GLY150: HONORS INTRODUCTION TO OCEANOGRAPHY University of North Carolina Wilmington

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COURSE SYLLABUS 

Instructor: Dr. Nancy Grindlay

Office: Room 119, Deloach Hall; Room 1327, CMS Myrtle Grove
Phone: 962-2352, mailto:grindlayn@uncw.edu
Office Hours: Thurs. 2:00-4:00PM, by appointment, or anytime I'm in my office and the door is open, feel free to stop in.

Course Description: A hands-on, experiential introduction to the study of the oceans including, geological, biological, chemical and physical aspects.  Instruments and techniques of oceanography, marine resources and human interaction with the oceans will also be explored. Multiple required field trips.

Course Goals:
• To illustrate the scientific method of inquiry through in-class discussions that require assessment and interpretaion of oceanographic data
• To emphasize the climatic and environmental importance of the oceans
• To present the basic principles of oceanography and the processes that shape and affect the global ocean

Required Textbook: Essentials of Oceanography by Trujillo and Thurman, Pearson Pentice Hall Publihers. Additional oceanography texts will be placed on reserved for your reference. During the course we will read and discuss several scientific articles. These will be provided in pdf format.

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 Grading: Grades will be based on :
1. Three lecture exams 40%. Exams will cover information presented in lecture and in the textbook and journal articles. The format for the exams will be short answer, true and false, matching and essay. Each exam will cover only the material presented since the last exam.  

2. Laboratory 50%:  Attendance in all laboratories is MANDATORY. All assigned work during laboratories is due at the beginning of the lab the following week. During the labortory time on Tuesdays we will have several field trips: 1) Voyage on the research vessel Cape Fear to gain hands-on experience with oceanographic instrumentation. Data collected during the cruise will be analyzed by the class during lecture periods; 2) Tour of the UNCW aquaculture facility on Wrightsville Beach; 3) Trip to Masonboro Island Estuarine Reserve to examine coastal processes; 4) Tour of the UNCW aquaculture facility; and 5) Behind-the-scenes tour of the Fort Fisher Aquarium. Laboratory mid-term and final make up 40% (20% each) of the overall laboratory grade.

3. Class Participation 10%:  Students are expected to actively participate in classroom discussions, so it is imperative that you do the assigned readings. You will be given in class assignments regarding assigned journal articles that will be handed in during class. In addition, during the semester you are required to attend at least one scientific seminar of your choice that pertains to some aspect of oceanography and write a two page summary of the talk. Weekly seminars are offered all of the UNCW science departments (Chemistry, Biology & Marine Biology, Physics & Physcial Oceanography, and Geography & Geology)

Academic Honor Code: Academic dishonesty will not be tolerated. Please do your own work.  If you are unfamiliar with UNCW's Academic Honor Code, complete details may be found in the current Student Handbook and Code of Student Life, Section V.

UNCW practices a zero-tolerance policy for violence and harassment of any kind.  For emergencies contact UNCW CARE at 962-2273, Campus Police at 962-3184, or Wilmington Police at 911.  For University or community resources visit http://uncw.edu/wrc/crisis.htm.

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  TENTATIVE LECTURE SCHEDULE-GLY 150

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