A Note on Attitude as a Factor in Learning Economics

Although one might naturally assume that students interested in economics will learn more in an introductory course than those not interested in the subject, this assumption had to be tested. Using a specially designed “Questionnaire on Student Attitude Toward Economics” on a pretest and posttest basis, and accounting for previous course work, the student's verbal and quantitative skills, and student program requirements, Karstensson and Vedder employed linear multiple regression analysis and found a positive relationship between precourse attitude and course grade. Changes in student attitude which occurred during the course were also analyzed.     

The Merchant and Mr. Reagan:

A BSTRACT . This paper brings to note for the historical record a facet of Reaganomics with a mercantilist hue. In particular, it is an examination of President Ronald Reagan's 1985 speech, "U.S. Trade Policy: Free and Fair Trade," President Reagan's major statement on trade policy. The address is shown to have been largely a retaliatory mercantilist tract.