The first task facing a principles instructor is to decide what material to cover. How much emphasis should be placed on theory, how much on policy, how much on institutions, how much on current problems? Most economists will agree that a (probably the) fundamental purpose of the course is to teach students how to analyze economic problems. Thus there is a temptation to make a principles course primarily a course in economic theory.

Each chapter in the book has its counterpart in the manual. Each contains the following four parts:
1) Description of the material in the chapter and suggestions for teaching it.
2) Answers to some of the chapter-end questions, including all the quantitative questions.
3) Suggested readings.
4) Test bank and answers to test bank.