M.I.T. Student survey regarding Domar’s core macro theory course, 1960

 

The previous post provided the course syllabus and reading list for the core graduate macroeconomics course taught at M.I.T. by Evsey Domar during the first term of the 1960-61 academic year. He took the job seriously enough to try surveying his students to gauge his pedagogic success. I post a transcription of the mimeographed survey questions that were distributed to the students and have inserted totals from a handwritten summary of results. The strongest signals to come out of this exercise were (i) that mixing graduate economics with graduate business students is probably unwise and (ii) that a heavy dose of national income and product accounting is bitter medicine to new graduate students.

An earlier post  presents the results of a survey of Domar’s course for several later cohorts (1967-69).

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QUESTIONNAIRE ON THE THEORY OF NATIONAL INCOME AND EMPLOYMENT (14.451)
E. D. Domar
Fall term 1960-61

Because the course is given to students of widely different backgrounds I am not sure whether it is taught on the proper level and in the proper manner. The size of the class precludes personal interviews on the subject. You can do a great service to future students and to myself by filling out this questionnaire in the most thoughtful and honest manner.

1. Do not write your name, but give the following information:
   1. Your major (such as Course XIV, XV, etc.)
   2. Concentration within your major, if you know it.
   3. Year of graduate work
   4. Was your undergraduate training in the U.S. or Canada? (Yes or No)
2. The general level of the course was (check one):

	too elementary	about right	too advanced
The course	XIV: 1 XV: 0	XIV: 17 XV: 7	XIV: 0 XV: 1
I. National Income and Related Items	XIV: 4 XV: 1	XIV: 19 XV: 12	XIV: 1 XV: 1
II. General Aggregative System	XIV: 4 XV: 0	XIV: 17 XV: 9	XIV: 1 XV: 5
III. Theory of Interest	XIV: 4 XV: 0	XIV: 17 XV: 9	XIV: 1 XV: 4
IV. Consumption Function	XIV: 2 XV: 0	XIV: 20 XV: 10	XIV: 0 XV: 4
V. Multiplier and Accelerator	XIV: 3 XV: 0	XIV: 16 XV: 8	XIV: 3 XV: 6
VI. Investment Decisions	XIV: 3 XV: 0	XIV: 17 XV: 12	XIV: 2 XV: 2
VII. Price Flexibility	XIV: 1 XV: 0	XIV: 16 XV: 8	XIV: 0 XV: 2
[column totals]	XIV: 22 XV: 1	XIV: 139 XV: 75	XIV: 8 XV: 25

3. Mathematics was used in the course (encircle one) not enough [XIV, 6; XV, 3], about right [XIV, 15; XV, 8], too much [XIV, 3; XV, 3].Specific examples, if any.[For course XIV the course is a bit too elementary (totals, 22:8). For course XV the course is too advanced (totals, 1:25). For all students, it is about right.
   Math should be used somewhat more.
   The scope is a bit too broad.
   So, the course should be made tighter, more advanced, and a bit more mathematical, particularly without course XV students.]
4. The scope of the course was (encircle one) too narrow [XIV, 0; XV, 0], about right [XIV, 13; XV, 10], too broad [XIV, 3; XV, 3].Topics to be added are:
   Topics to be given greater attention are:
   Topics to be condensed are:
   Topics to be eliminated are:
   Other suggestions regarding the scope of the course

	Expand	Condense	Eliminate
I. National Income and Related Items	XIV: 1 XV: 1	XIV: 13 XV: 3	XIV: 1 XV: 0
II. General Aggregative System	XIV: 8 XV: 5	XIV: 0 XV: 0	XIV: 0 XV: 0
III. Theory of Interest	XIV: 10 XV: 1	XIV: 3 XV: 0	XIV: 0 XV: 0
IV. Consumption Function	XIV: 2 XV: 0	XIV: 1 XV: 1	XIV: 0 XV: 0
V. Multiplier and Accelerator	XIV: 2 XV: 1	XIV: 4 XV: 2	XIV: 0 XV: 0
VI. Investment Decisions	XIV: 5 XV:2	XIV: 2 XV: 1	XIV: 0 XV: 0
VII. Price Flexibility	XIV: 6 XV: 3	XIV: 2 XV: 0	XIV: 0 XV: 0

5. Required reading material was (encircle one) too broad [XIV, 9; XV, 9], about right [XIV, 12; XV, 2], too concentrated [XIV, 0; XV, 1].
   Would you prefer a smaller number of required readings but with a more intensive study of each? [Yes: XIV, 13; XV, 10], [No: XIV, 5; XV, 1] Comment.Should the readings be discussed in class more thoroughly and often?
   [Yes: XIV, 7; XV, 6], [No: XIV, 7; XV, 5]How adequately did the Reserve shelf serve your needs? [Enough: XIV, 1; XV, 0], [Not enough: XIV, 3; XV, 2] Did you have difficulties in obtaining the readings?Suggestions for improvement[Course XIV would keep the breadth of the reading as now, possibly somewhat narrower. But XV definitely wants more narrow.
   Both would prefer a smaller number of readings, particularly XV
   Evenly divided on discussing readings in class.]
6. Because of the size of the class, lectures usually took the place of discussions. Would you prefer more discussions? [Yes: XIV, 5; XV, 5], [No: XIV, 13; XV, 7]Would a smaller class materially improve the course? [Yes: XIV, 11; XV, 9], [No: XIV, 5; XV, 3]Any other suggestions?[No great demand for more discussion in the large class, but a clear demand for a smaller class.]
7. Grade the instruction in the course (A, B, C and F) for the following qualities (as compared with other courses at M.I.T. and elsewhere).Clarity of exposition
   Intellectual stimulation
   Usefulness of information
   Enjoyment of the course
   General performance

Grades	A+	A	A/B	B	B/C	C	Below C
Clarity		XIV: 18 XV: 8	XIV: 0 XV: 1	XIV: 4 XV: 3		XIV: 0 XV: 1	XIV: 0 XV: 1
Stimulation		XIV: 15 XV: 7	XIV: 0 XV: 2	XIV: 4 XV: 4		XIV: 2 XV: 0	XIV: 0 XV: 1
Usefulness		XIV: 9 XV: 4	XIV: 1 XV: 1	XIV: 7 XV: 6		XIV: 1 XV: 2	XIV: 0 XV: 1
Enjoyment	XIV: 1 XV: 0	XIV: 16 XV: 5	XIV: 0 XV: 1	XIV: 3 XV: 6		XIV: 2 XV: 1	XIV: 0 XV: 1
General		XIV: 12 XV: 7	XIV: 3 XV: 2	XIV: 5 XV: 2	XIV: 0 XV: 2		XIV: 0 XV: 1

[Course XIV feels much better about the course than does XV. Clarity, stimulation and enjoyment get high marks. Usefulness—much less.]

8. As you know, a third of the final examination is devoted to a substitute for a term paper. Would you prefer a usual term paper instead? [Yes: XIV, 11; XV, 2], [No: XIV, 10; XV, 7] Neither?
   [Existing exam—Yes: XIV, 5; XV, 7], [No: XIV, 4; XV, 2]
   [More exams—Yes: XIV, 5; XV, 1], [No: XIV, 0; XV, 0]

Comment on this.

[Course XIV prefer (slightly) a term paper and a midterm exam. Course XV don’t want a term paper.]

9. Any other comments, suggestions, complaints, wishes, etc.[Useful comments
   Require Patinkin. Course XV find it too hard.
   Suggest the more important readings.
   People in the back couldn’t hear well.
   No seating assignment
   A midterm exam is frequently asked, otherwise, they don’t work on this course hard enough.
   A time schedule of the course.
   Better reading list.]

 

Source: Duke University. David M. Rubenstein Rare Book and Manuscript Library. Economists’ Papers Archive. Papers of Evsey D. Domar, Box 17, Folder “Macroeconomics. Questionnaire on the Theory of national Income & Employment (14.451)”.

Image Source: The M.I.T. mascot beaver on the cover of its yearbook, Technique 1949.