Geomorphology--Spring 2007

Course Information and Syllabus

Course Overview: Geomorphology is the study of landforms, the Earth’s surface, and processes acting on them. In this course we will explore the physical processes responsible for the continually evolving surficial geology and gain an appreciation for the dynamic nature of Earth’s surface. Through class lectures, discussions, laboratory exercises and field trip, we will learn about the historical development of the field, techniques of geomorphic investigation, surficial processes operating in diverse environments and landscapes, and computer and Internet resources for geomorphic study. After this course, you will be able to recognize and describe landforms, the materials of which they are composed, and the geomorphologic processes by which they form.

Required Textbook and Materials:

·   Arthur L. Bloom, 2004, Geomorphology, A Systematic Analysis of Late Cenozoic Landforms (Third Edition): Waveland Press, Inc.  482 p. This is an excellent text. However, as with most geomorphology texts it assumes that you already have a strong background in geology, geologic terminology and geography. The textbook is available in the university bookstore.

·   Nicholas M. Short, Sr. and Robert W. Blair, Jr. (editors), NASA'S Geomorphology from Space (GFS): http://daac.gsfc.nasa.gov/www/geomorphology/. It was designed for use by the remote sensing science and educational communities to study landforms and landscapes.

Course Format:  Lectures and labs. Lecture presentations (55-60 minutes) use computer-projected course notes, figures and pictures of landforms in the world. All lecture notes will be available online in PDF format. Some classes will also include student presentation and group discussions (15-20 minutes) on special topics. These special topics are related to current events in the world associated with natural phenomena and human interactions with and impacts on the natural landscape. Since lots of figures presented and discussed are derived from the text, students are encouraged to bring their books to class.

Exams: Two exams (midterm and Final). Format: multiple-choice questions, true/false, short answers and essay questions. Approximately 70% of the questions will be derived from my lectures, and 30% from the textbook. Please refer to the syllabus for the material covered by each exam. There will be no comprehensive final exam. The Instructor reserves the right to change the dates of the exams, the content of the exams, the syllabus, etc., should it become necessary.  Student results (with code or nickname) will be posted on WebCT a few days after the exam.

Grading:  (Grading Scale: A 90-100, B 80s, C 70s, D 60s, E < 60)

Your final grade will be based upon the following:

Midterm Exam                         30%                 March

Final Exam                                           30%                 May

Labs                                                     20%                4 labs, 5 points each

Class Presentation and Short Essay       10%       presentations (15 minutes)      

Attendance                                           10%       Recorded randomly 10 times, 1 point each

If a student misses 6 or more out of 10 times the instructor recorded, he/she will get an E directly on the final grade.

Class Presentation:  each student will be required to give one class presentations (15 minutes) related to geomorphic phenomenon or processes. The topics can be very extensive, e.g., your experiences, your interests, current events, local landscapes to national parks. Through these presentations, each person will have an opportunity to explore in depth a particular facet of geomorphology that he/she finds particularly intriguing. If you have trouble in finding your topics, the instructor will help you or assign one to you. Please combine the syllabus and tell the instructor your favorite topic before the end of second week. The instructor will arrange your presentation based on the lecture topics. Your presentation should be prepared in the form of transparencies or Powerpoint files. After the presentations, other students will be asked to give comments or ask questions of the presenter. Your attendance and your performances in the discussion will be recorded for the final grade. A short essay (800-1000 words in length) related to your presentation topic is required to submit to the instructor before you give the presentation.

Missed Exam Policy:

 To be eligible for a make-up exam, one of the following conditions must be met:

  (1) If you are sick on the exam date, you must present a valid medical excuse during the next class period that you are able to attend.

  (2) If you will miss an exam because of a University approved event, notification must be provided in advance of the exam.

Make-up tests will not have the same questions as the regular exams and may not be in the same format.  Make-up exams are not given automatically.

Labs: Three are 4 labs in this course. The format of lab will be problem set or report writing. The labs allow you to explore ideas related to the topics in the lectures. You must attend the lab-time to obtain marks for your work.

Each lab will be due 10 days after it is handed out in the class. Late labs will be docked points at the rate of 10% per day. Saturday and Sunday together only count as 1 day. Late labs must be handed in to me at the beginning of class or to my mailbox in the Geography Main Office (Stroud Hall 103).

The lab must be typed or word-processed and printed. Complete sentences, proper grammar and correct spelling must be used. Diagrams must be neat and properly labeled. Up to half of the marks will be taken off if these requirements are not met.

Group Work:  Your lab assignment may be worked on in a group. However, your write-up must be in your own words and you must create all of your own diagrams and tables. For example, diagrams or tables that have been photocopied from someone else, or printed from the same computer program with only minor modifications are not considered your own work, and will be considered to be plagiarism.

Optional Field Trip: A comprehensive field trip will be arranged to examine the knowledge about weathering, slope erosion, stream processes and fluvial landforms. The date and site are to be decided. The trip will last about 3.5 hours. 3 extra credits will be given to the participants. 

Other Policies: In order to have a classroom environment that is conducive to learning I ask that students do not bring food, drinks, phones, etc. into the class.

Course Outline

Introduction: Bloom—Chapters 1-2 and

                        Geomorphology From Space: Introduction: Regional Landforms Analysis                                                                         

Tectonic Geomorphology: Bloom: Chapters 3, 5 and GFS: Tectonic Landforms
Lab 1 Topographic map: GFS— Geomorphological mapping

Igneous Landforms: Bloom--Chapters 6 and GFS: Volcanic Landforms

Weathering:  Bloom—Chapters 7

Karst: Bloom: Chapters 8 and GFS: Karst Landforms and Lakes

Lab 2 Karst landforms

Mass-Wasting and Slopes: Bloom—Chapters 9

Midterm Exam

Fluvial Processes and Landforms: Bloom—Chapters 10-12 and

                                                           GFS: Fluvial Landforms & Delta

Lab 3 Fluvial landforms

Field trip (Optional, 3 extra credits)

Eolian Processes and Landforms: Bloom—Chapters 13 and GFS: Eolian Landforms

Coastal Processes and Landforms: Bloom—Chapters and EFS: Coastal Landforms

Lab 4 Coastal landforms

Glacial and Periglacial Landforms Bloom—Chapters 14, 16, 17 and

                                                           GFS: Glaciers and Glacial Landforms

Climate Change and Geomorphology: Bloom—Chapters 4 and 18

Landscape Evolution: Bloom: Chapters 15

Final Exam