SAN JOSÉ STATE UNIVERSITY
ECONOMICS DEPARTMENT
Thayer Watkins

Spring 2001
Office: DMH 214
Hours: MWF 1330-1530
email: watkinst@email.jsu.edu

ECONOMICS 196E
Computer Applications in Economics

Description of Course:
The primary objective of this course is to give students the skills in the use of computer software that are necessary to be an effective member of the professional workforce in the modern world. By far the most important of these software tools are:

In addition, technical knowledge of how to use the Internet as a source of information and as a means to presenting information is becoming essential. There will be other topics covered in the interest of providing computer literacy. These are topics which the course will explain their nature but not attempt to achieve proficiency. These topics include the history of computers and their use, operating systems, programming languages, image processing, computer algebra and so forth.

Since class time will be in a computer lab and this time is precious, class time must be largely devoted to the use of the computer software by students. This means there will be a special demand on students' time outside of class time for preparation for class and for the viewing of videos. I will arrange for videos to be shown outside of class time.

Grading: Grades will be based upon two midterm examinations, a final examination, and five major homework assignments. The examinations will be multiple choice except for makeup examinations which will be of the essay type. The approximate weighting will be 20 percent for each examination and 40 percent for the homework. Make-up examinations are given only on the last day of the final examination period. The distribution of the grades will be based upon a curve that reflects the selective nature of the course.

Tentative Schedule
Week        Topic        Reading &
Homework
1
  • History of Computing
  • HTML coding
  • Operating Systems: DOS
A Primer for HTML,
HTML Sourcebook,
Ex 1
2
  • HTML coding
  • History of the PC
  • Operating Systems: Windows, UNIX
  • Presentation Software: PowerPoint
Operating Systems,
Ex 2
3
  • Scripting Languages: VBScript & JavaScript
  • Word Processing: MS Word
Scripting Languages,
History of the PC Ex 3
4
  • Word Processing: MS Word
  • Spread Sheets: Excel
Word Processing
Rudiments of Spread Sheets,
Ex 4
5
  • Spread Sheets: Excel
  • Programming Languages (History): Machine Language, Assembly Language, COBOL, BASIC
Advanced Topics in Spread Sheets,
Programming Languages
Ex 5
First Midterm
6
  • Spread Sheets: Excel
  • Programming Languages: Fortran, LISP, Pascal
Procedural Programming
Ex 6
7
  • Spread Sheets and Graphing: Quattro Pro, Excel
  • Programming Languages: C, C++, Java
Event Driven Programming,
Ex 7
8
  • Data Bases: MS Access
  • Cascading Style Sheets for HTML
  • SGML, XML
Databases,
XML, Ex 8
9
  • Structured Query Language SQL
  • LISP, Prolog
  • DHTML, ActiveX
Logic Programming,
Ex 9
10
  • Statistical Package
    for the Social Sciences SPSS
  • Java APPLETS
Econometrics,
Ex 10
Second Midterm
11
  • Computer Algebra: Mathematica, Maple, Macsyma
  • Image Creation: Scanning
  • Image Processing: Photoshop
Computer Algebra,
Ex 11
12
  • Internet Searching: Search Engines
  • Publishing on the WEB: Adobe Acrobat
CGI,
File Formats,
Ex 12
13
  • Accounting Software: Quicken, Peachtree
  • Projects
Accounting,
 Ex 13
14
  • Enterprise Information Systems: SAP, Oracle
  • Projects
SAP,
Ex 14
15
  • Projects
  • Review
Final Examination

Textbooks:
It is not feasible to have a textbook for each major piece of software we will cover. The HELP files will provide assistance for most and handout or webpage sources will be provided to introduce the software, but a text on HTML for the Web is essential. I am also requiring as a text a history of the Web which includes information on the economic issues involving the Web.

Some References:

Core Topics

Survey Topics

Catalog Description:
This course covers the use of software which has the greatest applicability in economics; i.e., word processing, spread sheets, data bases, statistical processing of data, project presentations and web page creation. There is also a survey of other computer applications.