GEOL 105L - Planet Earth

Professor: Scott Paterson (website:http://earth.usc.edu/~paterson/index.html)

Office: ZHS 307

Telephone: (213) 740-6103: Email: paterson@usc.edu

Class Website: http://earth.usc.edu/geol105-paterson/ (username = earth; password = planet105)

Blackboard: Prentice-Hall resources linked to BB.

Textbook: Earth, Essentials of Geology, 9th Edition, by E. J. Tarbuck and F. K. Lutgens.

Lab Manual: Laboratory Manual in Physical Geology, 6th Edition, R. M. Busch, editor.

Books: There are several options: purchase the Lab Manual alone, or purchase it with the textbook as a package. If you do not want to buy the textbook, you can get the "online" textbook, (you still need to buy the Lab Manual). To get the textbook online, go to Blackboard. It will cost $53.34?? for the online book (a savings over buying the textbook in bookstore).

GRADES (these will be regularly updated on blackboard):

Lecture: 45%

First midterm 15%

Second midterm 15%

Final exam 15%

Lab: (see TA syllabus) 30%

Special Assignments 25%

Additional completed special assignments can result in up to 15% extra credit

Grades: Will be curved. Generally 55% to 60% of you will get an A or B.

Attendance: Please note that attendance in lecture is required by the University, that is they assume that you will go to every lecture. My experience is that students who choose to not attend lectures regularly typically get a full letter grade below compared to those who attend lectures. This is because you miss discussions, science stories, answers to questions, my hints about what is important for exams, etc., none of which will show up on the website. I will take attendance on a random basis. Extra credit points will be deducted if you miss lecture and attendance will be used to bump your final grade up or down if your final course percent falls on the border between two grades.

Special Projects and “Extra Credit” Overview for Planet Earth

Above you will note that 45% of your final grade is based on 3 lecture exams, 30% of your grade is based on your lab scores, and 25% of your final grade, including up to15% “participation/extra credit”, will depend on assignments (and “extra credit” projects if you so choose) completed outside the classroom. These come in three general but overlapping categories:

1. Required items:

1. Required Saturday Field trip, OR Joint Educational Project (JEP), OR independent research with Earth Science faculty.

2. Required Museum Minerals Trip or Powerpoint report

2. Optional items for extra credit.

3. Do more than one item in “1a”

4. Do more than one item in “1b” or other activities listed above under “intermediate credit activities.”

5. Attend a geology-related IMAX movie.

6. Read in class a physical science story that you found in a recent newspaper or report science stories to your professor via email or by turning in hardcopy.

7. Come up with and help implement a new, workable idea for how to get students more involved in the Planet Earth class.

8. Maintain excellent attendance in class.

Guidelines for “powerpoint papers”:

Topic: must be approved by instructor by date announced.

Length: You should plan to have ~15 to 25 powerpoint slides including text, figures or tables and references.

References: at least 4. Note if you use sites on the Web, you must give the complete http address. Also note that taking text directly from the Web, or any other source, without appropriate acknowledgement constitutes plagiarism.

Please be aware that due to a rash of “recycled” term papers, copies of old papers are kept on file by me and the Earth Science Department.

The definition of cheating: Yes, we are aware that a few students are tempted to “cut corners” in GE classes. DON’T DO IT! I am pretty strict about cheating. Please understand that cheating includes any of the following: (1) obtaining any information from notes, electronic devices, or other students during an exam; (2) turning in other students work or answers during lab; (3) “signing in” for another student; (4) plagiarism – that is using any materials (written, or electronic, or verbal) obtained from others without giving proper credit. If anyone is caught cheating, penalties may range from an F on the assignment to being expelled.

Students requesting academic accommodations based on a disability are required to register with Disability Services and Programs (DSP) each semester. A letter of verification for approved accommodations can be obtained from DSP when adequate documentation is filed. Please be sure the letter is delivered to me within the first few weeks of the semester. DSP is open Monday Friday, 8:30 5:00. The office is in Student Union 301 and the phone number is (213) 740 0776.