Paleoceanography

 

Grading Policy: Students are expected to attend class, do the reading, and consult the instructor throughout the term. These steps will help you to learn the material covered in class on the exams, and in your term paper. Class participation is an important part of this class. If you do not attend class, arrive unprepared, or do not contribute to class discussion, your grades will suffer. Late assignments will be docked 1/3 letter grade per class period. Class participation will allow you to gauge your progress. Grades will be based on the assigned work as follows:

 

Grades will be determined as follows:

Class Participation and Paleoceanographic Case Studies: During Weeks 6-10 of the class we will study interesting case histories of past worlds reconstructed through the use of a variety of paleoceanographic data (e.g. physical properties of sediments, microfossils, and geochemical tracers). We will select five of the following topics and explore each for a one week period using the class text and readings from the literature as a guide:

            The Snowball Earth                                                          Mountains and Climate

            Polar Amplification of Climate                                          Of Monsoons and People

            The Mid-Pleistocene Revolution                                        Climate Gateways

            Abrupt Climate Change                                                     Ice Free Worlds

Students will have the opportunity to vote on which of these topics they would like to study. Each week will consist of a setup lecture by the instructor followed by group discussion of the class based on material from the text and from published papers. For each topic, the instructor will select student teams who will have the responsibility of finding publications on the topic and presenting these to the class for discussion. Readings will thus be: Selected from the class text, handouts provided by the instructor, and provided by student group leaders selected for each topic. For the participation part of their grade, students will be graded on the basis of the research they conduct for their presentation, their preparation for their oral presentation, the quality of their presentation and their participation in class discussions during the term.

Final Term Paper and Poster presentation: All classes at Kent State must have a substantive final assessment as part of the grading processes. The Final Term Paper and poster session will serve this purpose in Paleoceanography. In addition to the term paper, students are required to make a poster discussing the primary findings of their term paper. The term paper will usually constitute a literature study but can with the permission of the instructor constitute a paleoclimate research project related to the student's area of interest. Students who do not complete this assignment will not receive a passing grade in the class. The final class paper and poster will be due by 5 pm on the last day before the beginning of exam week. We will present the student poster session during the scheduled final exam period for the class (see below). Student should begin working on this project by the third week of class and are expected to be prepared to discuss progress on their topic during class and to meet with the instructor during the term to seek guidance and provide progress reports. The final term paper will be graded on the quality of the components of the project: outline, draft and completed final paper.

Exams: Written, in-class exams will test your knowledge of the material. These will include short answer and conceptual essay questions. Remember to write out your answers in a clear methodical fashion and to show all your work.

Make-up Exams: Students are expected to manage their academic and personal activities responsibly during the term. Students who miss an exam must provide a legitimate written excuse in a timely manner in order to receive a make-up exam. Legitimate excuses for missing an exam include written documentation for the following: conflict with another Kent State University academic activity (such as an off campus field trip), your own illness, a death in the family, and military or intercollegiate athletic commitments. If you are involved in military or official university athletic activities, review the exam schedule at the beginning of the term and consult with the instructor prior to the exam if you have a conflict.  If you have an illness, personal crisis, or family tragedy that results in missing an exam, you must contact the instructor by phone or email no later than 48 hours after the scheduled start time of the exam.  It is very important that you provide your name and a telephone number where you can be reached in your phone or email message.

How grades are calculated: Grades are based on a weighted average of your class scores using the following equation:

Class GPA  = 0.6*(Average Midterm GPA) + 0.15*(Class Participation) + 0.25*(Final Term Paper)

Your Class GPA is then converted to a letter grade using the table below:

University Policies: The following University policies apply to anyone enrolled in this course:

1.  Enrollment Status: The official registration deadline for this course is 9/12/2010. Courses can have different scheduling deadlines depending on their mode of instruction. University policy requires all students to be officially registered in each class they are attending.  Students who are not officially registered for a course by the published deadline should not be attending class and will not receive credit or a grade for that course.  Each student must confirm enrollment by checking his/her class schedule (using Student Tools in FlashFast) prior to the deadline indicated.  Registration errors must be corrected prior to the deadline. You can look up your course using the Kent State University Self Service Scheduling tool. Enter the information needed to find the course for which you are searching. The add/drop/withdrawl dates can be found from the link in the final column.

2.  Academic Honor Code: All students in the course are expected to abide by the academic honor code, as specified in the University's "Digest of Rules and Regulations". The use of other's intellectual property without giving them appropriate credit is a serious academic offense. This includes misrepresenting the source, nature or other conditions of your academic work to get undeserved credit.  It is the University's policy that cheating or plagiarism can result in receiving a failing grade for the work or course or other more serious disciplinary action. Repeat offenses can result in dismissal from the University.

3.  Drop and Withdrawal: The last date to drop this class is 9/12/2010. The last day to withdraw from this class is 11/07/2010. No approval is required to drop or withdraw from a course prior to the drop/withdrawal deadlines. Students should be aware that dropping or withdrawing from a class may affect their financial aid status or academic eligibility for athletics. If a student is unable to complete a class or the semester because of extreme circumstances, which first occur after the deadline, he or she should consult their college or campus dean's office. Any course withdrawal processed after the withdrawal date will appear on the students' academic record with a grade of "W". Courses can have different scheduling deadlines depending on their mode of instruction. For information on add/drop/withdrawal dates, you can look up your course using the Kent State University Self Service Scheduling tool. Enter the information needed to find the course for which you are searching. The add/drop/withdrawal dates can be found from the link in the final column. For more information see: http://www.registrars.kent.edu/home/FALL/withdrawal.htm.

4.  Students with Documented Accommodation needs: In accordance with University policy, if you have a documented disability and require accommodations to obtain equal access to this course, please contact the instructor at the beginning of the semester or when given an assignment for which an accommodation is required.  Students with disabilities must verify their eligibility through the Office of Student Accessibility Services (SAS) on the Ground Floor of the DeWeese Center (330-672-3391). If you have any questions regarding a potential accommodation need, please contact the instructor as soon as possible.

5.  Final Exam Dates: The Final exam for this class will take place on 12/13/2010 from 7:45-10:00 am in McGilvrey Hall, Room 234. Please check the final exam schedule for all the classes in which you are enrolled. This can be found on the web at: http://www.registrars.kent.edu/home/FALL/exams.htm In the event that you have a conflict with another scheduled exam, the instructor will make suitable arrangements.  Students who have conflicts or more than three examinations on the same day should consult with the Dean of his or her college at the earliest possible time for assistance in making alternative arrangements.  For more information see: http://www.registrars.kent.edu/home/FALL/exams.htm

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