Course Syllabus
TERM C / 2006 / IRVINE CAMPUS
ESCU 234, Earthquakes and California Tectonics, Sect. 410, 3.0 CREDITS
Dr. E. Erik Bender
voice : 714-432-5681
e-mail: ebender3@yahoo.com
office hours / or out of class time contact information
BULLETIN COURSE DESCRIPTION
The geologic and tectonic history of California with emphasis on the development of
the San Andreas Fault system. Fundamentals of geology and plate tectonics are
reviewed/introduced in light of the geologic evolution of California.
PREREQUISITES
None
RESTRICTIONS
None; course satisfies general education requirements
COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1 ) To introduce the basic concepts of geology and the plate tectonic theory in order to understand worldwide
seismic patterns.
2) To understand what earthquakes are, where they are located, why they occur, why magnitudes vary, the
fundamentals of earthquake preparedness, etc.
3) To give a broad introduction to the geologic evolution of , California from the Precambrian to Present.
4) To understand the development of the and Sierra Nevada Mountains, the Great Valley and Franciscan
complexes and the San Andreas Fault system.
5) To discuss historical earthquakes and earthquake risk in California.
MAJOR STUDY UNITS
1 ) Principles of geology, basic concepts
2) Plate tectonics, supporting concepts, worldwide seismicity
3) Principles of seismology
4) Determination of when the earthquake occurred from a seismograph, of the epicenter location of an
earthquake, and measuring the intensity of earthquakes
5) History of earthquakes in California; earthquake risk
6) Geology and tectonic evolution of California; including continental accretion of island arc systems,
development of and destruction of a continental-oceanic subduction zone, and the migration of the triple
junction and the initiation of strike-slip along the San Andreas System
INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES
Lectures with visual aids, hands-on exercises, research project.
REQUIRED TEXTS
Chapman On-Line Bookstore: WWW.mbsdirect.net/chapman
Keller, E. A, N. Pinter, Active Tectonics :Earthquakes, Uplift and Landscape (2nd ed.)
Prentice-Hall, 2001.
*STUDENT PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS
A – 90-100%
B – 80-89%
C – 70-79%
D – 60-69%
F – Below 60%
*METHODS OF EVALUATION FOR DETERMINING GRADES
A midterm (30% each), a comprehensive final (30 %), in class exercises (20%) and a term project/paper (20%).
ATTENDANCE AND OTHER CLASS POLICIES
Class Attendance policies are determined by each instructor and shall be included on the course outline
distributed during the first week of each class. The university recommends as a minimal policy that
students who are absent 20% of the course should be failed.
UNIVERSITY-LEVEL EXPOSITORY WRITING STANDARDS
The ability to express one’s ideas effectively is a hallmark of a quality higher education. Writing is,
therefore, one of the central activities at Chapman University through which students accumulate,
communicate and demonstrate learning.
Unless otherwise indicated by the instructor, all writing in Chapman University classes from postings on
electronic bulletin boards and PowerPoint presentations, to personal essays, to formal research papers will
be evaluated on the minimal essentials of Standard American English grammar, word choice, spelling and
punctuation, and on the integrity, creativity, reasonableness and accuracy of the information’s content.
Academic expository writing differs from other forms in that it usually:
• Has a topic that is narrow enough in scope to explore in some depth in the space allotted,
• Focuses its presentation by means of a clear statement of purpose (thesis statement,
hypothesis or
instructor posed question) and logically organized sub-topic paragraphs or sections,
• Utilizes a sentence style that is appropriate for its intended audience,
• Employs arguments that demonstrate principles of sound critical thinking,
• Substantiates abstractions, judgments and assertions with specific illustration, facts and evidence,
• Draws upon research whenever necessary and properly acknowledges the work of others.
Any material not original to the student must be cited in a recognized documentation format (such as APA
[American Psychological Association], ASA, MLA or the University of Chicago) appropriate to the
particular academic discipline. For a quick reference to documentation standards for various fields you may
refer to: www.chapman.edu/library/reference/styles. Use of information or material from outside sources
without proper citation is considered plagiarism and can be grounds for disciplinary action. See the
explanation of Academic Integrity below. All written work should be word processed or typed unless
otherwise specified and carefully proofread.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY
As a learning community of scholars , Chapman University emphasizes the ethical responsibility of all its
members to seek knowledge honestly and in good faith. Students are responsible for doing their own work,
and academic dishonesty of any kind will not be tolerated. "Violations of academic integrity include, but
are not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, or misrepresentation of information in oral or written form. Such
violations will be dealt with severely by the instructor, the dean/center director, and the standards
committee. Plagiarism means presenting someone else's idea or writing as if it were your own. If you use
someone else's idea or writing, be sure the source is clearly documented." Other guidelines for acceptable
student behavior are specified in the Chapman University College 2002-2003 Catalog.
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT STATEMENT
Any personal learning accommodations that may be needed by a student covered by the “Americans with
Disabilities Act” must be made known to the instructor as soon as possible. This is the student's
responsibility. Information about services, academic modifications and documentation requirements can
be obtained from the director of the Center for Academic Success at the Orange Campus at 714-997-6828
or from the director of a Chapman regional campus.
QUICK ACCESS TO THE ON-LINE CHAPMAN LIBRARY RESOURCES
http://www.chapman.edu/library/
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
Abbott, P. L., Natural Disasters, W. C. Brown, 2003
Bolt, B, Earthquakes, revised edition, W. H. Freeman, 1996.
Harden, D., California Geology, Prentice-Hall, 2003.
Hyndman, D. W., and D. D. Alt, Roadside Geology of Northern and Central California, Mountain Press, 2000.
McPhee, J., Assembling California, Noonday Press, 1994.
Montgomery, C. W., Environmental Geology, 4th ed., W. C. Brown, 1995.
Pipkin, B. W., Geology and the Environment, West Publishing, 1994.
Sharp, R. P., and A. F. Glazner, Geology Underfoot in Southern California, Mountain Press, 1993.
Yanev, P. I., Peace of Mind in Earthquake Country, Chronicle Books, 1991.
*INSTRUCTOR’S CLASS BY CLASS ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE
June 13th – Introduction, Plate Tectonics
June 20th - Faults and the Elastic Rebound Theory, Seismic Waves
June 27th – Exploring Inside the Earth
July 4th – No Classes
July 11th – Midterm Exam, The San Andreas Fault
July 18th – The Transverse Ranges, Volcanoes and Tsunami
July 25th – Earthquake Hazards, Earthquake Prediction
August 1st – Earthquake Preparation
August 8th – Where To and How To Build; Final Exam