Geology 381: Continental Margins

Spring 2002

 

Instructor:                      Brian McAdoo, 102 Ely Hall, brmcadoo@vassar.edu, x7703

Office Hours:                 Wednesday: 1:00-2:00 PM, Thursday: 10:00-11:00 AM, and by appointment

 

Class times:                   Tuesdays, 1:30-4:30PM (subject to change)

 

Grading:                         Class Participation/Attendance                   100%

 

                                       Grading will be done 100% on quality of discussions.

 

The semester will consist of 13 classes. 

If you miss one class (without a very good excuse and letter from the dean), your grade will be docked 1/13th (or ~8%). 

To get an A, you must go above and beyond the minimum expected. 

Dig deep.  Bring in real data.  Dive into the references of the papers.

 

How it works:                Depending on the number of students in the class, each student will provide a

reading list to the class the week before the subject of interest. 

The reading list will be either one or two very good, detailed articles, or several more general articles. 

I'll place said articles in the library on reserve, where it is the students'

responsibility to go and read and/or copy said article. 

It is highly recommended that you consult with me before presenting the class with the articles.

 

Reading:                        Most reading should come from scholarly journals from the library.

 

·   Scholarly journals include those periodicals that are edited by academics in the field of Geology and/or Geophysics. 

·   Examples of scholarly journals include the Journal of Geophysical Research,

   Science, Nature, Marine Geology, Geology, GSA Bulletin, etc.

 

·   Non-scholarly journals include those periodicals not reviewed by academics in the field. 

   These are OK, but remember they are not peer reviewed.  Examples include Scientific American, National Geographic, etc. 

   Use these journals to get ideas, but be sure to find research presented in the scholarly journals for back up.

 

·   Books are also acceptable.  Often times there will be compilations of papers in a bound volume

   reviewed by the editors of that particular volume.  While not as rigorously reviewed as the journals,

   they are far better than Internet sources.  Textbooks are a fantastic way to refresh your memory

   (this is a 300 level class, so most of the basics should be familiar), but are seldom cutting edge.  Go farther.

 

·   Internet sources are almost always going to be completely unacceptable. 

   Exceptions include actual data and/or graphics obtained from either a university or government agency's web site.

 

 

 

Topics:                           Week 1 (Jan. 22)      Introduction

                                       Week 2 (Jan. 29)      Submarine Landslides (McAdoo)

                                       Week 3 (Feb. 5)        Mountain Building

                                       Week 4 (Feb. 12)      Earthquakes/Tsunami

                                       Week 5 (Feb. 19)      Beaches

                                       Week 6 (Mar. 5)       Volcanoes

 

                                       March 12 & 19        No class Spring Break

 

                                       Week 7 (Mar. 26)     Deltas

                                       Week 8 (Apr. 2)       Methane Hydrates/Clathrates

                                       Week 9 (Apr. 9)       Chemosynthetic Communities

                                       Week 10 (Apr. 16)    Sea Level Changes

                                       Week 11 (Apr. 23)    Shelf/Slope sedimentation

                                       Week 12 (Apr. 30)    Oil

                                       Week 14 (May 7)     Wrap Up

 

Scholarly Practices.  Rewarding classroom experiences- teaching, learning, and group discussion-

depend on close cooperation between students and faculty and mutual respect between all members of a class. 

The Geology and Geography Department expects you to contribute to this collective enterprise by attending and

participating in class regularly and by submitting work on time.

 

Faculty members of the Department believe that observance of certain basic standards of course participation

provides the necessary framework for achieving the excellence in undergraduate education that the Vassar tradition represents. 

Specifically, students who enroll in courses offered by the Department of Geology and Geography are expected to:

 

·         arrive on time for class;

·         attend class regularly;

·         complete all reading assignments according to the class schedule;

·         participate actively during class sessions;

 

Geology and Geography Department faculty members will take specific steps to set the conditions prerequisite for academic quality. 

For example, faculty members in our department may:

 

·         close the door at the beginning of the class and not permit late students to enter;

·         include attendance and participation as factors in the calculation of grades;

 

Students with Disabilities.  Also note that academic accommodations are available for students with documented disabilities.

Please schedule an appointment with the instructor early in the semester to discuss any accommodation that may be needed for the course.

All accommodations must be approved through the Office of Disability and Support Services (ext. 7584) as indicated in their accommodation letter.

 

Our department takes great pride in its work. 

The knowledge of a class cannot be made up in a few desperate hours at the end of the semester; it must accumulate steadily. 

These guidelines will help provide an atmosphere of steady academic accomplishment throughout the semester.

 

 

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