Michelle Markley
Mount Holyoke College
mmarkley@mtholyoke.edu
.
Case Study of a Deformed Region
This activity focuses on the published literature about one major structure (for example, the
Moine Thrust or the San Andreas). In GSA-style presentations, each student orally presents the
methods, results, and interpretations of articles to the other students. Then each student writes a
paper that incorporates the material from many of the presentations. This activity is the final
project for the class (it takes the place of the final exam), and its strength is that students read,
think, and talk as structural geologists.
Context
Undergraduate required course in structural geology, mostly seniors and juniors
Students must have mastered content (all the structural geology background), and the ability to
distinguish between observations and interpretations.
.This project is a culminating project, at the end of the semester.
Goals of the Activity or Assignment
There are no particular content goals for this activity.
The higher order thinking skills goals are: synthesis of ideas, critical evaluation of competing
models
Other skills goals are: writing, oral presentation
Description
Please provide a short description of your activity or assignment and its outcomes. Please be sure to
include essential key words or index terms to help users find resources using our search/browse
functions. You will find a sample description below:
I cull articles from the structure literature on one particular region (for example, the San Andreas
Fault). Students pick 2 articles from the list (no sharing). During two 4 hour long symposia,
students give GSA-style oral presentations to each other in order to share the methods,
observations, and interpretations of the articles they chose. Then students write a final paper that
requires that they synthesize at least 5 of the articles (significantly more than just the ones they
picked to present). In this activity students practice sythesizing different kinds of observations and
they demonstrate the writing and speaking skills necessary to communicate research results and
implications. Students like this project because they "learn how to read articles."
.
Evaluation
Evaluation is with two grading rubrics: one for the oral presentations, one for the paper.
GEOL333 (Fall 2002) Structural Geology and Orogenesis
Tu Th 11:00 - 12:15. Labs Th 1:00 - 3:50. Mount Holyoke College
Michelle J. Markley
office: 325 Clapp Hall ; office phone: 538-2814; email: mmarkley@mtholyoke.edu
Objectives
This course covers the basic techniques of field geology, structural analysis, and
multidisciplinary approaches to mountain building (orogenesis). Lectures concentrate on field
techniques, stress, strain, faulting, folding, rock rheology, the relation between rock deformation
and metamorphism, isotopic systems and the thermal histories of rocks, and geological activity at
plate boundaries. Of seven labs, five are field trips that involve collection of original data. Five
short problem sets emphasize quantitative skills. During the final weeks of the semester, students
research the San Andreas Fault in California. Two short papers and two oral presentations
emphasize fluency in the published literature of structural geology. Class participation makes up
10% of the final grade.
Oral presentations
Each student will make two oral presentations to the class. During each presentation, students
will present material from an article on the geology of the San Andreas Fault. Please practice your
presentations at the Speaking Center. The syllabus contains a sheet called “Class Presentations”
that will serve as the format for grades on oral presentations. Each oral presentations makes up
10% of the final grade.
Short papers
Two short (3 page) papers are due during the semester. Each paper makes up 15% of the final
grade. This syllabus contains detailed descriptions of each paper topic and format. I will run labtime peer review sessions of first drafts of these papers. You must bring two copies of the
complete first draft of your paper to the peer review session and turn in the second draft on the date
specified in the syllabus, or you lose 1/3 of the credit for the paper (5% of your final grade).
******************************************
Guidelines for Paper #2
You MUST bring two copies of your first draft of paper #2 to lab on
Thursday December 12 in order to review it with your peers.
The final draft of paper #2 is due under my office door on Thursday December 19.
Attached MUST be the two copies of peer reviewed first drafts
Topics
Please choose one of the following topics:
• Identify an unresolved question about the San Andreas Fault that is geological, geophysical, or
tectonic. Convince your reader that this question is interesting. Propose a research project that
addresses this problem.
• The most exciting geological, geophysical, or tectonic epiphany I had during oral presentations
was...
Citations
Use five or more references from the articles presented (Markley, 2002). You may use your two
articles, although this is not required. In other words, you must reference and discuss at least three
other presentations. In the "References" section below, Markley (2002) gives an example of the
citation style you should use for your reference list.
References
Markley, M. J., 2002, Guidelines for research papers. Journal of Fabulous Pedagogy v.1, p. 876876.
******************************************
Class schedule for last part of the semester
Tu November 12: deformation mechanisms and microstructures (Chapter 4)
TOPICS: quartz microstructures, dislocation creep.
Th November 14: field trip to Brown University (11 a.m. - 4 p.m.)
Tu November 19: deformation mechanisms and microstructures, cont'd.
TOPICS: diffusion creep, recovery and recrystallization
Th November 21: student presentations on SAF
LAB TIME: student presentations on SAF
Tu November 26: deformation and metamorphism
TOPICS: relation between deformation and metamorphism; review of metamorphic petrology
and metamorphic facies, uplift and exhumation
Th November 28: NO CLASS
Tu December 3: Pressure-Temperature-time paths of rocks
TOPICS: isotopic systems; closure temperatures; P-T-t paths
Th December 5: student presentations on SAF
LAB TIME: student presentations on SAF
Tu December 10: orogenesis (Chapter 10)
TOPICS: the lithosphere, the origin and lifestyle of continental crust
Th December 12: last class
LAB TIME: peer review of paper #2
Th December 19: paper #2 due
GEOL333 Class Presentations
The point I most hope to convey to my audience is:
_______________________________________________________________________
Your talk must answer these questions:
Why should your audience care about this article?
What is the methodology and/or data set presented in this article?
What are the main conclusions of this article?
In your opinion, are these conclusions valid?
Student:___________________________________________________
Paper:____________________________________________________
Date:_____________________________________________________
Elements
organization
rating
weight total
x2=
-talk contains main divisions,
clear sub-points, and
transitions
content
x3=
-appropriate important point
-conveys important point to
audience
-reports methods and main
conclusions of article
-contains clear explanations
-time length
-rich in detail
visual aids
x2=
-clear, large, simple
-appropriate
-well-timed and presented
-enhancement of message
-clearly explained
physical delivery
=
-eye contact, gestures, poise
-vocal rate, pitch, volume
-vocabulary
introduction and
conclusions
-introduction gains attention &
contains central idea
-introduction previews
organization of talk
-conclusion contains summary
review and effective final
thought
TOTAL
(out of 40)
x2=
Comments
4 = excellent
3 = good
2 = poor
1 = wretched
Peer review of first drafts--paper #2
GEOL333 (Fall 2002) Structural Geology and Orogenesis
Please make detailed comments (use an extra sheet of paper if necessary) and return this to the
author. Each of these reviews MUST be turned in with the final draft of the paper.
**********
your name and date:_______________________________
manuscript author name:_________________________________
**********
Is the manuscript an appropriate length (3 pages, 1.5-spacing, 12 point font)?
Is the text clear and well written?
Is the manuscript well organized?
Does the manuscript clearly describe the observations and interpretations of a published scientific
paper?
Does the manuscript clearly state a creative idea or opinion (please restate the idea or opinion in
one sentence)?
Does the manuscript discuss and defend that idea or opinion with clear argumentation?
Are all the figures essential to the manuscript?
Do you recommend the inclusion of any other figures?
Are the figures informative and clear?
Do the figure captions provide adequate information without duplicating the main text?
GEOL333 Short Papers
Student:___________________________________________________
Date:______________________________________________________
Ratings
0 not OK
1 OK
2 great
Elements
Use of figures
Writing style and polish
Explains observations in literature
Explains interpretations in literature
Builds creatively and/or critically on literature
Presents and defends an original opinion or idea
On time with reviews
Rating
+6
TOTAL
(out of 18)
Further comments:
Background
Hill, Mason L.; San Andreas Fault; history of concepts; Geological
Society of America Bulletin 92, no. 3
(1981): 112-131
Jennings, C. W. (compiler), 1977: Geologic Map of California, 1:750,000. State of California,
Deptartment of Conservation, Division of Mines and Geology (Sacramento, CA), Geologic Data
Map No. 2.
Powell, R. E. & Weldon, R. J. 1992. Evolution of the San Andreas fault. Annual Reviews of Earth
and Planetary Sciences 20, 431-468.
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Choose 2, write about 5
Anderson, J. Lawford ; Osborne, Robert H.; Palmer, Donald F.; Cataclastic rocks of the San Gabriel Fault; an
expression of deformation at deeper crustal levels in the San Andreas fault zone; Tectonophysics 98, no. 3-4
(1983): 209-251
Barton, Colleen A. ; Zoback, Mark D.; Self-similar distribution and properties of macroscopic fractures at depth in
crystalline rock in the Cajon Pass scientific drill hole; Journal of Geophysical Research, B, Solid Earth and
Planets 97, no. 4 (1992): 5181-5200
Bilham, Roger ; King, Geoffrey; The morphology of strike-slip faults; examples from the San Andreas Fault,
California; Journal of Geophysical Research, B, Solid Earth and Planets 94, no. 8 (1989): 10,204-
10,216
Blenkinsop, Tom G. ; Sibson, Richard H.; Aseismic fracturing and cataclasis involving reaction softening within core
material from the Cajon Pass drill hole; Journal of Geophysical Research, B, Solid Earth and Planets 97,
no. 4 (1992): 5135-5144
Bloch, R. B., Huene, R.V., Hart, P.E., and Wentworth, C.M. 1993. Style and magnitude of tectonic
shortening normal to the San Andreas fault across the Pyramid Hills and Kettleman Hill South
Dome, California. Bulletin of the Geological Society of America 105, 464-478.
Bürgmann, R. 1991. Transpression along the Southern San Andreas fault, Durmid Hill, California.
Tectonics 10, 1152-1163.
Chester, F. M. ; Logan, John M.; Composite planar fabric of gouge from the Punchbowl Fault, California;
Journal of
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Chester, F. M. & Chester, J. S. 1998. Ultracataclasite structure and friction processes of the
Punchbowl fault, San Andreas system, California. Tectonophysics 295, 199-221.
Chester, F. M., Evans, J. P., & Biegel, R. L. 1993 Internal structure and weakening mechanisms of
the San Andreas fault. Journal of Geophysical Research 98, 771-786.
Dokka, Roy K.; The Mojave extensional belt of Southern California; Tectonics
8, no. 2 (1989): 363-390
Furlong, Kevin P. ; Hugo, William D. ; Zandt, George; Geometry and evolution of the San Andreas fault zone in
Northern California; Journal of Geophysical Research, B, Solid Earth and Planets 94, no. 3 (1989):
3100-3110
Graham, S. A. ; Stanley, R. G. ; Bent, J. V. ; Carter, J. B.; Oligocene and Miocene paleogeography of Central
California and displacement along the San Andreas Fault; Geological Society of America Bulletin 101,
no. 5
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Gratier, J.P., Hopps, T., Sorlien, C., and Wright, T. 1999. Recent crustal deformation in southern
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Neogene extension, Sierra San Fermín, northeastern Baja California, Mexico. Journal of
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of
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