Oceanography Syllabus

Mr. Joe Holliday
Oceanography 10

Bookstore:
"Essentials of Oceanography" by Thurban and Trujillo
"Exploring Southern California Oceanography Laboratory Manual" by Alwash, etc.
"Lecture Notes Outline" by Holliday

I. OBJECTIVE
At the end of this course, you should be able to know the various components of oceans (such as geology, sea water, climate, coasts, biology, and pollution) and how they interact with each other and with our lives.

II. COURSE CONTENT

III. GRADING:

Grades: Grades will be based on the following:

Geographical Places Quiz

Attendance/ Participation

Homework

Research Outline

First Exam

2nd, 3rd, and 4th Exams

Lab Assignments, Tests, Field Trips & Attendance

EXAMS:

THE EXAMS NORMALLY CAN NOT BE MADE UP. The replacement tests for students who contact me before test time are all essay! If you cannot be at an exam, CALL ME at 310-660-3371 (office) before the exam. All exams contain multiple choice and short essay questions. Please bring a scantron (882-ES) to each exam.

QUIZ:

The quiz is during the third week and is on geographical places names that are on the list (list and maps on p. 2-4 in notes).

RESEARCH OUTLINES:

These are to be typed, one-page outline summaries of scientific journal articles dealing with oceanography. Detailed directions will be handed out later. They are mandatory and are absolutely DUE three weeks before the final exam.

LAB ASSIGNMENTS AND TESTS:

The laboratory assignments are mandatory and are to be done within the lab period. More than one absence must be made up. The class will take at least three field trips during lab periods. We will be visiting the beach, tide pools, and an oceanographic cruise vessel, with the dates for the trips to be announced. There will be at least two lab tests (bring scantrons to them).

HOMEWORK:

There will be homework assigned every week, consisting of questions to be answered from the textbook or some other assignment. They are to be turned in at the beginning of the lecture period they are due. Homework will be graded down for lateness. 10% of the homework grade will be on news articles that you can turn in every week. You write a short three-sentence analysis of each article, which can be from newspapers, magazines, or websites.

IV. INSTRUCTOR-STUDENT MEETINGS:

I want everyone to pass this class! Feel free to confer with me about your grades and study habits, particularly if you are earning less than a "C" following the first exam. I am available after class, as well as during office hours, which are most often held in our classroom.

My office is room NS 307-A. My phone number is (310)-660-3371.
My office hours (normally in NS 306 or 308) are:

Mon and Wed. 1:00-1:30
Tues and Thurs 10:30-11:00, 5:30-6:00

You can also contact me by email (checked once a week) at

jholliday@elcamino.edu

V. ATTENDANCE and PARTICIPATION:

College students are responsible for class attendance. Attendance accounting will be taken at each class meeting, and excessive (more than two lectures, more than one lab) unexcused absences will have a negative affect on the student's grade (see catalog for details).

Lecture notes are the best indication of what subject matter from the text will be on the exams. Each student is responsible for the content of all lectures, assignments, and text readings.

The textbook reading for each chapter is to be completed before the topic is covered in class. Our textbook is probably the best in the country, but much of the technical information in the textbook will left out of the lectures and will not be included in the exams. I think you will consider this book to be one of your favorite textbooks by the end of your college and will decide to keep it forever!

VI. WITHDRAWALS:

The eleventh week of the semester is the last time to withdraw from the class without a "W". After that date, withdrawals are not permitted, except for serious reasons such as health. To avoid failures, submit a petition for withdrawal to the Admissions and Records Office if you are dropping the course.

I look forward to a fun, yet educational, semester with you. We are going to prove that a science course can be fun, interesting, and full of practical information you will use the rest of your lives.

Week

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

Topics

Introduction to Oceanography/

Origin of Earth and Oceans

GEOGRAPHICAL QUIZ/ Plate Tectonics

The Sea Floor, Marine Provinces

EXAM 1/ Marine Sediments

Marine Sediments

Ocean Water Chemistry

Physics of the Ocean

EXAM 2/ Ocean's Effect on Climate

The Ocean in Motion

Waves

Tides

Beaches and Coastal Geology

EXAM 3/ Estuaries and Pollution

Life in the Ocean/ Productivity

Marine Resources & Technology

Final Exam (Exam 4)

Chapters

1

2

3

4

5

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

4

3%

2%

10%

5%

12%

16%

20%

© Copyright 2007