A. EXAMS

Q Where is the final exam?

A Same room as lecture (L005), see syllabus for date and time.

Q Do you drop the lowest exam?

A Not usually, only if the class average of exams 1-3 is below 73-74.

Q Do you curve our grades?

A Yes, if necessary. At the end of the semester I will make a graph of the raw scores and apply a curve to get an appropriate mean score and grade distribution.

Q How much of a grade curve do you usually have?

A 1 to 1.5 points

B. ATTENDANCE

Q Do you take role in class?

A On a random basis, I will circulate a list in class for students to sign. Students regularly absent on these lists will not be given the higher grade, if their average is borderline between two letter grades.

C. E-MAIL

Q Do you mind getting E-mail from students?

A No, it is one of the few personal experiences I have with a class this size. So far (9/10/97) I have had about 10 email messages from the class. Please remember, I teach another class and am Associate Chair of the Department of Geology, so my out of class time has many demands. Make your messages brief. Demands on my time vary, so I might not be able to answer your message instantly. Unless disaster strikes, I should be able to answer you in 24-36 hours.

D. OFFICE VISITS

Q Do you mind office visits?

A No, if you need help it is my job to help you...come see me. Too often, I do not see any students in my office until disaster strikes them. Please keep in mind that most office visits are made immediately prior to exams. Do not wait until it is too late to seek help! I can help only so many people the day before the exam.

E. DOES GEOLOGY INTEREST YOU AS A MAJOR?

ANSWER: I am hope that some of you will be excited about about learning more about Geology. I can tell you that it is exciting and rewarding to travel around the country and world and be able to understand the history around you. The Grand Canyon, Yosemite, Yellowstone, Alps, Andes, and more become more than a visual experience.....you know how they formed, their history, and so much more. In addition, geology graduates obtain very well paying jobs!

How?... Working for mining and petroleum companies, environmental consultants, hydrologists (in great demand), as educators and more. As opposed to some majors, our graduates get jobs, good paying jobs. If you are interested come see me. Geology requires a firm basis in science: chemistry, physics, and math.

F. MY GOALS

Q Are you trying to turn us into science majors?

A No. I realize that most of you are non-science majors. I would love to convert some to a science major but that is not my goal. My objective is to make you more aware of the physical environment around you and its history! By doing so, I hope to make your life experiences more rewarding and you future decisions as a citizen in keeping with protection of that environment.

G. YOUR SUGGESTIONS

Q Should I come to you with suggestions?

A Yes, I will not ask for your name during a visit, so suggestions can be made without my knowledge of who you are. I invite suggestions for subject material, I can alter the lecture plan. If you have teaching method suggestions, I would like to hear them!