ECS2601/101/3/2018
Tutorial Letter 101/3/2018
Microeconomics
ECS2601
Semesters 1 and 2
Department of Economics
This tutorial letter contains important information
about your module.
BARCODE
, CONTENTS
Page
1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 4
2 PURPOSE AND OUTCOMES ...................................................................................................... 4
2.1 Purpose ........................................................................................................................................ 4
2.2 Outcomes ..................................................................................................................................... 4
3 LECTURER(S) AND CONTACT DETAILS................................................................................... 5
3.1 Lecturer(s) .................................................................................................................................... 5
3.2 Department ................................................................................................................................... 5
3.3 University ...................................................................................................................................... 5
4 RESOURCES ............................................................................................................................... 6
4.1 Prescribed books .......................................................................................................................... 6
4.2 Recommended books ................................................................................................................... 6
4.3 Electronic reserves (e-reserves) ................................................................................................... 6
4.4 Library services and resources information ................................................................................... 6
5 STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES ................................................................................................ 7
5.1 Contact with fellow students: study groups ................................................................................... 7
5.2 myUnisa........................................................................................................................................ 7
5.3 Discussion classes........................................................................................................................ 7
5.4 Tutorial support programme .......................................................................................................... 7
6 STUDY PLAN ............................................................................................................................... 8
7 PRACTICAL WORK AND WORK-INTEGRATED LEARNING ................................................... 10
8 ASSESSMENT ........................................................................................................................... 11
8.1 Assessment criteria..................................................................................................................... 11
8.1.1 Examination mark ....................................................................................................................... 11
8.1.2 Final mark ................................................................................................................................... 11
8.2 Assessment plan ........................................................................................................................ 12
8.3 Assignment numbers .................................................................................................................. 12
8.3.1 General assignment numbers ..................................................................................................... 12
8.3.2 Unique assignment numbers ...................................................................................................... 12
8.4 Assignment due dates……………………………………………………………………………………13
8.5 Submission of assignments ........................................................................................................ 13
8.6 The assignments ........................................................................................................................ 14
8.7 Other assessment methods ........................................................................................................ 30
2
, ECS2601/101/3/2018
8.7.1 Alternative assessment to assist students who qualify for final year (FI) concessions ................. 30
8.8 The examination ......................................................................................................................... 30
8.8.1 Examination admission ............................................................................................................... 30
9 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ........................................................................................ 30
9.1 Administrative questions ............................................................................................................. 30
10 SOURCES CONSULTED ........................................................................................................... 32
11 IN CLOSING ............................................................................................................................... 32
12 ADDENDUM ............................................................................................................................... 32
3
, Dear Student
1 INTRODUCTION
We are pleased to welcome you to the second year Microeconomics module. This is one of the most
important tutorial letters for this module, so read it carefully. We hope you will find the module both
interesting and rewarding. You will be well on your way to success if you start studying early in the
semester and resolve to do both the assignments properly. Doing the assignments is a vital part of the
course.
You will receive a number of tutorial letters during the semester. A tutorial letter is our way of
communicating with you regarding teaching, learning and assessment.
In this tutorial letter, you will find the assignment questions, information on assessment criteria and
student support services, as well as instructions for the preparation and submission of your assignments.
The tutorial letter also provides all the information you need regarding the prescribed study material,
other course-related resources and the way to obtain them. Please study all the information carefully and
make sure that you obtain the prescribed material (prescribed book) as soon as possible!
We also included certain general and administrative information about this module. Please study the
relevant sections of the letter carefully.
You are advised to read all the tutorial letters you receive during the semester immediately and carefully,
as they always contain important and, sometimes, urgent and critical information.
We hope that you will enjoy this module and wish you all the best!
2 PURPOSE AND OUTCOMES
2.1 Purpose
Tutorial Letter 101 contains important information about the scope of the work, the resources and the
assignments for the module. We urge you to have it readily available when you are working through the
study material, preparing your assignments, preparing for the examination and addressing questions to
your lecturers. The main purpose of this tutorial letter is to help you navigate your way to understanding
the module content as well as to help you with important administrative procedures in order for you to
pass the module.
2.2 Outcomes
Studying microeconomics is like building a model, say of a ship. The more you understand the concepts,
the better your model will look. All the concepts you study are interrelated. In the end, they will help you
build a clear, neat and sensible model of microeconomics.
More specifically, the main outcomes of this module are that you acquire a thorough knowledge of the
following:
the role of microeconomics in the economy
(through revision) demand and supply, as well as the elasticity theories
consumer behaviour, using the indifference curve map and income constraint approaches
production theory, using production functions based on isoquants and isocosts to derive cost
curves
expanded theories on perfect competition, monopoly, monopolistic competition and oligopoly
4
Tutorial Letter 101/3/2018
Microeconomics
ECS2601
Semesters 1 and 2
Department of Economics
This tutorial letter contains important information
about your module.
BARCODE
, CONTENTS
Page
1 INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................................................... 4
2 PURPOSE AND OUTCOMES ...................................................................................................... 4
2.1 Purpose ........................................................................................................................................ 4
2.2 Outcomes ..................................................................................................................................... 4
3 LECTURER(S) AND CONTACT DETAILS................................................................................... 5
3.1 Lecturer(s) .................................................................................................................................... 5
3.2 Department ................................................................................................................................... 5
3.3 University ...................................................................................................................................... 5
4 RESOURCES ............................................................................................................................... 6
4.1 Prescribed books .......................................................................................................................... 6
4.2 Recommended books ................................................................................................................... 6
4.3 Electronic reserves (e-reserves) ................................................................................................... 6
4.4 Library services and resources information ................................................................................... 6
5 STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES ................................................................................................ 7
5.1 Contact with fellow students: study groups ................................................................................... 7
5.2 myUnisa........................................................................................................................................ 7
5.3 Discussion classes........................................................................................................................ 7
5.4 Tutorial support programme .......................................................................................................... 7
6 STUDY PLAN ............................................................................................................................... 8
7 PRACTICAL WORK AND WORK-INTEGRATED LEARNING ................................................... 10
8 ASSESSMENT ........................................................................................................................... 11
8.1 Assessment criteria..................................................................................................................... 11
8.1.1 Examination mark ....................................................................................................................... 11
8.1.2 Final mark ................................................................................................................................... 11
8.2 Assessment plan ........................................................................................................................ 12
8.3 Assignment numbers .................................................................................................................. 12
8.3.1 General assignment numbers ..................................................................................................... 12
8.3.2 Unique assignment numbers ...................................................................................................... 12
8.4 Assignment due dates……………………………………………………………………………………13
8.5 Submission of assignments ........................................................................................................ 13
8.6 The assignments ........................................................................................................................ 14
8.7 Other assessment methods ........................................................................................................ 30
2
, ECS2601/101/3/2018
8.7.1 Alternative assessment to assist students who qualify for final year (FI) concessions ................. 30
8.8 The examination ......................................................................................................................... 30
8.8.1 Examination admission ............................................................................................................... 30
9 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ........................................................................................ 30
9.1 Administrative questions ............................................................................................................. 30
10 SOURCES CONSULTED ........................................................................................................... 32
11 IN CLOSING ............................................................................................................................... 32
12 ADDENDUM ............................................................................................................................... 32
3
, Dear Student
1 INTRODUCTION
We are pleased to welcome you to the second year Microeconomics module. This is one of the most
important tutorial letters for this module, so read it carefully. We hope you will find the module both
interesting and rewarding. You will be well on your way to success if you start studying early in the
semester and resolve to do both the assignments properly. Doing the assignments is a vital part of the
course.
You will receive a number of tutorial letters during the semester. A tutorial letter is our way of
communicating with you regarding teaching, learning and assessment.
In this tutorial letter, you will find the assignment questions, information on assessment criteria and
student support services, as well as instructions for the preparation and submission of your assignments.
The tutorial letter also provides all the information you need regarding the prescribed study material,
other course-related resources and the way to obtain them. Please study all the information carefully and
make sure that you obtain the prescribed material (prescribed book) as soon as possible!
We also included certain general and administrative information about this module. Please study the
relevant sections of the letter carefully.
You are advised to read all the tutorial letters you receive during the semester immediately and carefully,
as they always contain important and, sometimes, urgent and critical information.
We hope that you will enjoy this module and wish you all the best!
2 PURPOSE AND OUTCOMES
2.1 Purpose
Tutorial Letter 101 contains important information about the scope of the work, the resources and the
assignments for the module. We urge you to have it readily available when you are working through the
study material, preparing your assignments, preparing for the examination and addressing questions to
your lecturers. The main purpose of this tutorial letter is to help you navigate your way to understanding
the module content as well as to help you with important administrative procedures in order for you to
pass the module.
2.2 Outcomes
Studying microeconomics is like building a model, say of a ship. The more you understand the concepts,
the better your model will look. All the concepts you study are interrelated. In the end, they will help you
build a clear, neat and sensible model of microeconomics.
More specifically, the main outcomes of this module are that you acquire a thorough knowledge of the
following:
the role of microeconomics in the economy
(through revision) demand and supply, as well as the elasticity theories
consumer behaviour, using the indifference curve map and income constraint approaches
production theory, using production functions based on isoquants and isocosts to derive cost
curves
expanded theories on perfect competition, monopoly, monopolistic competition and oligopoly
4
