Santiago Canyon College
Tentative Introduction to Geology 101 Syllabus
Fall 2015 ticket no. 10259
Instructor: Dr. Eric Hovanitz
Phone: (714) 628-4747
E-mail: hovanitz_eric@sccollege.edu
Web page: http://www.hovanitz.com
Office: SC-217
Time: Monday and Wednesday 10:15 to 11:40 AM
Room: SC-103
Division: Mathematics & Sciences, SC-210
Contact hours: Monday
11:50-13:20
Tuesday
11:50-13:20
Wednesday 11:50-13:20
Thursday
11:50-13:20
By appointment. I have an “open door” policy; if my office is open and I’m in my
office, please stop in and say “hi”.
Textbook: Physical Geology, Fifteenth edition Plummer, Carlson, and Hammersley, ISBN 978-1259-16553-5.
Course Objectives: Students should develop the awareness that changes to the Earth are a
result of physical and chemical processes. Students should be able to demonstrate an
understanding that earth science processes are based upon observation of Earth materials
and features. Students should be able to read, analyze and interpret their observations of
Earth materials and features to deduce the processes involved.
Exams and Grading: Your course grade will be based on three eight-five minute exams (100
points each) that will cover material since the previous exam, a cumulative final exam (100
points), thirteen (13) quizzes (100 points). There are a total of 400 points possible and your
grade is dependent on the number of points you earn. Grading is based on a standard scale
of 100-90% = A (i.e., >360 points); <90-80% = B (359-320 points); <80-70% = C (319-280
points); <70-60% = D (279-240 points); and <60 = F (<240 points).
Final grades may be modified up or down by up to 5% based on class participation and
attendance. Positive class participation includes answering questions in class, coming to
office hours, and bringing interesting geology or earth science articles into class for
discussion. Detrimental class participation includes talking out of turn in class, coming to
class late, passing notes, cell phone ringing in class, among other class disrupting activities.
Detrimental class attendance includes more than two (2) class absences. Fewer than two (2)
absences will result in positive class attendance credit.
Exams may consist of a combination of true/false, multiple choice, matching, fill-in the
blank, essay and short answer questions. There are no late or make-up exams. You are
required to use a green (form 882-ES) Scantron sheet for all exams. Quizzes take about 5
minutes and will be given anytime during class on random class days. Late or make-up
quizzes are not given; if you are late for a quiz, you miss that quiz. You are required to use a
green (form 815-E) Scantron sheet for all quizzes. Your lowest single exam grade will not be
counted (the final will be counted and is never dropped) and the lowest three (3) quiz
grades will not be counted towards your final grade. It is to your benefit to take all exams
and quizzes even if you are not prepared. Earning 59 points on an exam is much better than
0 points.
As a college student you must be able to calculate your own grade. There are instructions
for calculating your grade on my web site and in a handout you may request. I am human
and I do make mistakes. Therefore it is not a bad idea to check with me to make sure the
grade you’ve calculated agrees with what I’ve calculated.
All quizzes and exams must be completed in pencil. Pen is not allowed. If you change your
mind about something you need to erase it. It is very difficult and time consuming to read
cross-outs in pen, so I can’t do it in fairness to your fellow classmates who follow the rules.
Many students incorrectly believe that many questions are “tricky” or “trick” (poor
English.) I never intentionally make a question “tricky”. Student examples of “tricky”
questions include misreading “million” for “billion” or “knowing” something that another
teacher may have told you that is incorrect like “the mass of an electron is zero”. It is
important to read all instructions before beginning a quiz or exam. On exam matching
questions, the instructions will state that an answer may be used once, never, or multiple
times. This means that an answer may be used 1, 2, 3, 4, or even more times. Do not cross
out a possible answer because it has already been used (frequently considered by students
to be “tricky”). Real life doesn’t eliminate an answer once you’ve used it and neither should
an exam.
If you need a grade card signed for athletics, parole officer, scholarship or some other
requirement please visit my office before or after class for a grade card signature. These
days I’m too old to remember everyone’s grades so please do not ask me in the classroom
what your grade is. I won’t know. In addition please don’t ask me to say you are earning a
grade better than what you really have earned. That would be lying and could subject me to
legal prosecution.
A quiz or exam begins when the first quiz or exam is passed out. After a quiz or exam has
begun, there can be no talking or other forms of communication between students without
your professor’s explicit permission. This includes asking another student for a Scantron.
Once an exam begins there will be no restroom breaks. You must use the restroom before
the exam begins.
Attendance: School policy states that you may be dropped from this class if you have three (3)
absences. Do Not drop a class by stopping attendance. You will likely end up receiving an
“F” if you do so. If you intend to drop, please complete the formal drop procedure through
the Admissions Office or online.
Do not miss a single class meeting for the first two weeks or you may be dropped.
Cheating: Cheating is not tolerated. SCC policy for cheating and dishonesty is located at:
https://www.sccollege.edu/studentservices/admissions/documents/others/collegepolicies.pdf
These policies will be enforced to the greatest extent allowed. Please don’t cheat.
Student Conduct: All students are responsible for maintaining appropriate conduct while
enrolled in classes through the Rancho Santiago Community College District (RSCCD).
Guidelines for student conduct are set forth in the RSCCD “Standards of Student Conduct”
policy. Detailed information regarding student discipline and rights within this policy is
available in the college catalog and student handbook. Students who violate the Standards
of Conduct are subject to disciplinary action which includes, but is not limited to, removal
from class, suspension and expulsion.
This is a college class. Therefore you need to act like college students. There is no talking in
class, no passing notes, no cell phone use in the classroom, and nothing that might be
disruptive to the class. You must turn phones off before entering the classroom. Cell phone
must be off whenever you are in class; even during breaks. Cell phone may be turned on
again when you leave the classroom. Any violations of class etiquette, such as cell phone
noise of any sort, incur massive negative class participation points.
Recording: Audio, video, or photographic recording of anything inside SC-103 is expressly
prohibited without prior written permission from your instructor.
Accommodations for Disabilities: Students with disabilities who want to request academic
accommodations are responsible for informing their instructors and Disabled Students
Programs and Services (DSPS) as early in the semester as possible, or at least two weeks
before the accommodation is needed. To have accommodations authorized, students must
provide DSPS with verification of disability and meet with a DSPS professional for an
evaluation of needs. Students may schedule a DSPS appointment by coming to the DSPS
Office in E-105, by phoning us at (714) 628-4860 or by emailing us at DSPS@sccollege.edu.
Tentative Class Schedule
Week
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
Dates
08.24.2015
08.26.2015
08.31.2015
09.02.2015
09.07.2015
09.09.2015
09.14.2015
09.16.2015
09.21.2015
09.23.2015
09.28.2015
09.30.2015
10.05.2015
10.07.2015
10.12.2015
10.14.2015
10.19.2015
10.21.2015
10.26.2015
10.28.2015
11.02.2015
11.04.2015
11.09.2015
11.11.2015
11.16.2015
11.18.2015
11.23.2015
11.25.2015
11.30.2015
12.02.2015
12.07.2015
12.09.2015
Lecture Topic
Assigned
Readings
Introduction, Introducing Geology
Chapter 1
Introduction, Introducing Geology
Chapter 1
Atoms, Elements, and Minerals
Chapter 2
Atoms, Elements, and Minerals (Deadline: last refund drop day) Chapter 2
Labor Day Holiday – No class!
Igneous Rocks, The Origin and Evolution of Magma . . .
Chapter 3
Igneous Rocks, The Origin and Evolution of Magma . . .
Chapter 3
Volcanism and Extrusive Rocks
Chapter 4
Volcanism and Extrusive Rocks
Chapter 4
Exam #1
Chapters 1-4
Weathering and Soil
(Deadline: graduation petition) Chapter 5
Sediment and Sedimentary Rocks
Chapter 6
Sediment and Sedimentary Rocks
Chapter 6
Metamorphism and Metamorphic Rocks
Chapter 7
Time and Geology
Chapter 8
Time and Geology
Chapter 8
Mass Wasting
Chapter 9
Streams and Floods
Chapter 10
Groundwater
Chapter 11
Exam #2
Chapters 5-11
Glaciers and Glaciation
(Daylight Savings Time) Chapter 12
Deserts and Wind Action
Chapter 13
Geologic Structures
Chapter 14
Veterans Day Holiday – No Class! (Last day to drop class with “W”)
Earthquakes
Chapter 15
Earthqaukes
Chapter 15
Earth’s Interior and Geophysical Properties
Chapter 16
Exam #3
Chapters 12-16
Plate Tectonics—The Unifying Theory
Chapter 17
Plate Tectonics—The Unifying Theory
Chapter 17
Waves, Beaches and Coasts
Chapter 14
Cumulative Final Exam—10:15-11:40 (Bring Brain)
“The Book”
Please read assigned chapters before coming to class.
Quiz’s may contain material you should read before class.