GRADES will be based on class performance (15%), two lecture exams (25% ea),
and a comprehensive final exam (35%). CLASS PARTICIPATION IS CRITICAL TO
YOUR PERFORMANCE, and your grade may suffer if you have more than two
absences. BEGINNING AUGUST 25 you must bring computer scan cards and #2
pencils to class to record your answers to quiz questions. The questions
will be asked at intervals throughout the lectures. Some of the quiz
questions will be about material just covered, and the rest about
material covered in previous lectures. You may, within constraints of
time and noise levels, and insofar as it seems to contribute to the
learning process, CONSULT YOUR NOTES AND NEIGHBORS while answering the
quiz questions. However, you must complete your own card and no others,
and each of you may turn in only one card as you leave the classroom.
You may NOT consult notes or neighbors during the LECTURE or FINAL EXAMS.
These will be more traditional formats. BRING your student I.D. to these
exams.
Any student with a PHYSICAL LIMITATION that "prevents fullest expression
of abilities" should meet with the instructor as soon as possible to
arrange to minimize the effects of this limitation. DYSLEXIA is a
legitimate physical limitation.
The Faculty Senate asks that the following statement on ACADEMIC HONESTY
be included in every course syllabus: "Plagarism and cheating are
serious offenses and may be punished by failure on the exam, paper, or
project; failure in the course; and/or expulsion from the university.
For more information, refer to the 'academic dishonesty' policy in Inside
KSU."
THE GOAL OF THIS COURSE is to develop in you an understanding and
appreciation of the earth and its processes. To this end, you will be
expected to memorize a number of facts and terms, most of which you will
forget in a few months or years. Do not look on this as a waste of
effort, for these facts and terms are used as a framework for
understanding geology, just as the dates of wars and names of kings are
used as a framework for understanding history. But do not look on this
memorization as a major accomplishment, either. Your true accomplishment
will be to understand what the earth is, and what it is doing, and to
retain this understanding long after terms such as amphiboles and
ablation have faded from your immediate horizon.
Tentative Schedule
DATE PROBABLE TOPIC
Aug 27 The active earth
Aug 29 Geologic time
Sep 3 Matter
Sep 5 Minerals
Sep 10 Igneous processes
Sep 12 Igneous rocks
Sep 17 Volcanism and plutonism
Sep 19 More
Sep 24 Weathering
Sep 26 More
Oct 1 Erosion and sediments
Oct 3 Sedimentary rocks
Oct 8 Metamorphism and rocks
Oct 10 ** EXAM I **
Oct 15 Groundwater
Oct 17 More
Oct 22 Running water
Oct 24 More
Oct 29 Geology now
Oct 31 More
Nov 5 Mass wasting
Nov 7 Wind and deserts
Nov 12 More
Nov 14 Glaciers
Nov 19 More
Nov 21 ** EXAM II **
Nov 26 Coastlines
Dec 3 Plate tectonics
Dec 5 More
Dec 10 Earthquakes and seismology
Dec 12 More
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Dec 20 (Friday) 9:40-11:30 a.m.
** COMPREHENSIVE FINAL EXAM **
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Grading Policies, notices, and Advice
