GEO 109 General Geology Winter/Spring 2009 - Koziol
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General Information
(Winter/Spring 2009)
| Dr. Andrea Koziol | Office: Science Center 76 (basement) |
| Office Hours: M,W,F 10 - 1; Thurs. 11 - 3 & by appointment | Phone: 229-2954 |
| (See schedule outside my office) | E-mail: andrea.koziol at notes.udayton.edu |
Lecture: Section 3, Tues. Thurs 9:00-10:15 AM Science Center 150, 3 credits
Textbook: Environmental Geology: An Earth System Science Approach (Merritts, De Wet and Menking); First Edition (1997) available at the bookstore (required)
Objectives and Perspective
We will improve our understanding of the Earth's systems and its varied environments. We will accomplish this by analyzing the effects
of natural events and human actions on these systems.
The planet Earth is a continuously changing, dynamic system, and we are still learning about the complexities of all the interrelationships. Increasingly, choices we make on an individual and societal level have a dramatic impact on the whole Earth system. The objective of this course is to prepare you for thoughtful decision-making in your life in our science-based society.
Class Structure
You can expect me to start and end lectures on time. I encourage questions during class. I expect you to be respectful of all persons in this classroom. Arriving late, leaving early, sleeping, or talking during class is distracting and discourteous to your fellow students. Please turn off all cell phones and pagers when you enter the classroom. Laptop computers may be used for taking notes but NOT for e-mail, IM, or surfing the web. After two warnings I will ask you to leave the room.
This class makes use of the web and email to help you through the semester, and keep you updated as to assignments. You will be challenged to analyze and synthesize information. You can expect to learn and practice thinking and problem-solving skills that you will use in your future, even if you do not continue in science. Memorization of facts and definitions is not a major expectation in this class.
Attendance
You'll need to be here! Attendance is part of your grade. There will be materials and discussions in class that are not covered in the text. Five to eight case study exercises and other exercises are planned for the 30 scheduled class meetings. Excused absences are only made with proper documentation from the student’s dean, other University authority or doctor’s notes.
Attendance is taken often through the collection of in-class exercises. (see below). There is a University attendance policy for first year students. For classes meeting two times a week (like this one), four recorded but unexcused absences will initiate a referral to the student's Dean for possible counseling and appropriate action. Any undergraduate student who has not accrued 30 semester hours of credit is considered a first-year student.
Important dates:
No class on April 7, 9.
Exam dates to be determined.
Final: Monday April 27 2:30 to 4:20 PM.
Last day to withdraw without record: Jan. 26
Last day to withdraw with a 'W': March 25
Stander Symposium: Thursday, April 16
Last day of class: April 24
Learning Evaluation
All students should be aware of the University policy on academic dishonesty, which in part is defined as "any attempt by a student to obtain, or to assist another student to obtain, a grade higher than honestly earned."
The Honor Pledge of the University of Dayton
I understand that as a student of the University of Dayton, I am a member of our academic and social community. I recognize the importance of my education and the value of experiencing life in such an integrated community. I believe that the value of my education and degree is critically dependent upon the academic integrity of the university community, and so in order to maintain our academic integrity, I pledge to:
Complete all assignments and examinations by the guidelines given to me by my instructors;
Avoid plagiarism and any other form of misrepresenting someone else's work as my own;
Adhere to the Standards of Conduct as outlined in the Academic Honor Code.
In doing this, I hold myself and my community to a higher standard of excellence, and set an example for my peers to follow.
I need to evaluate your learning in this course, which I will do via exams, in-class quizzes, and in-class exercises.
Exams: There are THREE exams and a final exam. The format is some multiple-choice questions, with some short-answer questions, and at least one essay-style question. The dates of the exams are indicated in the syllabus and will be announced in class well ahead of time. There will be absolutely no make-up exams except for students with legitimate reasons (and with notes) for missing the exam. The final exam is cumulative. The final exam must be taken on the day assigned or at a time arranged with The Testing Center. If this will be a problem, drop the course now.
Quizzes: 11 to 13 timed quizzes will take place almost every Thursday during the semester. You will have 8 minutes at the beginning of the lecture to take the quiz. They assess if you are keeping up with the material, and your understanding of the material. The lowest one will be dropped. No make-up quizzes accepted except with legitimate reasons.
In-class work. In class exercises may involve discussion, problem-solving, a case study or a group exercise. A few of these will involve some preparation beforehand (i.e. homework). Much of your learning will take place via these exercises, and therefore they are a significant portion of your mark. Of course, if you are not present, you earn no credit. There is no makeup for students with unexcused absences.
Overall Evaluation
| Exam I | 14 % |
| Exam II | 14 |
| Exam III | 17 |
| All Quizzes | 12 |
| Final Exam | 25 |
| In-class work | 18 |
| Total | 100 % |
Note on "extra credit": There are some limited extra credit opportunities, listed below.
There may be several extra credit questions on each exam.
There may be one extra credit question on some quizzes.
Grading Scale
A: >=93%. A- : 90-92%. B+ : 87-89%. B : 83-86%. B - : 80-82%. C+ : 77-79%. C : 73 76%. C- : 70 72%. D : 60 69%. F: <=59%
Incompletes
If you are not able for some reason, to complete the work by the time grades are due, you can take an incomplete with the instructor's permission; however, missed material MUST be completed by a set date. Any incompletes not changed by the deadline automatically revert to 'F's.
Support for Your Learning in This Class
The LTC’s Office of Student Learning Services (SLS) is a learning resource for all students at the University of Dayton. SLS offers a wide variety of services to assist you in achieving academic success at the university, including study skills classes and workshops, tutoring and consultations, disability screenings, and a web site with many resources
(http://learningsupport.udayton.edu). Please contact SLS at 937-229-2066 or visit our office on the ground floor of Roesch Library (LTC 023) if you would like to talk about how you could be a more effective learner.
Students with Disabilities
I would like us to discuss ways to ensure your full participation in this course. If you feel you need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability, please contact me privately to discuss your specific needs. Formal disability-related accommodations are determined through the Learning Teaching Center’s Office of Student Learning Services (SLS). It is very important that you be registered with SLS and notify me of your eligibility for reasonable accommodations with a signed SLS Self-Identification Form. We can then plan how best to coordinate your accommodations. For more information, please contact SLS at 937-229-2066, by email at disability.services@notes.udayton.edu or stop by the SLS office in LTC 023.
Writing Support
The Write Place is a free service available to all UD students. The Write Place offers peer-to-peer writing support on any writing assignment and at any stage of the writing process. Students can drop-in to the Write Place without making an appointment. Drop-in hours are Monday through Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Sunday from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. The Write Place is located in Roesch Library room 502. Contact Christina Klimo, Write Place Coordinator, if you have any questions at klimochm@notes.udayton.edu or 229-2068.
Final Note: Dates, assignments, and policies are subject to change during the course of the semester.
Last updated: Jan. 8, 2009.
andrea.koziol@notes.udayton.edu
Dr. Koziol's homepage
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