GEOG 102-03: Introduction to Human Geography
Syllabus – Spring 2015
Instructor: Owen Bettis
MWF 12-12:50
Office: Butte Hall 525
Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursday 11-12:30 and Friday 10-12
Contact: obettis@csuchico.edu
Course Description:
In this course students will learn how the study of human geography leads to an understanding of the
interdependence of places and regions in a globalizing world. Among the topics we will consider during the
course are regions, culture, resources, and spatial behavior.
How the course fits the Diversity Pathway: This course presents fundamental geographic concepts in the
context of the world's places and regions. Special emphasis is placed on factors that link and isolate peoples of
the world. The course supports the pathway�s emphasis on understanding the world�s places and regions in a
comparative framework, and its focus on interdependencies that emerge from a globalized economy, society,
and culture. The course has the Global Cultures designation.
How the course fits the International Studies Pathway: This course presents fundamental geographic
concepts in the context of the world's places and regions. Special emphasis is placed on factors that link and
isolate peoples of the world. The course supports the pathway�s emphasis on understanding the world�s places
and regions in a comparative framework, and its focus on interdependencies that emerge from a globalized
economy, society, and culture. The course has the Global Cultures designation.
How the course fits the Sustainability Pathway: This course presents fundamental geographic concepts in the
context of the world's places and regions. Special emphasis is placed on factors that link and isolate peoples of
the world. The course supports the pathway�s emphasis on sustainability by engaging students in study of the
relationship between human populations and the physical world on which they depend. The course has the
Global Cultures designation.
Course Student Learning Objectives
Associated GE Student Learning
Objectives
� Global Engagement
� Students can explain interactions
between the size and distribution of human
and non-human populations, resources and
the natural environment in historic and
contemporary perspectives.
� Student will understand ways in which � Sustainability
they use the environment can affect future
generations and other human and natural
systems.
� Students understand their family�s
� Diversity
migration history in the context of
historical patterns of immigration and
migration that have shaped the
contemporary social landscape in the
United States, including comparative and
historical studies of the cultures of origin of
American ethnic groups.
How course will meet GE SLOs: This course will meet three GE SLOs, as noted in the table above. Global
engagement will be met by the entire course, which is already a global cultures course. The course will study
sustainability as a concept and challenge for humanity across the globe as it interacts with its diverse physical
environments. The course focuses on the ability of students to see how the lives they live in one place are
affected by and affect the lives of others elsewhere. Students will practice active inquiry in weekly question sets
that focus critically on the readings of each week.
Geography and Planning Department Course Student Learner Objectives
1.1 Students can formulate geographic research questions.
2.1. Students can recognize the presence and application of regional, local and global dimensions of the social
and physical worlds in the landscape.
2.2. Students can recognize the presence and application of regional, local and global dimensions of the social
and physical worlds in data.
3.1. Students can explain interactions between the size and distribution of human and non-human populations,
resources and the natural environment in historic and contemporary perspectives.
3.2. Students are cognizant of varying interpretations of causality, interaction, policy and values in humanenvironmental relationships.
3.3 Student will understand ways in which they use the environment can affect future generations and other
human and natural systems.
4.1. Students can analyze information from different physical or social sciences from a geographic perspective.
Required Materials: Buy used anywhere you can!
1.) Human Mosaic – Domosh 11th Edition
2.) Goode's World Atlas (22nd edition)
3.) Longitude: The Story of a Lone Genius who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of his Time.
Author: Dava Sobel
Grading/Assignments:
Orientation Writing Exercise
5 Map exercises (20 points each)
Migration History
Book Review – Longitude
National Park Paper
6 Reading Journals (10 points each)
Video Learning Journals (10 points each)
3 Explorations (20-30 points each)
Final Journal
Total points possible:
20 Points
100 points
100 points
100 points
100 points
60 points
30 points
70 points
20 points
600 points
Instructions for all assignments can be found on Blackboard Learn. We will go over the assignments in class
but it is your responsibility to get the map exercises from Blackboard Learn.
Journals:
Writing about something you have read is an essential skill in college. For 6 out of the 7 (you get one pass
week) dates on the schedule stating “Journal due” you are to write a one-page journal (12 pt. font, Times New
Roman, double-spaced) reflecting on the assigned reading. If it appears to me that you have read the material
and spent some time thinking about it, you receive full credit. We will be sharing these in small groups in class.
My goal in assigning the exercise is to get you into the habit of writing about what you have just read. Try to
avoid rehashing what you read and really focus on reflecting upon the material.
Late Work:
Late work is not accepted without a verifiable and excusable absence. Please just turn in your work on time.
Attendance:
Obviously, your regular attendance will greatly help you succeed in this course. Do not expect to do well if you
do not attend class. Though I will be taking attendance, I will not reduce your score for missed classes. Your
grade will drop all by itself if you miss too much class as you will miss quizzes and important information.
Also, if you do not miss a single class you will be awarded 20 extra credit points for your admirable efforts. If
you only miss one class, you will get 15 points, you will get 10 point if you miss 2 classes, etc.
Course Etiquette: Minor requests: Please, turn off cell phones in lecture and lab to avoid disruption. Please do
not eat in lecture (we’re ALL hungry!).
§ Student assignments will be handed back promptly. Any material not picked up in lecture/lab will be
retained for one semester, and then discarded.
Disability Support Services: If you have a documented disability that may require reasonable
accommodations, please contact Disability Support Services (DSS) for coordination of your academic
accommodations. DSS is located in the Student Services building across from Merriam Library. The DSS
phone number is 898-5959 or FAX 898-4411. Visit the DSS website at <http://www.csuchico.edu/dss/>.
Statement on Academic Honesty: Academic misconduct (as defined in the current California State University,
Chico catalogue, pg 47, 635) will not be tolerated. Students are encouraged to discuss course materials inside
and outside the classroom. However, all written material submitted by students must be their own work
exclusively. No answers to questions cribbed from other students, other classes or the Internet. The highest
standards of honesty are expected when taking exams: no sneaking, peeking or cheat sheeting. If you have any
questions about what constitutes academic dishonesty, or the consequences of academic misconduct, consult the
current university catalogue, the Office of Student Judicial Affairs (Kendall 112), or ask me.
**Cheating can and will earn you a zero on the assignment, and may result in failure of the course. Please
do your own work.**
Date
19-Jan
21-Jan
23-Jan
SCHEDULE*
Chapters/Reading
Assignments
MLKJ Day - No Class
Introduction, Syllabus, Explorations
signups
Orientation writing exercise due
Chp. 1 Human Geography - A Cultural Approach
26-Jan
28-Jan
30-Jan
Journal #1 Due - Chp. 2
Explorations
Chp. 2 Many Worlds - Geographies of Cultural
Difference
2-Feb
4-Feb
6-Feb
Journal #2 Due - Chp. 3
Explorations
Chp. 3 Population Geography - Shaping the Human
Mosaic
9-Feb
11-Feb
13-Feb
Family Migration History Due
**Make sure you have the book Longitude
by now**
Self Guided Video Exploration
16-Feb
18-Feb
20-Feb
Video Learning Journal #1 Due
Explorations
Map Exercise 1 Due
Chp. 4 Speaking about Places - The Geography of
Language
Chp. 5 Geographies of Race and Ethnicity
23-Feb
25-Feb
27-Feb
Journal #3 Due - Chp. 6
Explorations
Map Exercise 2 Due
Chp. 6 Political Geography - A Divided World
2-Mar
4-Mar
6-Mar
Journal #4 Due - Chp. 7
Explorations
Chp. 7 The Geograpy of Religion - Spaces and
Places of Sacredness
9-Mar
Book Review of Longitude (IN CLASS)**
See below for instructions
11-Mar
13-Mar
Self Guided Video Exploration
*First Exploration Due by now*
BRING PAPER TO WRITE ON
Chp. 8 Agriculture - The Geography of the Global
Food System
3/16 to
3/20
SPRING BREAK
23-Mar
25-Mar
27-Mar
Video Learning Journal #2 Due
Explorations
Map Exercise 3 Due
30-Mar
1-Apr
3-Apr
Cesar Chavez Day - No Class
Journal #5 Due - Chp. 9, Explorations
6-Apr
8-Apr
10-Apr
Journal #6 Due - Chp. 10
Explorations
Map Exercise 4 Due
Chp. 10 Urbanization - The City in Time and Place
13-Apr
15-Apr
17-Apr
Journal #7 Due - Chp. 11
Explorations
Chp. 11 Inside the City - A Cultural Mosaic
20-Apr
22-Apr
24-Apr
National Park Paper Due
Chp. 12 One World or Many - The Cultural
Geography of the Future
27-Apr
29-Apr
1-May
Video Learning Journal #3 Due
Explorations
Map Exercise 5 Due
4-May
6-May
8-May
Finals
Dead Week/Make up time
Chp. 8 cont'd
*Second Exploration Due by now*
Chp. 9 Geography of Economics
Self Guided Video Exploration - Chasing
Ice
TBA
*Third Exploration Due by now*
Date and time TBA - Final Journal Due
* Schedule is subject to change by instructor. Reasonable efforts to notify students will be made.
WRITING A BOOK REVIEW
READ THIS PAGE CAREFULLY BEFORE READING THE BOOK!
As you read, write down your thoughts and reactions; these will be invaluable later. Note that this is a writing exercise
(to practice and demonstrate writing skills) as much as a "test" on the book's contents.
*****The review will be written IN CLASS. Bring paper, a pen, optionally the book, and a dictionary/thesaurus. Notes
are not allowed. It is expected that you will write a practice review ahead of time, especially to check your writing speed:
time will pass quickly, please be prepared.
FORMAT: Label each section of the book review as follows (minus 5 pts for not doing so).
Introduction—The purpose of this introduction is to interest your reader into reading the rest of the review, to
capture their attention (sometimes called a “hook”). Be concise (one short paragraph), original, and even creative (avoid
"This book was written by . . ."). Save the details and the descriptive material about the book for the overview section.
However, make sure to mention the book by name in the intro.
Overview--A brief overview of the book's contents MUST be included, along with necessary details about the
book, author, setting, time frame, purpose and so on, whatever is essential information to the reader of your review.
This will likely require two, at most three paragraphs.
(The intro and overview are largely descriptive and objective and will comprise, at most, 40% of the total review. Make
sure that you follow this direction. )
Commentary—[This section generally includes your reactions, comments, criticisms, and praises of the book.]
For this review, I want you to focus in the commentary on how this book fits into the context of this course (lectures,
videos, textbook). Show me how well you recognized in this book the cultural geography you have been learning.
Remember: this part is your analysis of the book and the author, not your essay on the topic of the book. In other words,
be sure to address the book and the author; make frequent references to both (at least once every paragraph). The
commentary should include at least four distinct points you are making about the book, each point developed into its own
paragraph.
***This section is analytical (more challenging than the first two sections) and should comprise the MAJORITY of your
review.
Conclusion—You must include a definitive conclusion, perhaps summary comments. The conclusion to a book
review must contain a specific mention of the book.
REMINDERS:
 Expect penalties in points if you fail to follow these directions.
 Avoid the trap of too much `retelling' of the story.
 Do not assume the instructor/grader has read the book; provide the essential explanations.
 The analytical portion should emphasize your own viewpoint; special attention should be devoted to your insights and
reactions, especially as they pertain to course contents. You are welcome to write in first person.
 Strive for originality in your comments (without going to extremes).
 Maintain a proper balance between generalizations and details/examples; include both! Paragraphs likely
begin with a generalization, followed by supporting details/examples.
 While your sentiments can provide valuable ideas, avoid strictly and overly emotional responses.