GEOL 101 is a 3 credit course with two 75 minute lectures per week.  It fills WVU General Education Curriculum Objective 2B: Basic Mathematical Skills and Scientific Inquiry and Objective 4: Contemporary Society.  It also meets Liberal Studies Program Cluster C (science and math) requirements.  Taken with GEOL 102, GEOL 101 meets WVU Lab Science requirements. A student may not get credit for both GEOL 101 and GEOL/GEOG 110.
   The prime objective of Geology 101 is to characterize the earth and explore the processes acting on and within our seemingly unique planet. The course examines natural phenomena that influence humankind (floods, landslides, earthquakes, and volcanoes) and natural resources that contemporary society requires to exist. As students, you will apply basic math and analytical skills to explore the earth, but our objectives differ somewhat from other scientific inquiry classes because the enormity of geologic time and a scientific method drawing upon multiple working hypotheses are integral to how geoscientists think. I may share personal beliefs on the interaction between people and the earth. I present these opinions not as gospel for you to accept without question, but rather as one view that might help you come up with your own conclusions on how to best sustain the planet and our resource-dependent lifestyles.
    My teaching web page, http://www.geo.wvu.edu/~kite/teaching.html, will be heavily used. Alternative web pages may be developed as back-up in case the server is down; more information will be provided in class.

   If you take all of the tests and exams in this class, each will count as 20 percent of your final grade (a total of 80 percent). All regularly scheduled tests and the final exam will be made up of 33 four-choice multiple-choice questions. You must bring a valid photo identification card, such as the student I.D. card, to all tests. Also bring a pencil and a new NCS form no. 30423 answer sheet (See http://www.csub.edu/InfoRes/CTS/downloadable/30423.pdf for a SAMPLE, but you must purchase a "real" form). The first three tests will be held during the regular class time in 202 Brooks, the lecture room. Room 202 is too small for testing of over 175 people, so we will divide the class into two groups for tests.  One group will take the test starting at the regular class meeting time, while the other group will begin 35-40 minutes later.  Group assignments will be given during the week before each test, so be there!
   Attendance at the first three tests is required.  If you miss a test, a make-up test will be allowed. All make-up tests will be given at 6:30 p.m. on the Tuesday before exam week, most likely in xxx Brooks Hall.  Make-up tests have an essay-short answer format.  Ill-prepared students find this type of test more difficult than the multiple-choice tests given at the regularly scheduled test time, but well-prepared students usually do quite well.
    Copies of old test questions are on-line at http://www.geo.wvu.edu/%7Ekite/TestQuestions001.html. NEITHER THE TA NOR I WILL GIVE ANSWERS TO THESE QUESTIONS; you have to find them in your notes or textbook. A few questions may come from old versions of the textbook used in past semesters; most have been edited off the list, but some remain. If you identify these questions while studying, let me know.
   Ten or more quizzes will be given throughout the semester. If you take all four tests, your quiz average will constitute 20 percent of your grade. Some of these quizzes may be taken from the textbook's Online Learning Center web site. Conscientious students may miss a small number of quizzes because of legitimate reasons throughout a semester, so a student may miss up to 20 percent of the quizzes without penalty.  This lenient missed quiz policy removes any need for "make-up quizzes."  Giving make-up quizzes would defeat the attendance incentive quizzes provide, and in a large class, would be a tremendous amount of additional work for your friendly over-worked GEOL 101 TA and me.  While the TA and I are deeply concerned over problems that prevent you from being in class and taking quizzes, there is no need to contact me or the TA about a make-up quiz when you can not be there.  However, I encourage you to attend class whenever possible in order to avoid a grade issue if an unexpected illness or recurring problem causes you to miss multiple quizzes later this semester.  Taking additional quizzes may provide a very modest number of bonus points (1 percent added to your quiz average for every quiz taken above the required minimum). Past experience, some of it from my own freshman year, has shown that the easiest ticket to a poor grade is absence, especially if you miss tests and quizzes.
    Final Exam. The final exam is 2/3 “comprehensive” (i.e. covering material from earlier test units) and 1/3 on material covered after Test 3.  You are not required to take the final exam if you take both of the last two quizzes, which will be given during the last week of classes (a.k.a. "dead week").  These last two quizzes are an incentive for everyone in the class to participate to the end of the semester.  If you choose not to take the final exam and take both of the last two quizzes, then each test and your quiz average will each constitute 25 percent of your grade.  Everyone is encouraged to take the final exam, but many find the final exam grade will not pull up their course grade unless they put significantly more effort into preparing for the final than they did for earlier tests.  It is possible to drop a letter grade or more if one takes the final exam poorly prepared. Students who fail to take both of last two quizzes and do not take the final exam may lose two letter grades or more from their final course grade. (Ouch!)
    The moral of this story is "build" your grade in this class from the beginning of the semester, don't miss the last two quizzes, and don't count on the final exam helping your grade without a change in work habits or circumstances.

GRADING SCALE

         Grading in this class differs from other sections of Geology 101.  I have certain expectations and you must earn the grade you receive. Compared to other sections of Geology 101, it may be easier to earn an A, but may be easier to get an F.  I give + and - grades, even though they are not figured into the WVU GPA; they may be factored into a recalculated GPA at other schools if you transfer or apply to graduate school elsewhere. "Incompletes" are not given, except in truly exceptional circumstances beyond a student's control.  No "standard curve" is applied to test scores, but scores are evaluated based on other physical geology sections in previous years and the difficulty of questions on each test.  The three tests and the final exam will not be easy.  Some multiple-choice questions will require critical thinking skills beyond recall and understanding of basic concepts; 100 percent is a very rare score, and at least 50 percent is required for a passing grade.  The grading scale will be as follows: "A" = >88.0, "B" = 75.0 to 87.9, "C" = 62.0 to 74.9, "D" = 50.0 to 61.9, and "F" = < 49.9.

   Generally extra credit must be student-designed, student-directed projects dealing with aspects of geology. Book reports and the like are not appropriate for extra credit in this course. All extra-credit work will be averaged into the rest of the class grade, rather than added on. Thus, extra-credit work must be of superior quality to improve your grade. Extra credit will be graded under the same rigorous standards as other work in class. Students who want to do extra credit work must submit a formal typed 100-200 word proposal describing the project no later than the 2nd Tuesday in April. The proposal will be approved or denied within 1 week of receipt. Historically, many, if not most, completed extra credit projects did not actually improve the student's final letter grade in this course.

   Plummer, Charles C., Carlson, Diane H., and McGeary, David, 2007, Physical Geology, 11th ed., Boston, McGraw-Hill, 617 p. 

EVERYONE in this class is required to read and adhere to this pledge when taking tests:
    I adhere to all of the guidelines regarding academic dishonesty (cheating) in the WVU University Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities.  I have read and understand these guidelines.  I have not given or received help from anyone (besides proctors, teaching assistants, or instructor) during this test.  I have not seen any form of this year's test, other than questions from previous tests that are on electronic or paper reserve.  I have not used a cheat sheet, crib note, textbook, study guide, cell phone, radio, dictionary, or other aid while taking this test.  I have not copied answers from another student's test or answer sheet, nor will I knowingly allow another student to copy from my test or answer sheet.
    I do not know of any other student who has given or received help during this test. I will report as soon as possible any suspicious, dishonest, or unethical conduct related to this test to a proctor, a teaching assistant, Dr. Kite, or the head of the Department of Geology and Geography. I understand that this class has "zero-tolerance" of academic dishonesty. Any form of academic dishonesty will be fully pursued by the staff and members the department, the College of Arts and Sciences, and WVU. Penalties may include assignment of a grade of "unforgivable F", or worse. Theft of tests or unauthorized intrusion into computer accounts or files may be pursued through criminal codes. Your name on a test shows that you agree to follow these rules.
    The policy for quizzes requires that anyone turning in a quiz must turn in the results their own work.  Some quizzes require class attendance, and turning in a quiz bearing the name of someone who is not in the class is dishonest conduct.  Some quizzes allow collaboration with other students or friends; in these cases, each student is held to a standard in which each individual must significantly and meaningfully participate in group efforts that yield answers to the quiz questions.

   West Virginia University is committed to social justice. The Department of Geology and Geography supports that commitment and strive to maintain a positive learning environment based upon open communication, mutual respect, and non-discrimination. The University does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, age, disability, veteran status, religion, sexual orientation, color or national origin. Any suggestions as to how to further such a positive and open environment in this class will be appreciated and given serious consideration.


   If you have a disability and anticipate any type of accommodation in order to participate in this class, please advise me or the TA early in the semester, and make arrangements with Disability Services (293-6700).  Anyone likely to need additional time in test taking should contact me to arrange a 10:00 start time for each test.