Instructor.........Mike Benedetti

Office...............220 DeLoach Hall
Phone...............962-7650
Email................benedettimATuncw.edu
Office Hours....10:00-1:00 MW, or by appointment.

Prerequisite:  An introductory lab course in physical geography (GGY 130), physical geology (GLY 101), or environmental geology (GLY 120).  You should have a basic understanding of earth materials, plate tectonics, climate zones, topographic maps, and geography of the continents.

Lecture:  TR 12:30-1:45, DL 101.  Attendance is expected.  Students are responsible for all changes to the course assignments and schedule that may be announced in lecture.  It is the student's responsibility to get notes from a classmate, to make up quizzes, and to hand in assignments missed due to absences.  PowerPoint lecture presentations will be available on the web in a reduced format for students to review.

Required Textbook:  Ritter, D.F., Kochel, R.C., and Miller, J.R., 2006.  Process Geomorphology (4/e). Waveland Press, Long Grove, IL.  ISBN 1-57766-461-2.  Lecture topics and quizzes will closely follow the textbook chapters, as indicated on the class schedule. 

Quizzes:  There will be a short reading comprehension quiz for each chapter of the textbook.   The lowest of your 11 quiz grades will be dropped at the end of the semester.  The quizzes will include multiple choice and short answer questions to test whether or not you have read the assigned chapter.  They are intended to prepare students for class and to expose students to material that we will not have time to cover in class.  Because of the size and pace of the class, all quizzes must be taken in class on the day they are given.  See the schedule below for quiz dates. 

Labs:  Section 200, Tu 2:00-3:50.  Section 201, Th 2:00-3:50.  Labs meet in DL 224 (Mineralogy Lab).  Labs include analysis of maps, interpretation of geomorphic data, and field exercises.  Each lab will include the exercise (to be completed during 1 or 2 lab periods) and a brief summary interpretation (to be typed or neatly printed after lab).  Each lab exercise and summary is due before the start of the next lab.  Lab assignments may be handed in up to one week late for ½ credit.  No labs will be accepted more than one week after they are due.  The lab periods are scheduled immediately after lecture so that we can use the combined class and lab time for extended lab exercises or field trips. 

Exams:  There will be two take-home essay exams that cover the material presented in lecture and lab.  The midterm exam will be due before Spring Break (by noon on Fri., Feb. 29).  The final exam will be due during our scheduled exam period (by 2:30 on Thu., May 1). 

Grade:   The value of class assignments are as follows:  Quizzes 20% (best 10 of 11); Lab Exercises 40% (7 labs); Midterm and Final Exams 20% each.  Final grades will be based on a standard ten-point scale (C- 70-72 %, C 73-76 %, C+ 77-79 %, etc.).   

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Course Schedule