Excel Problem Sets
Using the Excel Problem Sets
In this course I have found that Excel-based examples make many theoretical models more ‘real’ and less abstract to the students. They let students do instant comparative statics and see for themselves how all the outcomes of, say, a principal-agent interaction or a hiring decision change with all the parameters. Finally, students consistently praise the fact that the course gives them proficiency in Excel as a simple but useful job skill. Oxford University Press's Ancillary Resource Center(ARC) currently hosts five Excel-based problem sets, with answers: one for each Part of the book.
To use the problem sets, I distribute a question sheet in class, and post its associated blank spreadsheet online for the students to download. Students then fill in the spreadsheet and do the requested exercises. If you wish to grade the assignments, students can submit completed spreadsheets with explanations typed at the bottom. In my course, I just post the answers online for students to check themselves. Students are then tested on their skills and understanding in the Excel-based exams. Here is the Excel problem set for Part 1 of the book:
Excel Problem Set 1: Question Sheet
Excel Problem Set 1: Answer Sheet