LAB COORDINATOR: Mr. Josgre Salazar, EWSC Room 201, phone: 7-3272, e-mail: jsalazar@geol.sc.edu

LECTURES: M, W, F 12:20 - 1:10, Jones Physical Science Center (PSC) 210

LECTURE NOTES: Lectures will be offered in Power Point, and will be posted on-line in Blackboard. Attendance to lectures is highly recommended since the lectures will be incorporated in the exams. Participation will be taken each lecture with the i-clicker and is part of the grade. Please see an overview of proposed course topics at the bottom of this page.

LABS:   You are required to attend all labs and these are held in the Earth and Water Sciences Center. EWSC is the connecting wing between Coker Life Sciences Bldg. and the Physical Sciences Bldg. Geology is really a hands-on type subject.  At higher levels, many aspects of the subject are taught outdoors where students can really see what they are studying.  In a large lecture class, this is very difficult to do. With our lab meetings, we will take the opportunity to show you material pertinent to the lecture in a more hands on type fashion, such as rock and mineral identification,  reading topographic and geologic maps, learn about plate tectonics, earthquakes, coastal processes, and much more. Most importantly, you will be exposed to key geological concepts and processes that will help you develop critical thinking skills. Quizzes and exercises will be incorporated in the labs. For an overview of lab topics please click here.

INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANTS: 

OFFICE HOURS: Prof. C. Knapp: by appointment

TEXTBOOK: Grotzinger, J., Jordan, Th., Press, F., Siever, R., "Understanding Earth"6^th ed. (W. H. Freeman and Company). ISBN: 0-13: 978-1-4292-1951-8; ISBN-10:1-4292-1951-3. You can purchase either the E-book or the hardcopy. For the publisher's companion student web resources, please click here. Note: The i-clicker is required and packaged with the textbook at a discount price.

Students have the choice to purchase the available e-book at a much lower price. If you purchase the e-book, please do not forget to buy the i-clicker separately. Information about the e-book can be found at:

http://www.coursesmart.com/9781429251211 

LAB MANUAL: R. M. Busch, Editor "Laboratory Manual in Physical Geology,"9^th edition by AGI, Publisher: Pearson Prentice Hall Higher Education. http://wps.prenhall.com/esm_busch_labmanual_9/

FINAL EXAM:  Wednesday, April 25 - 2:00 p.m.

COURSE OBJECTIVES AND LEARNING OUTCOMES:  Etymologically, the word "Geology" comes from the Greek "Gea" (= Godess of the Earth) and "Logos" (= science), and means the "the science that deals with the history of the Earth and its life, especially as recorded in rocks (Webster’s New Colleg. Dict., p. 477). This course introduces the science of the Earth, with emphasis on natural systems, geological processes, earth structure and history through time, geomorphic processes and landform evolution, natural hazards, natural resources, and/or global climate change and human impacts. Moreover, this course aims to develop an appreciation for the relevance of geology and natural resources to humans and societies, and will enable an understanding of how scientific methods are applied to study our planet, plate tectonics, and the geologic time concept. The lectures, text, and laboratory assignments are intended to complement one another, so it is imperative that you pay due attention to all three. Textbook readings should be completed prior to the lecture on that topic.

This course is designed to help students achieve at least six goals that are critical to understanding how geological processes work. Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:

1. Have a thorough understanding and knowledge about the principles that govern the Earth's formation and evolution.
2. Gain knowledge about modern environmental issues.
3. Learn the principles of the Scientific Method and how it applies to Earth Sciences.
4. Identify different types of rocks and the constituent minerals.
5. Develop an appreciation for natural processes, disasters, and resources and how humans can have an impact on the environment.
6. Develop a close relationship with each other in the labs, and understand that Geology is a team oriented field.

EXAMS: All exams will be based on the lectures and textbook readings. There will be a total of four exams (3 midterms & 1 final). The lowest exam score out of the first 3 mid-terms will be dropped. The three remaining exam scores will all be equally weighted, and will each count for 20% of your final course grade, to a total of 60% (3 exam scores @ 20% each). None of the exams will be cumulative. However, the Final Exam is mandatory and will count toward the grade. Exam questions will be multiple choice. THERE WILL BE NO MAKE-UP EXAMS.

FINAL EXAM: Thursday, April 28 - 2:00 p.m.

GRADING: The final course grade will be based on three out of four exam scores (60 %), the lab grade (30 %), and participation in lectures (10%).
Each exam will have 50 questions, and each question will be worth 4 points. Each exam will add up to 200 points. At the end of the class, the maximum number of points for the exams will be 600. The lowest grade out of the first three exams will be dropped. The Final Exam is mandatory, and will count in the grade.
The labs will add up to 300 points {IA’s responsibility). Extra credit will be provided in lectures, up to 5%, for correct answers to given questions. A perfect score will add up to 105%.

Based on this grading policy, you should be able to determine your grade in the course at any time by adding up the points you have earned, and dividing that by the number of points possible up to that point in the course. Grades will be assigned on a scale as follows:

·         A = 90-100% ·         B = 80-90% ·         C = 65-80% ·         D = 55-65% ·         F = <55%

THE i-CLICKER:  Radio frequency classroom response system; tool that encourages active student participation. Each student has the responsibility to register his/her personal i-clicker. Each student is required to have his/her own i-clicker. For i-clicker registration, please visit:

http://www.iclicker.com/support/registeryourclicker/

Each student has a unique i-clicker identifiable by its serial number First choose your school (USC) Under Student ID, type your USC Username If you do not know your USC Username, go to VIP -> Technology You will be prompted for username (iclicker) and password (register). Click “Submit” and you will get an acknowledgement that the registration was successful. Please see me if you have trouble registering your i-clicker. Each student should bring to class ONLY one i-clicker, the one registered under his/her name. Students who will be seen in the possession of two or more i-clickers at the same time, will be questioned by the instructor, and depending on the circumstances, may incur consequences.

CELL PHONE POLICY: Use of cellular and mobile phones, pagers, etc., during either lecture or lab time is inappropriate and will not be accepted. Please turn off all such electronic communication equipment before entering the lecture hall or laboratory. All cell phones must be stowed inside of a book bag or case during all exams. No earphone or Bluetooth will be permitted during class. Consequently, texting, emailing, or listening to music during lectures is prohibited. Students caught in such positions will be excused from class.

ATTENDANCE: Attendance at all labs is mandatory.  A doctor's note is required for any missed lab. Attendance at all lectures is highly recommended, as many exam questions will be based on the lectures. Extra credit will be provided during lectures. In addition, participation in class will be graded.

CHEATING: Cheating will not be tolerated!!  Although it is unpleasant to have to warn against cheating, past problems in classes of this type make it necessary to mention that there is an official USC "Code of Student Academic Responsibility."  Penalties for cheating or aiding someone else in cheating can be very severe, including suspension from the University.

MISCELLANEOUS: Having private conversations during lectures is disrupting to the other students and simply, not allowed. Students will be warn and potentially, dismissed. If you decide to bring a laptop to class, I expect to see it used for GEOL 101 class purposes. Otherwise, laptops should be turned off.