GEOL 230 - Geology of the National Parks - College of Arts and ...

Spring 2013 Syllabus University of South Carolina GEOL 230 Geology of the National Parks
consistent work, critical thinking, and engagement on your part. Much of the material in this course is cumulative,
recursive, and interrelated, so attending class is critical. If you attend class, take notes, do the assigned readings,
study your notes for a couple of hours each week, and make an effort to understand the material then you should at
least pass the course. Good grades may require more work.
The class will be structured as a series of lectures paired with reading assignments.
• In general, the first half of the course will focus on the rock cycle, deformation, and tectonics, while the second
half will focus on landscapes and surficial processes.
• The lecture and readings are designed to reinforce, supplement, and complement one another but they will not
be identical. Quiz questions will be drawn from both sources even in areas that may not overlap.
• Lectures will typically be presented in power point format, although they may be supplemented by notes on
the board, video clips, rock samples, or simple demonstrations. You are strongly encouraged to ask questions
for clarification at any time during class. I will not, as a policy, post any notes or PowerPoint files on
Blackboard. Taking notes is an important skill that undergraduates must “learn and earn.” If you miss class
then it is your responsibility to get the notes from someone else. I can only assist you with notes if you have a
doctor’s note or other documentation for an excused absence, and this will involve coming to see me during my
office hours.
• Readings will focus on an NPS unit (or units) associated with the lecture topic, although the geologic story of
the park may involve much more than just the lecture topic. Focus on the lecture topic when you read, but
don’t ignore over the rest of the material, as it may still show up on a quiz and/or later in the semester. I would
advise you to mark up the book and/or take separate notes on the reading. Pictures are pretty to look at, but
don’t ignore diagrams and charts when you read; they contain a lot of information and may show up on the
quizzes. Readings, either from the textbook or internet, may be read before or after the lectures – just be sure
you have read them in time for the quiz each Thursday. The required textbook is: Harris, A.G., Tuttle, E., and
Tuttle, S.D. 2003. Geology of the National Parks (6 th Ed.), Kendall Hunt Publishing Company, ISBN 978-
0787299712, 896 pp. Some of the parks covered early in the semester will also be revisited during later
lectures.
I do ask that you respect my effort and other students’ attention during class. Earbuds, internet surfing,
texting, phone conversations, and other non-GEOL 230 activities are not permitted in class. If I observe these then
I reserve the right to ask you to leave for the day; this will also definitely count heavily against your class
participation grade.
Contacting me
I have two offices. I am in my campus office (EWSC 511) on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with office hours from
9:15 to 10:15. My campus phone is 777-4477, although I am only able to check messages on Tuesday and
Thursday mornings. My second office is at Congaree National Park. My normal park office hours are Monday,
Wednesday, and Friday from 7:30 am to 4:00 pm. My park office phone is 803.647.3966.
As of the start of the semester I do not have a USC e-mail. This should change within a week or two. Until
then, please reach me at david_shelley@nps.gov.
I typically only check e-mail once a day (probably morning).
I manage a lot of e-mail at work. To make sure that I recognize your message as related to class, please include the
course title and year (GEOL230/Spring2013) in the subject line and your first and last name somewhere in the
body of the e-mail. This will help me manage my inbox and get back to you in a timely manner.
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