GEOSCIENCES 150: INTRODUCTION TO OCEAN SCIENCES
ONLINE July 21-August 16, 2014
Instructor:
Email:
Office:
Textbook:
Dr. Margaret Fraiser
mfraiser@uwm.edu
Lapham Hall 356
Investigating Oceanography, Sverdrup and Kudela, 2014, McGraw-Hill
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
This course is designed primarily for students fulfilling general education requirements
in science. Ideally, you also have some interest in the ocean! We will discuss a
variety of facts, concepts, and processes about the world’s ocean within the broader
fields of geology, chemistry, and biology. I’ll use lectures, voice-overs, videos, the
textbook, and websites as teaching tools. I hope that your experience in this course
strengthens a life-long interest in the natural world, as well as your ability to make
informed decisions about scientific issues confronting society.
LEARNING
MODULE
TOPIC
History of Oceanography (from the Pleistocene to the present)
The Water Planet (Earth’s origin & age)
1:
The
Fundamentals
Plate Tectonics (Earth’s layers, continental drift, seafloor spreading)
The Seafloor (geographic & geologic features)
Properties of Marine Water (physical and chemical)
Earth’s Atmosphere (properties, structure, & circulation)
2:
Atmosphere/
Ocean
Interactions
Surface Ocean Circulation
Ocean Waves and Tides
Deep Ocean Circulation
Coasts and Beaches (processes & environments)
Marine Ecology Basics (biology, environments, and evolution)
3:
Marine Life
Marine Primary Productivity
Nekton and Benthos in the Ocean
Ancient and Modern Climate Change (the ocean’s role)
4:
Relevance to
Humanity
Marine Resources
Human Impacts on the Ocean
PAGES IN
TEXTBOOK
prologue & 36-39
25-34, 42-43
51-53, 55-59, 6578
83-101
111-135, 139144
151-156, 158175
181-186, 191198, 201-204,
175-178
214-218, 223234, 244-249
186-191
264-279
288-290, 292302, 330-331,
334
308-309, 322330
340-364, 368391
102-105, 423438
105-108, 145147, 239-241,
258-260
396-411, 414418
1
COURSE LOGISTICS:
This course requires that you are comfortable and knowledgeable working in an online
environment. You are required to have:
 Routine access to the World Wide Web via a laptop or desktop computer.
 Routine access to a word processing computer software application, such as
Microsoft Word.
 Routine access to your UWM PantherMail account.
 Routine access to UWM’s web-based learning environment, D2L
(http://d2l.uwm.edu/).
 Routine access of McGraw-Hill’s Connect program (see below).
 Access to the textbook (either print or ebook on ConnectPlus) (see below).
About Connect: You will use Connect to take practice quizzes, access
LearnSmart study modules, and listen to recorded lectures (see next section on
Course Design for details). There are two options when purchasing a registration code
to the Connect system: 1) ConnectPlus will give you access to all required quizzes,
study modules, and recorded lectures, and ALSO includes an electronic version of the
textbook. 2) Connect alone gives you access to all required quizzes, study modules,
and recorded lectures, but it does NOT include an electronic version of the textbook. If
you purchase a print version of the textbook from the bookstore or elsewhere, you can
purchase Connect separately online at the link listed below.
Do whatever combination of Connect access and textbook version works for you,
but keep in mind that you are required to at least have access to the Connect system.
A short trial period for the system is available for free at the website below; you may
want to use this if you are unsure about completing the class.
Course web address:
http://connect.mcgraw-hill.com/class/m_fraiser_summer_2014 .
To register on the course website: http://create.mcgraw-hill.com/wordpressmu/success-academy/preventing-common-registration-problems/?new_window=1 .
***Enter the promotional code Summer14 to get a major reduction in the cost of
ConnectPlus.***
For problems with the website: http://www.connectstudentsuccess.com .
Questions regarding administrative issues with the course should be directed to the
public discussion forums on the class D2L site. Peruse problems that have already
posted by your classmates as your specific issue may already have been addressed.
BEFORE CLASS STARTS:
 Read the syllabus.
 Gain access to Connect or ConnectPlus.
 Navigate the course site on D2L.
2
COURSE DESIGN:
Performance in online classes is largely self-motivated. Treat this class as you would a
face-to-face class and set aside time to ‘go to lecture’. There is a lot of material to
handle in a very small amount of time. My suggestion is to work on the class every
day to stay on the top of it. There are 4 major parts to Geosciences 150 class
structure:

Topic Presentation: Each Topic in the Learning Modules will be presented in a
recorded lecture on Connect. The lecture will consist of a PowerPoint
presentation of the material and a short narration. The lectures may also
include some short animations, video clips, reviews of websites, and some
drawings. So, it will be a bit like attending a face-to-face lecture. For example, I
might discuss the slides for a while, then make a drawing or show a short video
clip, and then go back to the lecture. Each lecture will be available for the entire
semester. PowerPoint presentation outlines will be available to you for notetaking in the content section of the Geosciences 150 site on D2L. Make sure
you use these only as supplements, not substitutes for the recorded lectures,
because they do not contain everything in the lectures.

Participation: The goals for the participation aspect of this course are for you
to integrate and apply knowledge; link knowledge to real situations; provide an
alternative learning environment; and to create community with the class.
Participation in this class will comprise 20% of your final grade. I can track the
day, time, and duration of every action you take in the Geosciences 150 D2L
and Connect pages, and I will use this capability to calculate the participation
portion of your grade. Due dates for the participation activities are listed in the
schedule below. There are 3 ways to facilitate learning via participation in this
class:
LearnSmart study modules: These study modules are found in Connect; the
specific textbook chapters corresponding to each learning module are found in
the table below. LearnSmart is a fantastic way to study the material for this
course because it contains exercises for previewing and reading the chapters,
practicing quizzes and exams, and recharging (going back over items you need
a little more help with). I think that it actually makes studying fun, and helps your
subject comprehension and retention. The animations and links are chosen
carefully to supplement the material covered for each subject. These are fair
game for practice quiz and exam questions. Use them to your advantage, and
not just to get a few participation points. You can receive up to 10 points or 1%
of your final grade per each of the 4 learning modules JUST BY STUDYING.
Posts to D2L discussion topics: The Discussion area in D2L is for sharing
information with your classmates and instructor. For each learning module there
are topics for questions about technology, administrative issues, and chapter
3
and quiz materials. Anything posted in discussions will be seen by all class
participants, so keep your postings polite and professional. These posts
combined are worth 4% of your final grade.
Practice quizzes: There will be one practice quiz per learning module (see
tables below). These quizzes will help you understand the material that will be
covered on the exams, and will give you an idea of how much more you need to
study to be well-prepared for them. The quizzes should be taken after you have
reviewed the LearnSmart pages at least. The quizzes consist of 25 multiplechoice and true/false questions, and you will be given 15 minutes to take each.
You will be able to receive hints on each question and inquire me about things,
and, at the end of each quiz, you will see each question you got wrong without
the correct answer. I suggest you write down these problematic questions and
find the answers before you take the exam. See the schedule table below for
the deadlines by which to take the quizzes. For the quiz questions that seem to
be particularly problematic, I will post answers in the discussion area on D2L
after the quiz is closed. Each of the 4 practice quizzes are worth 3% of your
final grade.

Writing-to-learn: Studies have shown that students learn science more
effectively and gain greater confidence in the subject material when they
conduct scientific writing. Writing-to-learn will help you gain a deeper
understanding of concepts and scientific thinking, and will help you move away
from simply memorizing facts.
Learning Journals: For each of the 4 learning modules, there will be a
question or two posted to D2L based on topics in the module and related to
current events. Use the space provided in each assignment to address each
topic. Submissions should be a single Word file that is single-spaced; typed;
and in a 12-point font. See the content pages on D2L for the rubric I will use to
evaluate the learning journals. Each learning journal will be worth 5% of your
final grade. Due dates for the learning journals are listed in the schedule below.
Keep in mind that I can access any website that you can access, so do not
plagiarize! Check out this information from the UWM Libraries on how to NOT
plagiarize: http://guides.library.uwm.edu/content.php?pid=217260&sid=1806375

Exams: There will be 4 exams each worth 15% of your final grade; the exams
are not cumulative. You may NOT work with others during the exams. Each
exam will be open only for one hour once you start it, and they will consist of
approximately 50 questions. You will have one attempt to take each exam, and
you must do so in one sitting, so allow yourself enough time (and privacy) to
complete it. Deadlines for taking the exams are included in the schedule below.
Exams will focus on material presented in the lectures on Connect. Material in
the textbook not covered in the lectures will not be on the exams. You should
expect ALL information in the lectures to be covered in the exams. The exams
4
will be closed notes and closed book. Exams will consist of 50 multiple choice
and true/false questions, many of which will contain figures and drawings.
Grades will be posted on D2L.
COURSE SCHEDULE:
Since this online course is largely self-motivated, you will be able to work at your own
pace. The deadlines shown below represent the LAST DAY AND TIME that each
activity will be accepted. Deadlines are firm; PLAN ACCORDINGLY. Notice that the
times that activities in Modules 1 and 2 are different from those of Modules 3 and 4.
Contact me as soon as possible in the case of extenuating circumstances, such as
military duty, severe medical conditions, or family emergencies, and we will work
together on a solution.
LEARNING
MODULE
ACTIVITY
Participation
1
LearnSmart study modules for
the Prologue & Chs.1,2,3,4,5
D2L posts
Module 1 Practice Quiz
Learning journal
Exam
Participation
2
3
LearnSmart study modules for
Chs. 6,7,8,9,10
D2L posts
Module 2 Practice Quiz
4
Learning journal
Exam
Aug. 5, 8:00 am
Aug. 5, 8:00 am
Aug. 5, 8:00 am
LearnSmart study modules for
Chs. 11,12,13,14
D2L posts
Module 3 Practice Quiz
Learning journal
Exam
Participation
July 29, 8:00 am
July 29, 8:00 am
July 29, 8:00 am
Learning journal
Exam
Participation
DEADLINES
Aug. 11, 11:59 pm
Aug. 11, 11:59 pm
Aug. 11, 11:59 pm
LearnSmart study modules for
Chs. 15,16 & portions of 3,5,8,9
D2L posts
Module 4 Practice Quiz
Aug. 16, 11:59 pm
Aug. 16, 11:59 pm
Aug. 16, 11:59 pm
COURSE GRADING:
5
Participation
Writing-to-learn
Assessments
ACTIVITIES
Practice quizzes (4)
Posts to D2L
discussions
LearnSmart study
modules
Learning journals (4)
Exams (4)
POINT VALUE
25 each
% OF FINAL GRADE
3% each, 12% total
1 each
1% each, 4% total
10 each
1% each, 4% total
10 each
100 each
5% each, 20% total
15% each; 60% total
Final grades will NOT be rounded up. For example, a final grade average of 89.7 is
a B+. With some hard work, you should all be able to earn an A in this course.
ALL ISSUES PERTAINING TO EXAMS, MAKE-UP EXAMS AND EXTRA CREDIT
MUST BE RESOLVED BEFORE THE END OF THE SESSION. Final grades will be
determined as follows:
≥90= A, A60-69= D+, D, D80-89= B+, B, B≤59= F—not passing
70-79= C+, C, CEXPECTATIONS:
You can expect me to:
1) present information as clearly as possible.
2) welcome questions at any time.
3) be kind to you and respectful of you at all times.
I expect you to:
1) refer to this syllabus and the content on D2L for the answers to frequently
asked questions BEFORE you ask me what topics the exams cover, etc.
2) follow the simple rules of e-mail etiquette. Please sign your name at the end
of your messages so that your classmates and I know with whom we are
communicating. Do not e-mail or post to D2L questions or comments that
you would not ask or tell us in person. I will try my hardest to reply to your email messages within one weekday’s working hours.
3) appreciate science. I realize that most of you are not science majors, but
part of being an adult college student is being able to appreciate subjects
distantly related to the one that you study.
4) stay on top of your studying. It is YOUR responsibility, not mine, to plan
enough study time and to make sure that you understand the concepts. I
am here to facilitate your learning—JUST ASK.
5) be respectful of me—I’m human, too.
IMPORTANT UWM WORLD WIDE WEB LINKS:
6
1. Students with disabilities. Notice to these students should appear prominently in the syllabus so that special
accommodations are provided in a timely manner. http://www4.uwm.edu/sac/SACltr.pdf
2. Religious observances. Accommodations for absences due to religious observance should be noted.
http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S1.5.htm
3. Students called to active military duty. Accommodations for absences due to call-up of reserves to active
military duty should be noted.
Students:
http://www4.uwm.edu/current_students/military_call_up.cfm
Employees:
http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S40.htm (Editorially Revised, 3/25/09)
4. Incompletes. A notation of "incomplete" may be given in lieu of a final grade to a student who has carried a
subject successfully until the end of a semester but who, because of illness or other unusual and
substantiated cause beyond the student's control, has been unable to take or complete the final
examination or to complete some limited amount of term work.
http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S31.pdf
5. Discriminatory conduct (such as sexual harassment). Discriminatory conduct will not be tolerated by the
University. It poisons the work and learning environment of the University and threatens the careers,
educational experience, and well-being of students, faculty, and staff.
http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S47.pdf
6. Academic misconduct. Cheating on exams or plagiarism are violations of the academic honor code and carry
severe sanctions, including failing a course or even suspension or dismissal from the University.
http://www4.uwm.edu/acad_aff/policy/academicmisconduct.cfm
7. Complaint procedures. Students may direct complaints to the head of the academic unit or department in which
the complaint occurs. If the complaint allegedly violates a specific university policy, it may be directed to
the head of the department or academic unit in which the complaint occurred or to the appropriate
university office responsible for enforcing the policy. http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S49.7.htm
8. Grade appeal procedures. A student may appeal a grade on the grounds that it is based on a capricious or
arbitrary decision of the course instructor. Such an appeal shall follow the established procedures adopted
by the department, college, or school in which the course resides or in the case of graduate students, the
Graduate School. These procedures are available in writing from the respective department chairperson or
the Academic Dean of the College/School. http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S28.htm
9. Other The final exam requirement, the final exam date requirement, etc.
http://www4.uwm.edu/secu/docs/other/S22.htm
10. Selected Academic and Administrative Policy 24.5, Firearms and Dangerous Weapons Policy. (Editorially
Revised, 8/26/11)
7
Getting access to & getting help for a course that uses Desire2Learn (D2L)
for its Web site
Materials for this course are available on a Desire2Learn (D2L) course Web site. You may see these materials
there anytime you wish, using a standard Web browser. If you have a PC-compatible computer, it is preferable to
use Internet Explorer 6 as your browser for D2L. If you have a Mac, it is preferable to use Mac OS X and
Netscape 7.1. You should also make sure that your browser has “Java-scripts” enabled for Java version 1.3 or
higher. (If you have any questions about these preferences, contact Help as described at the bottom of the page.)
In order to find and browse the course Web site:
1. Call up your Web browser and go to the UWM home page: http://www.uwm.edu
2. From the UWM home page, click on the “E-learning, D2L” link near the top right of the screen.
3. On the next screen, click on the Desire2Learn logo.
4. This will bring up the Desire2Learn welcome screen. You will see a location to enter your Username and
Password.
5. Your Username is your ePanther username (the same username as your ePanther campus email), without the
“@uwm.edu” part. Do not hit Enter after you have typed in your username! Either hit the Tab key on your
keyboard, or use the mouse to click in the box next to Password.
6. Your Password is your ePanther password. After you have typed in your ePanther password, then please hit
Login.
7. You should then see a My Home screen. You will see on the screen a list of My Milwaukee Courses. There
is a + next to the words Spring 2006; click on the + sign. You will then see a + next to the name of any
department in which you are enrolled in a course that uses D2L, for example, + BUS-Business Management
or + L&S-Biological Sciences. Click on that + too. Finally, you will see a course title underlined in blue.
That is a hot link: click on it and you will enter your course Home Page.
8. Once you are on the My Home screen, you will see links on the left side of your screen that allow you to
change your ePanther password or forward your ePanther email to your preferred private email address.
9. If you have any difficulty getting on the course Web site, please close down your Web browser completely
and open it up again, then try logging on again using the instructions above. If you do not know your ePanther
username or password, please get help as indicated below.
10. When you are finished looking around the course Web site, always click on Logout if you are in a computer
lab, or at least shut down your Web browser. Otherwise, the next person who uses the machine will be using
your course account!
What to do if you have problems with Desire2Learn (D2L)
If you have problems with your login (e.g., you forgot your password, or if you just can’t get on) or if you run into
any other typical Desire2Learn difficulties, help is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You may do one of the
following:
 Send an email to help@uwm.edu
 Pick up a phone and call 414.229.4040 if you are in Metro Milwaukee (or just 4040 on a UWM campus
phone)
 Go to Bolton 225 (this lab is not open all day or on weekends – check for specific hours)
 Go to EMS E173A (this is a 24/7 lab)
 If you are calling from off campus but within Wisconsin or within the USA, call 1.877.381.3459.
http://www.uwm.edu/Dept/LTC/student_help/student.help.htm
8
STUDY SUGGESTIONS FOR INTRODUCTORY COURSES
(Developed by Dr. Marshall Darley, Department of Botany, University of Georgia)
Reading Assignments
A science textbook cannot be read the way you would read a novel. Begin by pre-reading the chapter; glance at the
section headings, charts and tables in order to organize the material in your mind and stimulate your curiosity. This
will make it easier to read the chapter and extract more information from it.
Realize that reading is not studying. Reading is a form of passive learning that is the least efficient and least
effective way for most people to learn. (Listening is another form of passive learning.) Active learning involves
reprocessing and using the information in some way and is much more efficient and effective way to learn. To turn
passive reading of the text into active learning, stop frequently (at least every paragraph) and consider what you
have just read. What is the concept being discussed? Put it in your own words (out loud or by writing it down); by
doing so you are reprocessing and using the information presented in the text. Place a few key notes in the book's
margin; make sure these notes include all new terms and illustrative examples. (Extensive high-lighting of your
text does not constitute active learning and generally is a waste of time. The author has usually already put the key
words in bold print.)
Learning the Material
Taking lecture notes is a form of active learning if done properly. Simply writing down what is written on the
board is passive learning (it's a start, but is not as effective as it could be). To get the most out of taking lecture
notes, do it in a systematic manner. Before class read the textbook material to be covered in lecture. You will then
use class time more efficiently because you will learn more form the lecture, and you will be able to take better
notes having been introduced to many of the concepts in the text. During lecture do not attempt to write down
every word that is said; that approach is futile and unnecessary. Instead, focus on the major ideas. Once you
understand a point that is being made, write it down in your own words (i.e. practice active learning), making sure
to include any new terms, illustrative examples, diagrams, or lists which may be given. Leave three inches on the
left hand side of your page so that you can add notes after class to amplify the major points of each lecture as well
as fill in gaps and add relevant information from the textbook or lab manual. For the best results this should be
done before the next lecture. Simply rewriting lecture notes word for word is not active learning.
If you don't come to class, you will have to rely on other student's notes to obtain a brief overview of what was
said (those notes often only contain what was written on the board and sometimes contain errors--even notes taken
by "A" students).
Most of you will be able to follow the lectures; that is, the presentation will make sense to you as it is given. Don't
be fooled, however, into believing that being able to follow a lecture constitutes understanding the material well
enough to answer questions on the exam. It will be necessary for you to actually study the lecture content
(hopefully while it is still fresh in your mind) for you to be able to use that information during the exam. Some of
the questions on exams require that you combine (integrate) information from two sources to arrive at the answer;
in other questions you will have to apply information you have learned to a new situation. Just memorizing the
material is not enough to do well on exams-- you will need to understand the material so you can use and/or apply
it.
Lecturers frequently approach a subject by presenting the "big picture" first — explaining the what and the why of
the subject, then subsequently presenting the details, the how, of the subject. In your studying you should use this
same approach. Start out by making sure you understand the big picture and then study the details that should help
you understand and remember the big picture. The objective here is to understand the material, not simply
memorize it. If you understand something, you can relate it to other knowledge you have, you can apply it to new
situations (including exam questions) and you will find that it is easier to remember the material because it "makes
sense". Something you have memorized is often harder to remember because it doesn't "make sense".
Summarize information by making your own diagrams and tables that will allow you to rehearse and test yourself
on the material. Rehearsal and self-testing are crucial steps in the active learning process.
9
Relate new information to other, related information. As you study, ask yourself "In what way is it similar to or
different from a similar process or structure?"
Study with a friend in the class. Take turns explaining the material to each other. Explain a concept, process, or
life cycle as a story that unfolds logically from point A to point B to point C etc. with one event or item leading
naturally to the next, just as they would in a story. Verbalizing the material is one of the best forms of active
learning because it forces you to organize it in your own mind and helps you remember it. Teaching a subject is
the best way to learn it--ask any teacher.
Take advantage of the pictures and figures in the text (a picture is worth a thousand words). Some of these
illustrations will be covered in lecture and you will be expected to understand the concept being illustrated.
There is too much new material in a science class to be able to learn three weeks' worth of material the night
before an exam. New terms are introduced faster in science courses than in foreign language courses. You must
keep up. Interact with the course material on a daily basis; learn the new words, concepts, structures, and their
functions. Review your text material and lecture notes daily so that you can avoid cramming at test time. Daily
studying and rehearsal helps get information into long-term memory.
THE BOTTOM LINE-- Your instructors are here to help you learn this material, but you are the one who
has to make the effort and do the learning. Daily, active learning (thinking about the information, putting it in
context and, especially, putting it in your own words) is the most efficient and most effective way to learn. Your
time and money are valuable; make the best possible use of the time you spend studying for this course.
10