Something you should know about me: I have extremely low tolerance for people who don't
read the syllabus/information sheets, and/or don't listen to discussions in class. Daydreaming is
human nature, so I try to not be harsh about that: ask a question if you are not sure what's up.
Attempt to pay attention, and please do not complain about how I grade until you've checked to
see if you were following directions. The easiest rule is to keep the directions by your side as
you are writing the report, preparing the map, etc.

How to get an A in GLG 240: Use directions, homework assignments, AND previous exercises
as guides in report writing and map preparation. I will hand out basic rubrics as well. Come by
office hours - check to be sure you are doing the assignments correctly. Ask every stupid
question that occurs to you, and NEVER begin a sentence with "This is a stupid question, but..."

Requirements: Class is held every Tuesday per the attached schedule. This is a 2-unit, 10-week
class, but we will substitute two Saturday and one Sunday field trips (these are MANDATORY)
for Tuesday classes, and the final project is due on November 2.

Transportation to field areas will be provided only on the dates specified in the course outline.
Vehicles will leave at the specified time even if you oversleep and are late. Bring a lunch in
addition to your regular geologic gear on day-long trips. Please be responsible for taking your
own trash out of vehicles.

A geologist is generally a self-sufficient person. Make a check list of the gear that you will need,
and take more than one pencil and protractor, as they tend to walk off. Label your gear with
your name.

In spite of this self sufficiency, everyone around you has eyeballs and a skull as soft as your own.
When pounding on rocks, exercise caution that chips sail clear not only of your eyes, but also
those of your neighbors. Be careful when climbing above others that you do not loosen rocks
that could roll down on them. At all times, therefore, be aware of the rights, privileges, and
safety of fellow students (and staff) as well as your own.

It is essential that a geologist be able to document his/her observations, interpretations and con
clusions in a neat, concise, and accurate manner, both in field notes and reports. One of the
principal functions of this course is to provide practice in preparation of geologic reports and graphic
illustrations. Thus, a report and/or illustration is assigned with each field exercise. These
products are critically reviewed and returned promptly to give guidance for successive exercises.
The reports and illustrations also constitute one of the principal measures of your comprehension
and progress in the course. Reports are always due at the beginning of class on Tuesday.

ALL written material will be turned in word-processed by you, double spaced, with 1"/2.54 cm
margins all around, and in Times or Times New Roman 12-point font, and all illustrations shall
be in ink, using drafting pens. Computer-generated graphics are allowed EXCEPT where the
assignment calls for sketches. Double-sided pages are fine!

Be aware that the United States has been officially on the metric system since 1920. Wherever
possible, metric is the measurement system in this course.

Grading: Final grades will be assigned by me according to your performance on projects,
including accuracy most importantly, but also including neatness and presentation, and how you
work in the field. You should strive to do careful, thorough work in the field, backed up by neat,
detailed sketches, and clear and thorough field notes. These are talents that you are not expected
to master immediately. One of my main tasks is to help you develop these skills by example and
by constructive criticism of your efforts. The ability to write coherently is valued highly.

Grading will be based on your scores on the projects and on homeworks that I will assign from
time to time. Assignments are due on the day listed, not the day after or three days later. You
will be docked 10% per day (e.g., if the exercise is worth 20 points, you lose 2 points per day. If
the exercise is worth 50 points, you lose 5 points per day).

Brunton compass and pace exercise 10%
Lake Mary project 20%
SP Crater project 20%
Geologic Mapping project 30%
Non-project homework assignments 20%

Karen will grade aspects of all the projects, and we will identify who has graded what. If you
want to dispute her grading, please see her first. I am, however, the final arbiter, and if you
remain unhappy with your grade, feel free to see me after you have talked to Karen. Likewise,
Karen is the Designated Whiner - if you have a complaint that you don't feel comfortable talking
to me about, talk to her and she will let me know what's up without disclosing your name.

For schedule of exercises please see main class web page

*Rock hammer (Estwing or brick-layer's, at any hardware store; not the kind you use to hammer nails)

*Handlens. These are available at the bookstore, but if you are going to be a geoscientist I
strongly recommend that you get a good one (can do a group order through the department).

*Map case (2 pieces of particle board with duct tape works very well; a clipboard offers no
protection to your map and notes)

*Drafting pens. Rapidograph pens (¤) are expensive, need to be cared for well, make the best
lines, and will last a long time with proper care. Pens are available at Visible Difference on S.
Beaver. Some lousy ink comes in the sets; I recommend Pelican black. Get a #0 and #00.
Ball-point pen is not acceptable. Use other fine-tipped pens at your own peril - you will be
graded on the quality of the lines you draw, and very very few non-drafting pens consistently
produce a good line. Staedtler liquid point 5 seems to be okay, but I don't know how well it
lasts.

*Pencils: I recommend the mechanical retractable kind, which are expensive, but again, can last
forever. You can get 0.5 mm with 3H lead, or 0.3 mm with 2H. Don't get anything softer
(i.e., lower-number) for lead. Two pencils are better, but you can probably get away with
one retractable and a regular (2H MINIMUM!!!) lead pencil.

*Color pencils: Go for quality and buy about 6-8 different colors.

*Protractor ruler

*Field notebook (harder the binding the better)

¤Pen-cleaning solution. A little jar costs about $5, but is worth about $500, for cleaning
Rapidograph pens.

¤Eraser (retractable is easiest to carry around, but anything will do)

¤Sturdy field boots, broken in please - your feet need to last you a long long time.

Hat
Sunscreen
Two 1-liter water bottles or 2-liter camelback
Day pack, or some other way to carry water, food, and any thing else you need

To receive this extra credit, e-mail the following to me (nancy.riggs@nau.edu):

1. Your name
2. Your email address (if other than what you are mailing from). My experience is that hotmail
accounts can be really unreliable - if I send an email to the class, it is not my responsibility if
you don't receive it (unless the NAU server isn't working!).
3. What characteristics will all your written work have?

Extra credit is available as follows:

5 points for emailing me by 1 Sept.
4 points for emailing me by 2 Sept.
3 points for emailing me by 3 Sept.
2 points for emailing me by 4 Sept.

No points after 4 September. Points are only given if you provide answers to 1, 2, 3, and 4.