A multivariate evaluation of mainstream and academic development courses in first-year microeconomics
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2007
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South African Journal of Economics
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Wiley
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University of Cape Town
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Abstract
This paper analyses the impact of the University of Cape Town's first-year microeconomics academic development course on performance in examinations. The paper makes two advances to existing empirical literature in this area. Firstly, we compare performance with a control group drawn from the mainstream economic course. Secondly, we evaluate performance in subsequent courses in first-year macroeconomics and second-year microeconomics. The results suggest that the academic development course has a major impact on students' performance in the structured/essay questions, relative to the control group, in first- and second-year microeconomics, and for the multiple-choice questions in first-year macroeconomics. Matriculation results, mathematics, English first language, physical science and gender are also important determinants of performance.
Description
This is the accepted version of the following article: Smith L. & Edwards L. 2007. A multivariate evaluation of mainstream and academic development courses in first-year microeconomics. South African Journal of Economics. 75(1): 99-117., which has been published in final form at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1813-6982.2007.00102.x.
Reference:
Smith, L., Edwards, L. 2007. A multivariate evaluation of mainstream and academic development courses in first-year microeconomics. South African Journal of Economics.