Syllabus
GEOS 218 – Geological Disasters and Society
Fall 2012
Lecture (section 001): Tues & Thurs 9:30 AM – 10:45 AM, Saguaro Hall Rm 101
Instructor:
• Dr. Paul Goodman; pgoodman@email.arizona.edu; 621-8484
• Office Hours: Gould-Simpson Rm 305, Tues 2:00-3:30pm or by appointment
Teaching Assistant:
• Ginger Chang; cchchang@email.arizona.edu
• Office Hours: PAS Rm 267, Tues & Thurs 1-2pm
Course Description: Catastrophic and hazardous earth processes (earthquakes, volcanism, severe
weather, hurricanes, floods, and climate change) are important in shaping the Earth. This course will
acquaint students with the scientific principles governing these processes and consider their impact
on society.
Units: 3
Prerequisite(s): two courses from Tier One, Natural Sciences (NATS 101, 102, 104).
Approved as: General Education Tier Two: Natural Sciences
Required text: Patrick L. Abbott, Natural Disasters, 8th ed., McGraw-Hill
Grading:
1. Two 70-min exams (100 pts each)
= 200 pts
2. A Final Exam (150 pts)
= 150 pts
3. Homework (4 out of 5 worth 25 pts each)
= 100 pts
NO LATE HOMEWORK WILL BE ACCEPTED FOR ANY REASON
4. Quizzes (5 out of 6 worth 20 pts each)
= 100 pts
5. Extra Credit opportunities (approx)
= up to 40 pts
Grades for assignments will be available through D2L. Course grade based on percentage of 550
total points: A = >89.5%; B = 79.5-89.4%; C = 69.5-79.4%; D = 59.5-69.4%; E = <59.5%.
Grade Change Policy: Grade changes will only be considered for a 2-week period after posting of
each assignment grade on D2L. It is imperative that students keep track of their grades through
D2L.
UA and Department of Geosciences Policies:
Absence policies; in addition to the instructor’s own absence policies, the following kinds of excused
absences are permitted: 1) All holidays or special events observed by organized religions will be
honored for those students who show affiliation with that particular religion, 2) Absences preapproved by the UA Dean of Students (or Dean's designee) will be honored.
Disruptive Behavior is Prohibited. "Disruptive behavior" means conduct that materially and
substantially interferes with or obstructs the teaching or learning process in the context of a
classroom or educational setting. Disruptive behavior includes conduct that distracts or intimidates
others in a manner that interferes with instructional activities, fails to adhere to an instructor's
appropriate classroom rules or instructions, or interferes with the normal operations of the
University.
Text-Messaging and Cell-Phone Use in the Classroom is considered disruptive in this class.
If you need to do something other than pay attention, please step outside until you are finished.
Policies against threatening behavior by students: The University seeks to promote a safe
environment where students and employees may participate in the educational process without
compromising their health, safety or welfare. The Arizona Board of Regents’ Student Code of
Conduct, ABOR Policy 5-308, prohibits threats of physical harm to any member of the University
community, including to one’s self. Threatening behavior can harm and disrupt the University, its
community and its families. Threatening Behavior is Prohibited. ‘Threatening behavior’ means any
statement, communication, conduct or gesture, including those in written form, directed toward
any member of the University community that causes a reasonable apprehension of physical harm
to a person or property. A student can be guilty of threatening behavior even if the person who is
the object of the threat does not observe or receive it, so long as a reasonable person would
interpret the maker’s statement, communication, conduct or gesture as a serious expression of
intent to physically harm. If threatened by any student’s conduct to the point of reasonable fear of
immediate physical harm to self, others or property: 1. Leave the area immediately. 2. Call the
Police by dialing 9-1-1 to request that an officer come to the location. Inform the Police if it is a
repeat occurrence. 3. Anyone who observes what appears to be threatening behavior must report
it to the Dean of Students Office and in the appropriate case file a Student Code of Conduct
Complaint (see ABOR 5-403).” University policy is found at
http://policy.web.arizona.edu/~policy/threaten.shtml.
Students with Disabilities: If you anticipate barriers related to the format or requirements of this
course, please meet with me so that we can discuss ways to ensure your full participation in the
course. If you determine that disability-related accommodations are necessary, please register
with Disability Resources (621-3268; drc.arizona.edu) and notify me of your eligibility for
reasonable accommodations. We can then plan how best to coordinate your accommodations.
STUDENT GUIDELINES FOR INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP WORK
Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona
Academic Year 2012-2013
1. Underlying Principle
Unless specified in the assignment, all work and all words used to describe the results of an
assignment must be the student’s own. No material, whether paragraphs, sentences or phrases may
be copied from another student or from any external source. External material that is used, usually for
a specific reason, must be accompanied by a citation of the source.
2. Individual Assignments
In some cases, students will be told that no conferring is allowed; if that is the case, students
must not discuss their work with others, or show others their work. More often, Geosciences faculty
will encourage discussion among students, because this facilitates learning. In such a case, any ideas
and concepts may be discussed openly, but the student is still responsible for his/her own work turned
in for grading. Identical paragraphs, sentences, phrases, or notations on a map/illustration may not be
used by two or more students. The best way to avoid this is for students to discuss the assignment,
but then separate from each other in order to produce the work to be turned in for grading, and not
share electronic files using e-mail, flash drives or other method.
3. Group Assignments
Geosciences faculty routinely give two kinds of group assignments. Category 1 is a group
assignment where students work in parallel on the same material (for instance a mapping exercise),
but then turn in individual work for grading. Discussion is encouraged, but it is essential that each
student first perform the written or map work individually, after which ideas may be exchanged and
interpretations modified before the work is graded. Copying of another’s work is prohibited, and this
can be avoided in the same way as for individual assignments. Category 2 is a group assignment
where students work explicitly as teams, perhaps with each member performing parts of a complex
task (such as a geophysical or analytical experiment), and a combined product will be graded with
equal scores for all members of the team. In this case, full discussion of the work, before any write-up
takes place, is expected. The instructor will inform students whether a group assignment is Category
1 or 2.
4. Reporting of Cheating
All incidents of cheating or plagiarism, including facilitating of same, will be reported to the
Dean of Students’ office and the College of Science. As well as the violations in take-home or field
assignments detailed above, this will include any violations during quizzes and exams. The
University’s procedure and forms give students an opportunity to explain to the instructor, and to
comment upon (or rebut) any accusations in writing before the forms are turned in. But the forms can
be turned in, reporting the cheating incident, even if the student fails to meet with the instructor or
does not countersign the paperwork.
5. Expectation of Student Integrity
Instructors in the Department of Geosciences set a high standard for themselves as
educators, and they expect that students, both in general education and majors’ classes, will do the
same for their own education. Thus cheating and plagiarism will not be tolerated.
6. UA Code of Academic Integrity
This document is a statement of what students and faculty should expect within Department of
Geosciences, or in general education courses offered by the Department. It does not replace the UA’s
Code of Academic Integrity, which can be read in full at:
http://deanofstudents.arizona.edu/codeofacademicintegrity.
GEOS 218: Geological Disasters and Society
Fall Semester, 2012
Date
Lecture Topic
Reading
Aug 21
Introduction and Natural Hazards
Abbott Ch1
Aug 23
Internal Energy & Plate Tectonics
Abbott Ch2
Aug 28
Plate Tectonics Basics
Abbott Ch2
Aug 30
Earthquake Geology & Seismology
Abbott Ch3
Sep 4
Earthquakes & Plate Tectonics
Abbott Ch4
Sep 6
Earthquake Lessons
Abbott Ch5
Sep 11
Tsunamis
Abbott Ch8
Sep 13
Movie: Tsunami Japan’s Killer Quake (2011)
Sep 18
Significant Earthquakes
Homework #1 due
Sep 20
Wrap-up and Review
Sep 25
EXAM #1
_____________________________________________________________________
Sep 27
Oct 2
Oct 4
Oct 9
Oct 11
Oct 16
Volcanic Eruptions
Volcanic Eruptions: Case Histories
Movie: Pinatubo In the Path of a Killer Volcano
Volcanic Hazards
Yellowstone & Long Valley
External Energy, Weather & Climate
Abbott Ch6
Abbott Ch7
Abbott Ch7
Abbott Ch9
Homework #2 due
Abbott Ch10
Oct 18
Severe Weather
Oct 23
Wrap-up and Review
Oct 25
EXAM #2
_______________________________________________________________________
Oct 30
Hurricanes
Abbott Ch11
Homework #3 due
Nov 1
Movie: Katrina The storm that drowned a city
Nov 6
Climate Change
Abbott Ch12
Nov 8
Movie: A Global Warning?
Nov 13
Climate Change
Abbott Ch12
Nov 15
Floods
Abbott Ch13
Homework #4 due
Nov 20
Fires
Abbott Ch14
Nov 22
No class - Thanksgiving
Nov 27
Landslides & Impacts
Abbott Ch15 & 16
Nov 29
Disasters & Society
Dec 4
Wrap-up and Review
Homework #5 due
Dec 12
FINAL EXAM (10:30-12:30)
_______________________________________________________________________
(Schedule as of 15 Aug 2012 - subject to moderate revision)