Syllabus

REQUIRED READING

Goode's World Atlas is the only required text. An educated individual should own a copy of a good atlas, so I hope you will plan to keep this book after the semester is over. (I have no financial ties to the atlas company.) You should plan to bring your atlas to class for occasional reference during lecture, and to complete several assignments. I will also assign supplementary readings that will be available online and directly linked from this course website.

REQUIREMENTS & GRADE DISTRIBUTION

Assignments - 45%

During the semester, there will be approximately 8–10 assignments; some will be completed in class and others will be assigned for out-of-class work. The specific requirements for each assignment will be announced in class. I will drop your lowest assignment grade.

Quizzes - 45%

There will be a 20-minute quiz at the beginning of class most weeks. Each quiz will be based on material covered in the previous lecture, assigned readings, student presentations, and extra material such as movies or audio clips presented during class. Each quiz will also have a "map labelling" component; I will assign specific world regions prior to each quiz. Certain ideas central to an understanding of geography may appear on more than one quiz. I will drop your lowest quiz grade. Important: quizzes will begin promptly at the start of class time; you will not get extra time if you are late. I will begin the day's lecture when everyone in class has handed in their quizzes, so if you come in late you may miss the quiz entirely.

Map - 10%

Every week after the quiz, 4 students will discuss maps they have found in a reputable print-based news source, such as a local or national newspaper, magazine, academic journal, professional newsletter, etc. We will project each map on the screen while you tell the class where it comes from, what type of map it is, and what it means. Sign-ups for presentation slots will begin on the second week of class. I will provide additional details at that time.

Extra Credit - ??

Any opportunities for Extra Credit will be at the whim of the instructor and will be offered to all students on an equal basis (i.e., I will not give chances for Extra Credit based on individual grades, situations, or pleas).

Attendance

I do not take attendance, but because there is a quiz every week, repeated absences will nonetheless be reflected in your final grade. No make-up quizzes or assignments will be given. This course meets only once a week, and the grading system takes into account an unavoidable absence (that is why your lowest quiz and assignment grades are automatically dropped). It is your responsibility to notify me in advance of absences whenever possible. If you miss a quiz or assignment without prior notification, your grade will be a zero. If you know that your schedule will require you to miss several graded assignments or quizzes, you should consider taking a different section of this course that does not conflict with your schedule. Please do not come to class if you are ill. You should consider exchanging contact information with another student who would be willing to provide you with lecture notes if you miss a class.

GRADING SCALE

A	>93%	B	83-86.9%	C	73-76.9%	D	63-66.9%
A-	90-92.9%	B-	80-82.9%	C-	70-72.9%	D-	60-62.9%
B+	87-89.9%	C+	77-79.9%	D+	67-69.9%	F	<60%

 

SCHEDULE

We will progress through the topics above at approximately one per week, although we may jump around a little. Details of required readings are provided on individual pages at this website via the topic links above.

CANCELLATIONS

You can learn about University cancellations from the CCSU website or by calling 832-3333.

ACADEMIC HONESTY POLICY

Any indication of academic misconduct will result in an F for the course and possible further action by the University.