Syllabus

Lecture Notes

Exam Results 

Useful Links 

Comments

Dr. Gorring

MSU
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

The syllabus of Dr. Gorring's  Physical Geology class (GEOS112) is given below.  You can jump to specific sections  of the syllabus by clicking on the highlighted categories below.  Instructor Course Content Expectations & Requirements Grading Course Goals: An understanding of how the Earth's major geologic processes work.  A belief that there is scientific evidence to support the explanation of these processes.  A practical understanding of the relevance of geology to the human race

Yosemite National Park Upper Yosemite Falls drops from its "hanging" valley into the  Yosemite chasm. These hanging valleys and waterfalls were left after glacial ice scoured out the main valley to a depth of 2,000+ feet. When the glacial ice in the main valley melted, the tributary  valleys were left "hanging" high above the main valley floor.  [Photo credit: John Lockridge, plockridge@mho.net]

Lecture: 
MR 11:30am-12:45pm     360 Mallory Hall

Laboratory:
Section 01 T 11:30am-1:20pm     351 Mallory Hall
Section 02 F 11:30am-1:20pm     351 Mallory Hall

Office: 355 Mallory Hall 

Office Hours: MR 12:45-1:45pm; R 4:30-5:30pm; or by appointment

Phone: 973-655-5409 

email: gorringm@mail.montclair.edu

Required Textbook: 
Physical Geology (9th ed.), by Plummer, McGeary, and Carlson, 2003, McGraw-Hill.

Textbook website: http://www.mhhe.com/plummer9e/

The Course Web Page can be found by starting at the MSU Earth & Environmental StudiesHome page: http://www.csam.montclair.edu/earth/eesweb -- look under 
Current Courses, then click on the GEOS112 Physical Geology link.  The exact address is http://www.csam.montclair.edu/earth/eesweb/gorring/geos112.html. 

Course Content

 Week                          Topic                                              Reading 

1	1/13	A First Look at Planet Earth; Intro to Plate Tectonics	Ch. 1
2	1/20	Intro to Plate Tectonics	Ch. 1, 19
3	1/27	Plate Tectonic Processes; (Quiz #1; 1/30)	Ch. 19
4	2/3	Earthquakes	Ch. 16
5	2/10	Magmas & Volcanism; (Quiz #2; 2/13)	Ch. 3, 4
6	2/17	Review; FIRST EXAM (2/20; weeks 1-5)
7	2/24	Sediments & Sedimentary Process	Ch. 6
8	3/3	Metamorphism; Rock Deformation;  (Quiz #3; 3/6)	Ch. 7, 15
9	3/10	***Spring Break****
10	3/17	Mass Wasting Processes	Ch. 9
11	3/24	River Processes & Floods; (Quiz #4; 3/24)	Ch. 10
12	3/31	Review; SECOND EXAM (4/3; weeks 6-11)
13	4/7	Groundwater Flow & Contamination Saturday, April 12 - Northern NJ Fieldtrip	Ch. 11
14	4/14	Coastal Processes; Barrier Islands;  (Quiz #5; 4/17)	Ch. 14
15	4/21	Glaciers and Glacial Landscapes	Ch. 12 (p.283-293)
16	4/28	Ice Ages; Review  (Quiz #6; 4/28)	Ch. 12 (p.294-309)

FINAL EXAM 
Monday, May 5; 1:00-3:00pm; ML-360
 

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Expectations and Requirements

READINGS: Required readings are listed with the schedule. The sections should be read before the lecture for which they are listed. Also you should read the “Summary”, “Terms to Remember”, and do the questions in the "Testing your Knowledge" section (answers are on the textbook website) at the end of each chapter as it is read.  Occasionally handouts will be distributed as additional reading.

IN CLASS: Your active participation (both as an individual and in small groups) is essential to your success in the class, so ask lots of questions and participate fully in group activities.  Of course, civil behavior is expected. Students with special needs or special circumstances that may affect performance in this course should discuss with me their situations relative to course requirements as soon as possible. 

ATTENDANCE: I do not take attendance, HOWEVER ATTENDANCE IS REQUIRED ON QUIZ DAYS!!!

VIDEOS: We will see a few videos during the class. These are shown for educational purposes - not entertainment. Any material in videos is fair game on exams. If you wish to see a video again, you may borrow the video from the dept. secretary and watch it in our dept. library. No videos will be loaned out overnight or weekends. 

THE INTERNET:  I have constructed a course webpage for your access to my lecture notes, course syllabus, and a variety of other links that you can get relevant information on topics covered in class.  Also, textbook site has some good online quizzes and material for studying.  The internet is a vast resource at your fingertips.  USE IT!

QUIZZES:  The quizzes will be short (15 minutes).  THERE WILL BE NO MAKE-UPS FOR ANY REASON!! (e.g., death in the family, sickness, car problems, traffic, etc.).  Don't even bother asking me!!  I will throw out the lowest quiz grade and compute your quiz grade based on your five best scores.

EXAMS:   Two one-hour exams and a two-hour final exam are scheduled. Exams will be mostly multiple choice, T/F, and some short answer. Make-up exams will be given only in exceptional circumstances.  They will be harder than the regular exam.

FIELD TRIP:  There will be a required all day field-trip to be scheduled for Saturday October 26, 2002. The trip highlights some of the best NJ geology (Great Falls of Paterson, NJ Highlands, Water Gap, Franklin Mines etc.) Transport will be provided (by bus).  Usually leave MSU ~8AM and return by ~6PM.  Counts as 5% of total grade!
 

Two non-cumulative exams worth 17.5% each. 

One two-hour final exam:  25% 

Laboratory Grade: 25% 

Six (6) In-class Quizzes:  10% 

Field Trip:  5% 

Final Grades will be based on a "normal" scale. 
A >92%; A- = 90-92%; B+ = 87-90%; B = 82-87%; B- = 80-82%; C+ = 77-80%; 
C = 72-77%; C- = 69-72%; D+ = 67-69%; D = 61-67%; D- = 58-61%; F <58% 
 

Please forward comments and questions to Dr. Gorring at: gorringm@mail.montclair.edu
©2001 Dr. M.L. Gorring All rights reserved.
(http://www.csam.montclair.edu/earth/eesweb/gorring/geos112.html/)