A Multivariate Evaluation of Mainstream and Academic Development Courses in First-year Microeconomics

Edwards, L J; Smith, L

A Multivariate Evaluation of Mainstream and Academic Development Courses in First-year Microeconomics

Journal Article

2007

Journal Title

South African Journal of Economics

Link to Journal

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1813-6982.2007.00102.x/full

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Department

School of Economics

Faculty

Faculty of Commerce

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.