GLY4552C-Sedimentary Geology
Course Syllabus and Rules of the Road
Fall 2009
Lecture MWF
Period 5 (11:45-12:35); Williamson 202
Lab
Wed (6-7); Wed (8-9); Fri (6-7) Williamson 215
Instructor: John Jaeger
Office: Williamson 225
Telephone: 846-1381
Email:
jmjaeger@ufl.edu
Web: https://elearning.courses.ufl.edu/webct/logon/3924271236031
TAs:
Alex Ullrich, ullrichad@ufl.edu, Williamson 262
Derrick
Newkirk, drnewk@ufl.edu,
Williamson 377
TAs Office Hours: TBD
Office Hours:
MWF Period 3 or by appointment
Required
Text: Principles of Sedimentology
and Stratigraphy, 4th Ed. By Sam Boggs, Prentice Hall
Content
This course aims
to develop the student's expertise in sedimentology by consideration of both
theoretical and practical approaches. A broad range of techniques for the
analysis of sediments will be introduced by means of lectures, laboratory exercises
and field trips. Emphasis is placed on the study of physical sedimentology and
facies analysis. The
interpretation of ancient sediments and facies is designed to provide the
student with a valuable tool for use in paleoenvironmental reconstruction. The
course may cover some or all of the following topics:
·
The physical
aspects of sediments and their hydrodynamic interpretation with special
emphasis on environments of deposition, sediment transport, and the
interpretation of sedimentary textures and structures.
·
Sedimentary
laboratory techniques including particle size analysis, clast lithological
analysis, sediment chemistry, and grain shape and roundness studies
·
Field
analysis of sediments
·
Quaternary
sedimentology, including the reconstruction of sedimentary environments and the
role of sedimentary environments in the characterization of Quaternary
landscapes
Teaching
format and Attendance Policy
The course is
based upon mandatory lectures, lab assignments, field trips and class
discussion. No points will
be deducted for absences, but students who do not regularly attend lecture or
labs will see a significant drop in their quiz and lab grades as much of the
relevant material is covered in class.
Assessment
Course assessment
is based upon :
Weekly Lecture
Quizzes = 40 %
Lab Assignments =
50%
Final LAB Exam =
10 %
The following
points scale (out of 100 total points) will be used to assign letter grades:
A = 90 or above
A- = 87 - 89
B+ = 84 - 86
B = 80 - 83
B- = 77 - 79
C+ = 74 - 76
C = 70 – 73
C- = 67 –
69
D+ = 64 –
66
D = 60 – 63
D- = 57 –
59
E = 56 or below
Quizzes- In lieu of midterms and to ensure that
the text is being read, there will be in-class 15-minute quizzes most
WEDNESDAYS during the semester.
Check the schedule the see when the Quizzes will be held.
Weekly Lab
Assignments –Lab assignments will accompany the particular analyses being
completed that week (or weeks).
There will not always be an absolute right or wrong answer for these
assignments (unlike many of other lab classes). Therefore, your grade will be determined by how clearly you
present your results. Late
assignment policy is up to Alex and Derrick.
Final Exam
– The LAB final will be the only lengthy in-class exam that you will have
to endure. It will be based on
lecture notes, text, and mostly labs.
Make-Up
Policy: Students that provide me
with prior notification of an absence can make up any missed quizzes. The TAs will determine their policy for
missed lab assignments.
For
students with disabilities:
Students
requesting classroom accommodation must first register with the Dean of
Students Office. The Dean of Students Office will provide documentation to the
student who must then provide this documentation to the Instructor when
requesting accommodation.
Class
demeanor expected by the professor:
Please treat your
instructor and fellow classmates with consideration and respect. If you are late for class, please
quietly sit in the back. There
will be no use of cell phones (talking, texting, etc.) once class has begun, so
please put away your phones during class.
Academic
Honesty Guidelines
All students are
required to abide by the Academic Honesty Guidelines that have been accepted by
the University. The academic community of students and faculty at the University
of Florida strives to develop, sustain and protect an environment of honesty,
trust and respect. Students are expected to pursue knowledge with integrity.
Exhibiting honesty in academic pursuits and reporting violations of the
Academic Honesty Guidelines will encourage others to act with integrity.
Violations of the Academic Honesty Guidelines shall result in judicial action
and a student being subject to the sanctions in paragraph XIV of the Student
Conduct Code. The conduct set forth hereinafter constitutes a violation of the
Academic Honesty Guidelines (University of Florida Rule 6C1-4.017).
What you
should know by the end of the class:
By the end of
this course, in which the field and practical exercises and the assessed course
work form integral parts, students should be able to:
• Describe and analyze clastic sediments
according to set criteria
• Recognize and interpret the major
genetic types of clastic deposits
• Use sedimentological characteristics
and facies as keys for reconstruction of sedimentary paleoenvironments
Assessment
goals
The degree to
which students have successfully attained these benchmarks is evaluated:
• Directly through a series of field and
lab exercises requiring the description and measurement of key characteristics
of sediments
• Directly through the lab final, for
which students have to utilize their experiences in the lab and field to derive
and interpret sedimentological data