Introduction
Supplementary materials for popular college textbooks used in courses in the Principles of Economics, Microeconomics, Price Theory, and Macroeconomics are suggested by topic. A few of these textbooks include
- N. Gregory Mankiw, Principles of Economics
- McConnell, Brue, and Flynn, Economics
- David Colander, Microeconomics
- Paul Heyne, The Economic Way of Thinking
- Irvin Tucker, Macroeonomics for Today
- Edwin G. Dolan, Introduction to Macroeconomics
Materials include podcasts, topical articles, encyclopedia entries, educational blog posts, and more. All materials have been selected for authoritativeness, quality of writing and speaking, liveliness, and ease of understanding. Additional advanced resource links include primary source materials that are available online or graduate level readings.*
List of Topics
Part I: Introduction to the Principles of Economics
Overview: Basics and a Taste of What’s to Come
What is economics? Definitions of economics, the economy, political economy. Economics is about making choices, not just about making money.
We face tradeoffs every day
The cost of something is what you give up to get it
People respond to incentives
Think about small changes first
Trade makes everyone better off
Markets are usually a good way to organize economic activity
Governments sometimes improve on market outcomes
Governments sometimes make conditions worse than market outcomes
A country’s standard of living depends on its ability to produce goods and services
Prices rise when the government prints too much money
Economists agree about the principles, but differ about government policy recommendations.
Thinking Like an Economist
Supply and Demand Applies to Surprising Situations
The Roles of Graphs, Math, Equations, and Science in Economics
GDP
The Role of Institutions, Property Rights, Laws, and Customs
Part II: Microeconomics
Supply and Demand: How Markets Work
Supply and Demand Basics
Elasticity and Its Application
Supply, Demand, and Government Policies
Markets and Evaluating How Well-Off We Are: Consumers, Producers, Efficiency, Welfare, Well-being
Consumers, Producers and the Efficiency of Markets
- Application: The Costs of Taxation (more to come)
- Application: International Trade (more to come)
The Economics of the Public Sector
Externalities, Public Goods, and Common Resources
Rent Seeking and Public Choice
The Tax System
Firm Behavior and the Organization of Industry
The Costs of Production
Firms in Competitive Markets
The Economics of Labor Markets
Labor Costs, including Labor Unions
Employment versus Unemployment
Productivity
Earnings and Discrimination
The Distribution of Income
Advanced Topics in Microeconomics
- The Theory of Consumer Choice
Part III: Macroeconomics
Measuring Macroeconomic Data
Measuring a Country’s Income and Growth
- Measuring GDP and growth
- Measuring the Cost of Living (Consumer Price Index, CPI)
- Measuring Employment and Unemployment
- Measuring Inflation
- Measuring a country’s Money Supply
- Measuring a Country’s Debt
The Real Economy in the Long Run
Production and Growth
Saving, Investment, and Personal Financial Decisions
Employment, Unemployment, and the Natural Rate of Unemployment
Money and Prices in the Long Run
The Monetary System
Money Growth and Inflation
Business Cycles, Financial Crises, and Short-Run Economic Fluctuations
Business Cycles, Recessions, Financial Crises
Aggregate Demand and Aggregate Supply
The Influence of Monetary and Fiscal Policy on Aggregate Demand
International Economics and the Macroeconomics of Open Economies
Open-Economy Macroeconomics: Basic Concepts
Open Economy Macroeconomics
Ongoing Debates
Debates over Macroeconomic Policy
* Introductions to selected College Economics Topics materials were written by