SYLLABUS
Tulsa Community College, Metro Campus
Spring 2010, (102)
Course: Introduction to Oceanography – GEOL 1113
16-week Internet Course
Begins: January 11, 2010
Ends: May 3, 2010
Section No: 190
Call No: 22594
Professor: Claude E. Bolze
Office Hours: Monday through Thursday from 7:30 AM to 10:00 AM
TO CONTACT YOUR INSTRUCTOR
Office: MC 527
Phone: 918-595-7246
Email: cbolze@tulsacc.edu
Address: Science and Math Division, MC 620
TO CONTACT THE DIVISION OFFICE
Division Name: Science and Math
Division Associate Dean: Dr. Connie Hebert
Division Office Number: MC 620
Division Phone Number: 918-595-7334
Tulsa Community College, Metro Campus
909 S. Boston Avenue
Tulsa, OK 74119-2095
PREREQUISITES FOR THIS COURSE
None
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Introduction to Oceanography is a study of the earth’s oceans, emphasizing the sea’s influence on
climate and humans. The course includes coverage of waves, currents, tides, sediments, sea life and
geology.
Lecture 3 hours per week. No laboratory.
NEXT COURSE(S) IN SEQUENCE
Any Geology or Geography course.
GENERAL EDUCATION GOAL STATEMENT
The General Education Goals are designed to ensure that graduates of Tulsa Community College have
the skills, knowledge, and attitudes to carry them successfully through their work and their personal
lives. General Education Goals relevant to this course include Critical Thinking, Effective
Communication, Engaged Learning, and Technical Proficiency.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
 Develop an appreciation of the workings of oceanography in their daily lives.
 Discuss the general knowledge of the four areas of ocean science: geological, chemical, physical
and biological.
 Demonstrate understanding of the terminology related to oceanography.
 Recognize the history of ocean science.
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TEXTBOOK, SOFTWARE AND SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL:
Required Textbook: An Introduction to the World’s Oceans, 10th ed, 2009.
By Keith A. Sverdrup and E. Virginia Armbrust.
Published by McGraw-Hill, ISBN: 978-0-07-337670-7
Note – The 9th edition of the text will also work for this course. However, any page numbers and
figures will be referenced from the 10th edition.
Additional Information about the Textbook:
 A copy of the textbook is on reserve in the Learning Resources Center – Metro Campus
(Library – MC 2000). The book is shelved at the Circulation Desk. It may be used for onehour intervals in the library.
 Textbooks for Internet courses are sold at the Northeast Campus Bookstore. For more
information see the Distance Learning Webpage (frequently asked questions section):
http://www.tulsacc/dl/faqs.htm#why
 Textbooks also may be purchased on-line through the campus bookstore. Students may contact
the bookstore manager, Jackie Green, at jgreen@tulsacc.edu and she will explain the process.
Students should include name, mailing address, e-mail address, and the course name and
number when contacting the bookstore manager.
Required Software: Microsoft Word.
If you do not have Word, you can download it from Blackboard free.
-- Go to the Organization tab
-- Search for: software
-- Enroll in the organization
-- Follow the on-screen instructions
Required email address: All TCC students receive a designated “MyTCC” email address (ex:
john.buck@mail.tulsacc.edu). All communications to you about TCC and course assignments will be
sent to your MyTCC email address; and you must use MyTCC email to send email to, and receive
email from, the instructor regarding this course. You access MyTCC at https://portal.tulsacc.edu.
COMPUTER ACCESS:
It is highly recommended that you have regular (daily) computer access, preferably a home computer
with broadband Internet access. This course can be completed using public computers at TCC or
other public access areas. However, be aware that using public computers may create a hardship. All
course requirements remain the same whether your computer access is public or private (home).
TECHNICAL SKILL REQUIREMENTS:
You should be comfortable with the following:
 using a word processor (changing font, spell check)
 using email for communication
 sending an email attachment
 navigating the Internet
 downloading appropriate plug-ins
 using an Internet search engine
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TEACHING METHODS:
The course is totally online. Strategies include: reading resources (textbook), use of the discussion
board, use of the Internet and e-mails among students and between individual students and the
professor. Students are responsible for completing all assigned work.
Lecture – Reading Assignments:
Introduction to Oceanography is a lecture course. The lectures involve assigned readings from the
textbook. See the Course Schedule for the specific reading assignments.
Homework:
There will be a total of 3 homework assignments. Each homework assignment contains a list of
questions selected from each chapter of the textbook. The answers will be in the form of a short essay.
The specific questions to answer are posted under Assignments.
The homework answers can be submitted to Blackboard – Assignments, to the Instructor by Email,
or handed in at the Testing Center when taking the exam. Each homework assignment must be
submitted by the last exam day scheduled for the exam to which the homework applies.
ATTENDANCE – TIME COMMITMENT – STUDENT EXPECTATIONS:
Attendance (regular participation in the online classroom) is essential for maintaining the best learning
environment. Learning occurs in relationship not only between student and course materials, but, just
as importantly, peer to peer, professor to student and student to professor.
Participation in this course via the Internet is the responsibility of the student. Students receiving
benefits from government agencies must adhere to policies stipulated by the specific agency.
You will be expected to log on to the course site 2-3 times per week. You are also expected to
participate in all assigned activities in the course. Attendance will be measured by completion of
course assignments.
NOTE: This Internet class demands that the student be self-motivated and self disciplined. You are
responsible to keep up with the schedule, assignments, and exams. I will be contacting you throughout
the semester by email and Blackboard is available at all times.
What You Should Understand About Internet Classes:
 Be realistic about the amount of time required to do the coursework.
 Plan to spend 3 to 5 clock hours per week for every credit hour.
 Schedule class time just as if you were attending class on-campus.
 Turn in your work ON TIME.
 On-line is NOT easier!
 Participate actively in the class.
 Use e-mail and the discussion boards to communicate often with your instructor and other
classmates.
 Log onto the class at least 3 times a week (every day is best).
 Do NOT fall behind in your assignments.
 ASK for help when you need help.
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EVALUATION TECHNIQUES:
How to determine your grade:
Student exams and homework assignments that are submitted by the stated due date will be graded
within 1 week of the due date. Exams and homework assignments completed or submitted after the
stated due date in accordance with the late work policy will be graded as soon as possible. Exam and
homework assignment grades will be posted in the Student Gradebook.
Your corrected (graded) homework assignments (with comments about the quality of your work) can
be accessed through the Student Gradebook, if submitted via the Internet. Click on the underlined
score for an assignment to open the window containing my comments and returned Word document.
Please make sure that you read these comments!
Exams:
There will be a total of 3 exams. The Final (Exam 3) will not be comprehensive. The exams will
contain multiple choice and matching questions. The exam questions will come from the textbook.
The 3 exams will comprise 60% of the final grade.
Homework:
There will be a total of 3 homework assignments. Each homework assignment contains a list of
questions selected from each chapter of the textbook. The answers will be in the form of a short essay.
The specific questions to answer are posted under Assignments.
The homework answers can be submitted to Blackboard – Assignments, to the Instructor by Email,
or handed in at the Testing Center when taking the exam. Each homework assignment must be
submitted by the last exam day scheduled for the exam to which the homework applies.
The 3 homework assignments will comprise 40% of the final grade.
Exam Schedule:
Exam 1:
Exam 2:
Exam 3:
Monday, February 15  Monday, February 22.
Monday, March 22
 Monday, March 29.
Monday, April 26
 Monday, May 3.
Grade Scale:
90 - 100%
80 - 89%
70 - 79%
60 - 69%
0 - 59%
A
B
C
D
F
Grade Distribution
Exams
Homework
= 60%
= 40%
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How to Calculate Introduction to Oceanography Percentage Grade:
Your Exam Points x 0.6
Possible Points
= Exam Points
Your Homework Points
Possible Points
0.4
x
= Homework Points
Extra Credit is added to only Your Points and not added to the Possible Points.
Grade = (Exam Pts + Homework Pts) x 100
TESTING POLICY:
All exams will be administered at the Metro Campus Testing Center, MC 1018. Room 1018 is on
the 1st Floor of the main Metro Campus Building. Students must present a picture identification card:
driver’s license or current TCC picture ID.
Testing Center hours: Monday thru Thursday: 8 AM to 7 PM.
Friday:
8 AM to 5 PM
Saturday: 8 AM to 4 PM.
Students must be certain to allow enough time (at least one hour) to complete their exams before
the Testing Center closes. Therefore you should arrive at the Testing Center to begin the exam no
later than one hour before the Testing Center closes.
Each exam must be taken during its scheduled days. You will have a one week interval (Monday thru
the following Monday) to take the scheduled exam.
Students in the Tulsa area must test at the Metro Campus. Students who do not live in the Tulsa area
and cannot test on campus must find a TCC approved proctor. The proctor’s name must be supplied to
the Professor for approval. Proctor approval or rejection is at the discretion of the Professor.
MAKE-UP AND LATE ASSIGNMENT/EXAM POLICY:
Exam:
Make-up exams are discouraged. A valid reason must be accepted by the professor before any makeup will be allowed. Make-up exams will be more rigorous.
Homework:
Homework will be accepted late, however, 10 points will be deducted from the grade for each week
the homework is late.
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SUMMITTING ASSIGNMENTS
Your corrected (graded) homework assignments (with comments about the quality of your work) can
be accessed through the Student Gradebook, if submitted via the Internet. Click on the underlined
score for an assignment to open the window containing my comments and returned Word document.
Please make sure that you read these comments!
The homework answers can be submitted to Blackboard – Assignments, to the Instructor by Email,
or handed in at the Testing Center when taking the exam. Each homework assignment must be
submitted by the last exam day scheduled for the exam to which the homework applies.
Please do not wait until the last minute to submit assignments. You are submitting items over the
Internet. There are many things that can go wrong in the path between your computer and the
Blackboard course site. Your personal computer/Internet Service Provider issues are not acceptable
explanations of late work.
COMMUNICATING WITH THE INSTRUCTOR:
Email is the preferred method of individual communication. Email is typically checked daily.
Please allow for a 24-hour response time.
CLASSROOM ETIQUETTE:
Open and mutually respectful communication of varied opinions, beliefs and perspectives during
classroom or online discussion encourages the free exchange of ideas that is essential to higher
learning and to the ability to learn from each other. Use of any electronic device is at the discretion of
the instructor.
When posting on the discussion board or sending email you are expected to:
 Be respectful.
 Use acceptable grammar and spelling. There are now spell check features in both email and
discussion board functions.
 Use color and font that are easily readable.
 Use sentence case. Email or discussions posts type in all UPPERCASE is unacceptable. It can
be perceived as the equivalent of shouting. You may format your text for emphasis.
 Use TCC email or the email features available inside of Bb as this will clearly identify you and
the class you are enrolled. If these resources are not available, and you must send from an
outside account, clearly identify yourself and the class you are enrolled.
 Keep communication on the discussion board relative to the topic.
 Converse with others the same way you would in a traditional classroom. Harassment will not
be tolerated. Refer to the Student Policies and Resources Handbook for general classroom
expectations.
 If an assignment requires you to critique a peer’s work, be positive and respectful. Take your
responsibilities seriously and offer meaningful feedback.
INSTUTIONAL STATEMENT:
Each student is responsible for being aware of the information contained in the TCC Catalog, the TCC
Student Policies & Resources Handbook, and semester information listed in the class schedule. All
information may be viewed on the TCC website: www.tulsacc.edu.
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GENERAL EDUCATION GOALS:
General Education courses at TCC ensure that our graduates gain skills, knowledge and abilities that
comprise a common foundation for their higher education and a backdrop for their work and personal
lives. TCC’s General Education goals are: Critical Thinking, Effective Communication, Engaged
Learning and Technological Proficiency.
TRANSFERABILITY:
Please visit with the TCC Counseling Center or the Counseling Center at the college or university to
which you plan to transfer to determine transferability status of this course.
COURSE WITHDRAWAL:
Those students who decide not to complete the course must withdraw themselves from the course.
Failure to complete work does not constitute a withdrawal from Tulsa Community College and those
students will receive a grade based upon the points earned at the end of the semester.
The last day to withdraw from this course is April 9, 2010. Contact the Counseling Office at any TCC
campus to initiate withdrawal from a course (“W” grade) or to change from Credit to Audit. Check the
TCC Academic Calendar for deadlines. Students who stop participating in the course and fail to
withdraw will receive a course grade of “F,” which may have financial aid consequences for the
student.
Students who are earning a failing grade should consider withdrawing from the course by the official
drop date. Failure to withdraw will result in the student receiving a regular grade of “F” at the end of
the semester. I do not give "AWs" to students who earn failing grades in the course.
ADA POLICY:
TCC provides accommodations for qualifying students in compliance with the Americans with
Disabilities Act. For information, students may contact the disabled Student Resource Center, 918595-7115, or the Resource Center for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, 918-595-7428V, 918-5957434TTY.
Academic accommodations will not be provided unless appropriate documentations are provided to
the disabled student services offices to support the need.
ACADEMIC INTEGRITY – PLAGIARISM:
Academic dishonesty (cheating) is defined as the deception of others about one’s own work or about
the work of another. Academic dishonesty or misconduct is not condoned or tolerated at campuses
within the Tulsa Community College system. Tulsa Community College adopts a policy delegating
certain forms of authority for disciplinary action to the faculty. Such disciplinary actions delegated to
the faculty include, but are not limited to, the dismissal of disrespectful or disorderly students from
classes. In the case of academic dishonesty, a faculty member may:
 Require the student to redo an assignment or test, or require the student to complete a
substitute assignment or test;
 Record a "zero" for the assignment or test in question;
 Recommend to the student that the student withdraw from the class, or administratively
withdraw the student from the class;
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
Record a grade of "F" for the student at the end of the semester. Faculty may request that
disciplinary action be taken against a student at the administrative level by submitting such a
request to the Dean of Student Services.
SYLLABUS CHANGES:
Occasionally, changes to the syllabus may be necessary. Students will be notified of any changes to
the syllabus in writing.
STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES:
A complete list of student support services can be found in the Resources section of the Blackboard
course site. This includes information about college services, free tutoring services, software support,
and online tutorials related to course concepts.
INCLEMENT WEATHER:
TCC rarely closes. If extreme weather conditions or emergency situations arise, TCC always gives
cancellation notices to radio and television stations. This information is also posted on the TCC
website (www.tulsacc.edu).
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Course Schedule
GEOL 1113 – Introduction to Oceanography – Internet – Spring 2010 (102)
Module #1: January 11  February 22.
Geological Oceanography and Marine Geology
Read Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 12 in the textbook.
Answer the questions to Homework Assignment #1 (found under Blackboard Assignments) and
submit the answers by Monday, February 22.
Take Exam #1 at the TCC Testing Center: Monday, February 15  Monday, February 22
Module #2: February 23  March 29.
Physical Oceanography.
Read Chapters 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 in the textbook.
Answer the questions to Homework Assignment #2 (found under Blackboard Assignments) and
submit the answers by Monday, March 29.
Take Exam #2 at the TCC Testing Center: Monday, March 22  Monday, March 29.
Module #3: March 30  May 3.
Biological Oceanography, Marine Biology, and Marine Ecology.
Read chapters 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 in the textbook.
Answer the questions to Homework Assignment #3 (found under Blackboard Assignments) and
submit the answers by Monday, May 3.
Take Exam #3 at the TCC Testing Center: Monday, April 26  Monday, May 3.
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