Core Geology 3.32 Online NET A/B
Spring 2010
http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/geology/leveson/core/corehome.html
Class Schedule
and Location
Instructors
Office Hours
Wednesday: 6:05-7:45 pm 3127 Ingersoll Hall
Michelle O’Dea
George Lozefski
Peter Matt
modea@brookyln.cuny.edu
glozefski@brooklyn.cuny.edu
MP0168@bcmail.brooklyn.cuny.edu
3114 Ingersoll Hall
3114 Ingersoll Hall
3114 Ingersoll Hall
Weekly Tuesday 12-1 pm
See below
See below
Course Overview: Through the use of an interactive website, this course introduces students to several
important topics in geology. These include the distinctive characteristics of rocks and minerals, the
interpretation of specialized maps, the theory of plate tectonics and the processes by which rocks form
from earth materials. It provides on-line exercises to present and explain each topic. The website
provides all the resources and information required to gain mastery of the subject matter. Links to the
on-line exercises and to course information (such as the course calendar, exam and assignment due
dates, grading practices, etc.) are found on the course home page.
Learning Objectives:
1. Students will become familiar with the methods used to identify minerals and rocks using
virtual hand samples.
2. Students will learn to interpret various kinds of maps including topographic and geologic.
3. Students will be able to explain the elements of plate tectonic theory using appropriate
terminology. Students will understand the varieties of plate margins and their effects on
processes like earthquakes and volcanism.
4. Students will gain a basic understanding of deep earth and surface processes involved in rock
formation including magmatism, metamorphism and sedimentation.
5. Students will develop their skills in logical thinking and clear scientific writing.
6. Students will learn the importance of following specific procedures in the virtual lab to obtain
verifiable results.
BE WARNED: The online section of Core 3.32 is extremely time intensive. Also do not be fooled in
thinking the class will be easier because it is an online course. The course is set up such that you cannot
just complete the assignments BUT rather complete each entire section before attempting to complete
the assignments. It has been proven students who attempt to go the “quick route” end up doing
poorly in this class.
STUDENTS MAY NOT BE REGISTERED FOR ANY OTHER COURSES THAT CONFLICT WITH THIS COURSE’S
MEETINGS AND EXAMS.
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Textbook:
No textbook for this class.
Assessment: Assignments
Quiz
Exam 1
Exam 2
Final Exam
5%
5%
25%
25%
40%
4 online assignments
1 online quiz
Minerals and Maps (multiple choice, T/F)
Plate Tectonics and the Fourth Dimension (multiple choice, T/F)
Cumulative (multiple choice, T/F)
There is no extra credit for this class.
Absence for Exam 1 or Exam 2 will result in a grade of zero. Make-up exams are not
given in this course. Violations of academic integrity (see attached description) will
result in a grade of zero for the assessment during which the incident occurred, and may
result in further disciplinary actions.
Grades will be based on the following scale:
90 – 100 A
80 – 90 B
70 – 80 C
60 – 70 D
Below 60 F
Email:
We will use email to communicate with the class. Be sure to assign the email account
that you check often to your Brooklyn College Portal because emails will be sent
through the BC Portal system. Failure to do so will result in missed emails and
potentially important class information.
Email Correspondence: For ANY correspondence please arrange the subject line as follows:
Section (NET A or NET B), last name, first name, and the content designation
For example:
“NET 1A, Smith, Terry, Minerals Part II submission”
“NET 1B, Goldfinger, Filene, question about maps”
Failure to follow this format will result in your email being lost or a delay in its being read.
Class ID:
You will be assigned a class ID number. For all assignments, fill in your ‘official’ name
and class ID number in the indicated places on the submission form. Keep a copy of
everything you submit. If you don’t finish an assignment in one sitting, make sure to
copy the email submission form before you close it, because when you close it all
entered information will be lost.
**To begin the first assignment you will need your class ID number. Your class ID number can be found
under “class ID” on the homepage**
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Assignments: There are 7 assignments, 4 of which are to be submitted by email and graded. Submitted
assignments must be sent before 11:59 PM on the due date.
Please note that if an assignment is not submitted on time, it will receive a zero.
-NO EXCEPTIONS-
Assignment
Begin
Complete by
First In class
meeting
Mineral I and II
2/3
2/10
Maps I
2/10
2/17
Maps II
2/17
2/24
Maps III/IV
2/24
3/3
Exam 1
Submit by
Submit to/office hours
February 3, 2010 6:05-7:45 pm 3127N
Mineral II only
2/10
Nothing to
submit
2/24
Nothing to
submit
Peter: MP0168@bcmail.brooklyn.cuny.edu
2/9/10 from 5-6 pm
George: glozefski@brooklyn.cuny.edu
2/17/10 from 6-7 pm
George: glozefski@brooklyn.cuny.edu
2/22/10 from 6-7 pm
George: glozefski@brooklyn.cuny.edu
3/1/10 from 6-7 pm
March 10, 2010 6:05-7:45 pm 3127N covering Minerals I/II and Maps I-IV
George 3/8 from 6-7 pm; Michelle 3/9 from 12-1 pm; Peter 3/9 from 5-6 pm
Plate Tectonics
3/10
3/24
3/24
Plate Tectonics
QUIZ
Fourth Dimension
3/24
4/7
4/7
4/7
4/28
4/28
Peter: MP0168@bcmail.brooklyn.cuny.edu
3/23/10 from 5-6 pm
Peter: MP0168@bcmail.brooklyn.cuny.edu
Available by email over break
Michelle: modea@brookyln.cuny.edu
Tuesdays from 12-1/by appt
May 5, 2010 6:05-7:45 pm 3127N covering 4th Dimension I/II and Plate Tectonics
Exam 2
George 5/3 from 6-7 pm; Michelle 5/4 from 12-1; Peter 5/4 from 5-6 pm
Final Exam
Monday, May 24, 2010 3:30-5:30 pm 3127N (Cumulative)
George 5/17 from 6-7 pm; Michelle 5/18 from 12-1 pm; Peter 5/18 from 5-6 pm
Getting Help: If you need help with content of the website or have general questions regarding
the course contact Michelle (modea@brooklyn.cuny.edu).
For questions regarding assignments please contact the appropriate instructor (see
above table).
 All office hours are held in room 3114 Ingersoll Hall.
To discuss graded assignments, come in during office hours with a printout of the
completed, graded assignment.
Instructors will respond to all email inquires within 48 hours during the week and
for email received over the weekend a response will be sent within 48 hours from
that Monday.
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University's Policy on Academic Integrity
The faculty and administration of Brooklyn College support an environment free from cheating and
plagiarism. Each student is responsible for being aware of what constitutes cheating and plagiarism
and for avoiding both. The complete text of the CUNY Academic Integrity Policy and the Brooklyn
College procedure for implementing that policy can be found at this site:
http://www.brooklyn.cuny.edu/bc/policies. If a faculty member suspects a violation of academic
integrity and, upon investigation, confirms that violation, or if the student admits the violation, the
faculty member MUST report the violation.
Definitions and Examples of Academic Dishonesty
Cheating is the unauthorized use or attempted use of material, information, notes, study aids, devices
or communication during an academic exercise. The following are some examples of cheating, but by
no means is it an exhaustive list:
• Copying from another student during an examination or allowing another to copy your work.
• Unauthorized collaboration on a take home assignment or examination.
• Using notes during a closed book examination.
• Taking an examination for another student, or asking or allowing another student to take an
examination for you.
• Changing a graded exam and returning it for more credit.
• Submitting substantial portions of the same paper to more than one course without consulting with
each instructor.
• Preparing answers or writing notes in a blue book (exam booklet) before an examination. Allowing
others to research and write assigned papers or do assigned projects, including use of commercial term
paper services.
• Giving assistance to acts of academic misconduct/dishonesty.
• Fabricating data (all or in part).
• Submitting someone else’s work as your own.
• Unauthorized use during an examination of any electronic devices such as cell phones, palm pilots,
computers or other technologies to retrieve or send information.
Plagiarism is the act of presenting another person’s ideas, research or writings as your own.
The following are some examples of plagiarism, but by no means is it an exhaustive list:
• Copying another person’s actual works without the use of quotation marks and footnotes attributing
the words to their source.
• Presenting another person’s ideas or theories in your own words without acknowledging the source.
• Using information that is not common knowledge without acknowledging the source.
• Failing to Acknowledge collaborators on homework and laboratory assignments.
Internet plagiarism includes submitting downloaded term papers or parts of term papers,
paraphrasing or copying information from the internet without citing the source, and “cutting &
pasting” from various sources without proper attribution.
Obtaining Unfair Advantage is any activity that intentionally or unintentionally gives a student an
unfair advantage in his/her academic work over another student.
The following are some examples of obtaining an unfair advantage, but by no means is it an exhaustive
list:
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• Stealing, reproducing, circulating or otherwise gaining advance access to examination materials.
• Depriving other students of access to library materials by stealing, destroying, defacing, or concealing
them.
• Retaining, using or circulating examination materials which clearly indicate that they should be
returned at the end of the exam.
• Intentionally obstructing or interfering with another student’s work.
The following statement in reference to the Center for Student Disability Services:
In order to receive disability-related academic accommodations students must first be
registered with the Center for Student Disability Services. Students who have a documented
disability or suspect they may have a disability are invited to set up an appointment with the
Director of the Center for Student Disability Services, Ms. Valerie Stewart-Lovell at 718-9515538. If you have already registered with the Center for Student Disability Services please
provide your professor with the course accommodation form and discuss your specific
accommodation with him/her.
College policy (state law) regarding non-attendance because of religious beliefs
Please read p53 in the Brooklyn College Bulletin.
College deadlines:
1. Wednesday, February 3 Last day to add a course;
2. Wednesday, February 10 Last day to file Pass/Fail application;
3. Wednesday, February 17 Last day to drop a course without a grade;
4. Monday, March 15 Last day to file for Spring 2010 Graduation;
5. Tuesday, April 20 Last day to apply for withdrawal from a course with a W (non-penalty) grade;
6. Tuesday, April 20 Last day to resolve Summer 2009, Fall 2009 and Intersession 2010 Incomplete
grades
7. Tuesday, April 20 Last day to resolve Summer 2009, Fall 2009 and Intersession 2010 ABS grades
* All students should read carefully and thoroughly the 2007-2010 Brooklyn College Bulletin, especially
pp. 35-51, pp. 52-59, and pp. 74-83, for a complete listing of academic regulations of the College
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