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: Tues. & Thurs. 1:00-3:00PM, 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 interpretation 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 Publishers, 8th or newer edition. To save money try looking on Amazon.com to find cheaper books. Or you can rent a textbook for about half the price through Chegg.com. 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 on Blackboard Vista.

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 Grading: Grades will be based on :
1. End of Chapter Quizzes 40%. Quizzes will cover information presented in lecture and in the textbook and journal articles. The format for the quizzes will be short answer, true and false, and matching. Each chapter quiz will be administered at the beginning of lecture class following the completion of the chapter. See lecture schedule for details 

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 laboratory time on Wednesdays we will have several field trips: 1) Voyage on the research vessel Sea Hawk to gain hands-on experience with oceanographic instrumentation. Data collected during the cruise will be analyzed during lab periods; 2) Tour of the UNCW aquaculture facility on Wrightsville Beach; 3) Trip to Masonboro Island Estuarine Reserve to examine coastal processes and natural barrier island setting; 4) Trip to Wrightsville Beach and Mason Inlet to examine coastal processes and anthropogenic influences on the shoreline; 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 read the assigned readings before class. You will be given in-class assignments regarding assigned journal articles that will be handed in during class.

The range of course letter grades will be assigned as follows:  

Extra Credit: A attend a scientific seminar of your choice that pertains to some aspect of oceanography and write a two page typed summary of the talk. Weekly seminars are offered all of the UNCW science departments (Chemistry, Biology & Marine Biology, Physics & Physical Oceanography, and Geography & Geology) and many of these are about marine-related topics. Worth 10 pts added to overall quiz score.

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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