NS 116: Introduction to Oceanography
Fall 2002
COURSE SYLLABUS
Instructor: TBA, faculty member from Fall 2002 left LSSU, course offered on rotation
Office: Rm. 325 Crawford Hall of Science
Phone Number: 635-2085
Email: @lssu.edu - email is generally the most reliable way to contact me
Office Hours: MWF 9:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m., or by appointment
Meeting Times:
Lecture: MWF, 8:00 - 8:50 a.m. in 339 Crawford Hall
Lab: Wednesday 3:00 p.m. - 4:50 p.m. in 339 Crawford Hall
Text Book: Invitation to Oceanography (2ndEd.) by Paul R. Pinet (2000) Jones & Bartlett, Boston, 555 p.,
accompanied by Study Guide with Laboratory Exercises, available in the Campus Shoppe
Course Websites: NS116: http://geology.lssu.edu/NS116/index.html
Publisher: http://www.jbpub.com/oceanlink/
Course Schedule: A schedule for this course, which includes lecture topics, reading assignments and
examinations, is posted on the class website. Examination dates will be confirmed, during class,
one week in advance.
Course Description: A survey of the features, processes, and evolution of Earth's ocean basins. The
course will examine geological, physical, chemical, and ecological aspects of oceanography with
an emphasis on their interrelationships and their impact on humanity.
Student Objectives: The goals of this course are to develop your understanding and appreciation of the
methods of science as applied to the solution of oceanographic problems and to promote an
understanding the consequences of human interaction with the world’s oceans. Students who
successfully complete this course will:
 Understand the concept of seafloor-spreading, the origin and evolution of the continental
and oceanic lithospheres, and their importance in the modern plate tectonic paradigm
 Be familiar with the physiographic features of the ocean basins, the oceanic sedimentary
record, and the history of oceanic exploration and discovery
 Understand the biological, chemical, and physical interactions between seawater and the
lithosphere and atmosphere, including sea level changes through time and role of the
oceans in the global carbon cycle
 Know the origins and importance of oceanic circulation patterns, tides, waves, beaches,
and shoreline processes
 Be familiar with the role of oceans in climate change and they ways in which climate
change is recorded in ocean sediments
 Understand principal aspects of biological oceanography, including plankton and other
forms of marine life
 Have a better appreciation of human impacts on oceanic ecosystems and resources
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General Education Objectives: This course qualifies for general education credit in the area of the
natural sciences. As such, this course should contribute to your liberal arts education in the
following ways:
 You will learn how the scientific method is applied in the field of oceanography.
 You will gain an appreciation of the ways in which the oceans and oceanic processes
affect you as an individual and society as a whole, both directly and indirectly,
throughout history and in everyday life.
 You will employ critical thinking skills to weigh the environmental, social, and political
ramifications of humanity’s interaction with the oceans.
 You will demonstrate computer literacy by using computer technology to gather,
synthesize, and deliver information and to communicate with your professor.
 You will further your understanding and appreciation of the aesthetic qualities of nature
in oceanic contexts.
Student Workload: In order to receive an average grade at LSSU, students should expect to spend about
two hours of studying and preparation for each hour spent in class (LSSU Catalog, pg. 10). That
amounts to ten to fifteen hours of studying per week in order to get a B this class. The time you
need to spend may vary, depending on your study skills and your academic goals.
Do not deceive yourself with the false expectation that “100 level courses are supposed
be easier than upper-level courses”. The 100 level designation for this course merely indicates
that the student is expected to have minimal prior experience in the subject area – not that there
will be any less work involved. In fact, since most students receive little or no exposure to the
subject of oceanography in high school, it is not uncommon that you will need to dedicate more
time than usual to learning the vocabulary of oceanography. This course counts just as much in
terms of GPA as a 4 credit 400 level class in your major – allocate your time and effort
accordingly. The payoff should be worth the effort – the Earth’s oceans are fascinating systems
and your life will be richer when you have a better understanding of how they work.
Disability Accommodations: In compliance with Lake Superior State University policy and equal
access laws, disability-related accommodations or services are available. Students who desire
such services are to meet with the professor in a timely manner, preferably the first week of class,
to discuss their disability-related needs. Students will not receive services until they register with
the Resource Center for Students with Disabilities (RCSD). Proper registration will enable the
RCSD to verify the disability and determine reasonable academic accommodations. RCSD is
located in South Hall office 206, extension 2355.
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Course Grade: Credit for NS 116 is only awarded upon the successful completion of all portions of the
course. We all want you to succeed in this course. Any student experiencing difficulty with
course material should arrange for an immediate conference. Please do not hesitate to do so
because many times performance problems can be overcome if they are brought to the attention
of the instructor. A free tutor may also be available for this course through the Learning Center.
The breakdown for your final grade is as follows:
Exam #1
Exam #2
Exam #3
Exam #4 (Final, non-cumulative)
Laboratory Exercises
Homework & Quizzes
Attendance and Participation
Final Course Grade
15%
15%
15%
15%
25%
10%
5%
100%
Exam subtotal 60%
Lab subtotal
25%
“Other”
15%
All final grades will be assigned according to the standard university grade scale:
A+ = 100 - 98%
B+ = 89 - 88%
C+ = 79 - 78%
D+ = 69 - 68%
A = 97 - 93%
B = 87 - 83%
C = 77 - 73%
D = 67 - 63%
F = 59 - 0%
A- = 92 - 90%
B- = 82 - 80%
C- = 72 - 70%
D- = 62 - 60%
The instructor reserves the right to modify this scale. This modification will occur at the
end of the semester when all scores are compiled. In general, the class average is expected to fall
in the B-/C+ range (~ 2.5 to 2.7 on a 0 to 4.0 point GPA scale - excluding drops).
Exams: The four lecture exams constitute the largest subtotal of your final grade. Since there are only
four, you must be well prepared for each. Each exam will cover 3-4 chapters of the textbook.
They will be a mix of multiple-choice and short essay questions and will be an hour in length.
Study guides will be posted to the class website approximately one week in advance of each
exam; an evening review session will be scheduled a few days prior to the exam. Make-up exams
will only be given by prior arrangement. Check the schedule on the class website for the relevant
dates and chapters. You will need to provide a scantron sheet for each exam.
Labs: Labs will be held weekly in CRW 339. Lab materials are available in CRW 339 throughout the
week, but may not leave the building. Weather permitting, there may be opportunities to hold lab
outdoors. Saturday field trips to the shore of Lake Superior or nearby quarries may provide “lab”
opportunities as well.
Homework Assignments: Weekly homework assignments will complement the material covered in
lectures. Generally, these assignments will be assigned on Mondays and due on Fridays.
Assignments turned in more than a day late will be penalized 10%. Once the graded assignment
has been handed back to the class the late penalty increases to 25%. Any homework assignments
not received by the last day of classes will receive a zero.
Lecture Quizzes: Approximately one dozen lecture quizzes will be given during the course of the
semester. Some of these quizzes will be in multiple-choice format, others will be short answer or
fill in the blank. Only the top ten quiz grades will count toward your final grade. Make-up
quizzes will only be given by prior arrangement.
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Attendance and Participation: Five percent of your final grade will be based on attendance and
participation. Attendance in class and lab is required. An attendance sheet will be passed around
in each class and lab. It is your responsibility to make sure you initial the attendance sheet (even
if you show up late and the sheet has already been passed). All exam, quiz, and lab make-ups
must be completed promptly. E-mail me ASAP to arrange them.
To receive full credit in this category you are expected to attend class and lab regularly
(<5 absences for the entire semester) and demonstrate your active involvement in the class by
asking questions, paying attention, and answering intelligently when called upon. Additional
absences, unpreparedness, and general malaise will result in a lower grade.
As another measure of participation, I expect you to check the class website frequently
and keep abreast of oceanography in the news. Finally, I expect you to e-mail me whenever you
run into questions about the material, need to schedule make-ups or extra help, or just want to
share something that you found interesting about the class.
Study Tips: Always read textbook assignments prior to class meetings and bring the textbook to class.
When reading the assigned chapters, it is useful to write down terms and concepts that are not
clear to you. Ask about these terms and concepts in class, via e-mail, or during office hours. In
order to get the most out of the textbook you should review the Key Words and answer the
Questions at the end of each chapter. A study guide that complements the text contains review
exercises for each chapter. Lecture notes should be reviewed on a daily basis and coordinated
with textbook assignments. Discuss oceanography with your classmates.
Extra Credit: There will be no formal extra credit for the course. Do not ask if you can write a paper or
do something else at the end of the semester to raise your grade. It’s not going to happen.
However, if during the course of the semester you demonstrate to me that you are making an
effort to apply the topics of this course beyond that which is required for a grade, I may be
favorably inclined when considering borderline grades at the end of the semester. For example, if
you come across news articles relating to oceanography or surf onto some good oceanography
websites you might bring them to my attention (preferably by e-mail). Also, if you (or your
kid/neighbor/ roommate) have a neat fossil that you want to know more about, bring it in and
we’ll see what we can figure out (this is better done in person). Participation in Geology Club
events and/or optional field trips is always a plus. Whatever you do, DO NOT ASK FOR
EXTRA CREDIT JUST FOR SHOWING UP!!!
Office Visits: Come early and often. Please take advantage of office hours. You don’t even need to have
a geology question. Just stop by and shoot the breeze once in a while. Of course, if you do have
geology questions don’t hesitate to ask. If you can’t make it during my scheduled office hours email me your question or make an appointment to meet me at another time. Anyone who receives
a exam grade of C or worse is expected to make an office visit to discuss a strategy for improving
your performance.
Homework Assignment #1: After this morning’s class (as soon as humanly possible) you are to surf the
class website (http://geology.lssu.edu/NS116/), and follow the instructions for Assignment #1.
Basically this boils down to sending me an e-mail with a little information about yourself.
Mainly I’m trying to get to know each of you a little better. At the same time I’ll be compiling a
mailing list for the class. Once I’ve received your Assignment #1 e-mail I’ll reply with a secret
ID number for posting grades to the class website. If you do not have an e-mail account you will
need to get a LSSU Student Account. This assignment is due by the end of the day Friday (9/6).
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