GEOG 121: Introduction to Physical Geology, Fall 2006

Course Information and Syllabus

Course Overview: Geology is one of the most intriguing and exciting disciplines of scientific inquiry. Geologic phenomenon has created the hospitable surface on which humans – and all creatures - exist. This course explores the breadth of the current state of knowledge of geology, which is the science of the Earth. We start with Plate Tectonics, the revolutionary theory that explains how the world works. Tectonics explains the reason earthquakes, volcanoes, mountains and deserts are situated where they are. We then study the materials that constitute our living planet (minerals and rocks) and then move to the processes that shape and modify our Earth (and have done so back through the abyss of time). A fundamental objective of this course is that you obtain a panoramic view of the Earth and you become conversant in the language of your planet.

Required Textbook: Essentials of Geology, by Stephen Marshak, 2004, New York: W. W. Norton Company.   Student web site: http://www.wwnorton.com/earth/egeo/

Course Format:  Lecture presentations (50-minutes) using computer-projected course notes and figures, complemented with video. Students are encouraged to bring their book to class for better understanding some figures.  All lecture notes will be available online in PDF format and in Cleo drive (under folder I:\Shu\Physical Geology).

Exams: Three exams: 30-40 multiple-choice questions in each. Approx. 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 will be posted outside the classroom 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:

Exam 1                         25%                             October

Exam 2                         25%                             November

Exam 3                         25%                             December

Labs                             16%                             4 labs, 4 points each

Class Participation       9%                              Recorded randomly 9 times, 1 point each

(If a student misses 6 or more out of 9 times the instructor recorded, s/he will get an E directly on the final grade).　

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 7 days after it is handed out in the class. Late labs will be docked 10% points per 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. Your lab assignment may be worked on in a group. However, your write-up must be in your own words and in your own diagrams and tables.

Optional Field Trip: A comprehensive field trip (3 hours) will be arranged to examine the knowledge about local mineral, rock and stream. The date and site are to be decided.

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 Syllabus and Reading Assignments

Reading chapter and page numbers:  1: 9-33 is Chapter 1, pages 1 to 33; In. = Interlude.