economic issue (what we discuss this week/chapter) as understood and identified by you in a newspaper article or a current/historical event.

• Examples:

This week on TV/newspaper/radio/online I saw/heard/read "this" and it made me think of "this economic concept"

• You have to submit them using WebCT (under "Assignments")
• Please submit your papers as Word document attachments.
• The name of the Draft should be: "Your name- Draft.doc"
• NO LATE DRAFTS WILL BE ACCEPTED
• The name of the term paper should be: "Your name- Paper title.doc"
• The length of the papers should not exceed ten pages
• Topic of the paper: economic issues as understood and identified by you in a newspaper/journal article, a book, or a current/historical event.

• Title of the paper
• Introduction: define the economic concept/concepts you will cover
• Tell the story (describe the scene from the movie, TV show, or discuss the newspaper/journal article)
• Explain why and how your event conveys the economic concept
• Conclusion
• The Term Paper & Draft grade (15 percent of final grade) is calculated as follows: 10% Draft grade + 90% Term paper grade.
• Keep in mind three deadlines:
   
  Topic and title of term paper: Monday, February 27, 2012 (tentative)
  o  Title of your term paper
  o   Topic (economic concept) of your term paper [e.g.: marginal utility]
  o   The hypothesis (analytical or descriptive), justification, outline

• You have to submit it on WebCT, under "Assignments"
• You will lose 5 points (out of 100) from your Term paper grade for each day your Topic is late
• Draft of term paper: Wednesday, March 14, 2012 (tentative)
• NO LATE DRAFTS WILL BE ACCEPTED
• I will grade it, write comments, and post it on WebCT
• Term Paper: Friday, April 23, 2012

• You must make a maximum 15-minute PowerPoint presentation of your term paper.
• The structure of your PowerPoint presentations should be:
• Title of your presentation (term paper title)
• List the economic concepts used in the presentation
• Describe and explain your hypothesis, justification, and analysis
• Conclusion
• You will make your presentation during the last two weeks of class

• Please Note:

1. No EXAM grades will be eliminated. No EXAMs will be made up unless proper arrangements have been made prior to the scheduled EXAM date. 

2. If you have a documented disability and wish to receive academic accommodations, please contact me and the Coordinator of Disability Services (581-6583) as soon as possible.

Exam Dates: