Science 1102 Syllabus

Fall 2000

Instructor: Dr. Ron Matson
Lecture Room: KH 1104
Office: SC 318
Lecture Time: MW 12:30 - 1:45
Office Hours: M 1000-1100
Office Phone:  770.423.6508
T 0930-1030
e-mail: rmatson@kennesaw.edu
W 0930-1030
http://facultyweb.kennesaw.edu/rmatson/index.php
TH 1000-1100
Others by Appointment
 
TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

Date
Topic
Text1
 
21 Aug.
Introduction
Chapt. 1
23 Aug.
Nature of Science
Chapt. 2
28 Aug.
Nature of Science
Chapt. 2
30 Aug.
Nature of Science
Chapt. 2
04 Sept.
Labor Day -- No Classes
 
06 Sept.
Systems
Chapt. 3
11 Sept.
Systems
Chapt. 3
13 Sept.
Biogeochemical Cycles
Chapt. 4
18 Sept. 
Biogeochemical Cycles
Chapt. 4
20 Sept.
Human Population Growth
Chapt. 5
25 Sept. 
Human Population Growth
Chapt. 5
27 Sept.
Human Population Growth
Chapt. 5
02 Oct.
Exam I
 
04 Oct. 
Ecosystems
Chapt. 6
09 Oct.
Ecosystems
Chapt. 6
11 Oct. 
Biodiversity
Chapt 7
16 Oct.
Biodiversity
Chapt 7
18 Oct.
Biodiversity
Chapt. 7
23 Oct.
Biodiversity
Chapt. 7
25 Oct.
Biodiversity
Chapt. 7
30 Oct.
Energy Flow
Chapt. 8
02 Nov.
Energy Flow
Chapt. 8
06 Nov.
Energy Flow
Chapt. 8
08 Nov.
Exam II
 
13 Nov.
Atmosphere
Chapt. 21
15 Nov.
Atmosphere
Chapt. 21
20 Nov.
Global Warming
Chapt. 21
22 Nov.
No Classes -- Thanksgiving
 
27 Nov.
Ozone Depletion
Chapt. 24
29 Nov.
Ozone Depletion
Chapt. 24
04 Dec.
Waste Management
Chapt. 27
06 Dec.
Waste Management
Chapt. 27
11 Dec.
FINAL EXAM
1230 - 230

1  Text: Botkin, D. B., and E. A. Keller. 2000. Environmental Science: Earth as a Living Planet. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. New York.

(NB: Not all parts of each chapter listed will be discussed. Furthermore, some of the material discussed in class may be found in chapters not listed above. Use the index of your text to find the appropriate pages. Ancillary materials will be found on reserve in the library and/or on the Web).

On the web-based version of this syllabus, some of the topics are linked to appropriate web sites.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

SCI 1102. Interdisciplinary Science: Issues in Science. 3-0-3. Prerequisite: SCI 1101 or its equivalent. This course is the second in a two-part sequence that fulfills the general education science requirement. Using the context of environmental issues, it introduces students to the basic skills and scientific understandings needed by educated citizens to make informed decisions about scientific issues.

COURSE PHILOSOPHY

This is the second course of a two-semester interdisciplinary science sequence for non-science majors that is part of the General Education Program at KSU. The primary goal of Science 1102 is to provide you with an understanding of the nature and methodologies of science and to explore the role of science in society. Furthermore, you will be exposed to the major concepts, laws, principles and theories that form the scientific basis of our understanding of the natural world. This will be done within the context of environmental science (broadly defined). By the end of the course, the successful student should be able to apply the principles discussed to events that affect them. They should be able to scrutinize information presented to them in the popular media; to synthesize information and draw conclusions; to understand the reasons for multiple viewpoints; to separate scientific statements from pseudoscientific claims; and to use scientific information in making decisions concerning local and global issues.

Please be aware that this syllabus is tentative. There is so much to talk about in such a course and not everything can be covered.If we decided to spend more time on a topic of interest at the expense of another, so be it! Furthermore, dates and total points are subject to change if there are circumstances, deemed by me, to be extenuating. You will be given verbal notification of any changes in class.

COURSE POLICIES

Attendance: Class attendance is highly encouraged. Much of the material for the lecture exams will be taken from the lecture and so it is in your own interest to attend each lecture. If you miss a lecture, it is your responsibility to obtain lecture notes from a classmate; my notes will not be made available to students. If, for any reason, you miss more than one week of lecture you should strongly consider withdrawing from the course. Please arrive before the beginning of lecture so as not to disturb your fellow students. You are encouraged to ask questions during lecture. Make certain to obtain any handouts and assignments as well. I will have extra copies in my office but generally do not bring them to subsequent lectures.

Please arrive before the beginning of lecture so as not to disturb your fellow students. DO NOT bring other people (friends, spouses, children etc.) to lectures. Only people enrolled in the class are allowed in the classroom. Please turn off all cell phones, pagers etc.

Examinations and Grades: There are two examinations scheduled during the semester along with a final exam. Each exam will cover the material covered in the lectures, readings, and videos since the last exam with emphasis being placed on the lectures. The final exam will primarily cover material since the last lecture exam but it will also contain material covered since the beginning of the course  (i.e., it will be

Cumulative/comprehensive).  Exams may include matching, short answer and/or essay questions. For these questions, you are expected   to answer each question clearly, concisely and logically, using correct grammar, spelling and punctuation. The final exam will be entirely multiple choices. You must take all exams on the date offered unless you provide an excuse deemed by me to be satisfactory (e.g., make arrangements in advance, provide a note from a physician). If an acceptable excuse is provided for either midterm exam, then you will receive the appropriate number of points for the missed exam on a pro-rated basis.  The number of pro-rated points received will be based on the mean percent of the points earned from the remaining midterm and final.  Pro-rating of exams will not be done retroactively (i.e., you cannot substitute a pro-rated score for an exam in which you received a lower score). If you miss an exam without an acceptable excuse, you will receive the grade of 0 (zero) for that exam. You must take the final exam to receive credit for this course; the final exam grade cannot be pro-rated. Tentative exam dates are given on the course schedule-- please mark your calendars. If an exam has to be canceled because of inclement weather (i.e., if the entire university is closed) it will be given during the next scheduled class period. If there are multiple days of inclement weather, I reserve the right to cancel an exam and adjust the total points for the course accordingly. If you receive 50% or less of the points on the first exam, please talk to me. Such a score indicates that you are having trouble in this class and you may need to consider withdrawing.

YOU MUST BRING A #2 PENCIL TO EACH EXAM.

The grading procedure for this course is as follows:

Exam I
100 pts.
Exam II
125 pts.
Final Exam
125 pts.
Readings
50 pts.
Total
400 pts.

Your grade for this course will be based on the following point distribution: A = 400-360 points; B = 359-320 points; C = 319-280 points; D = 279-240 points; F = < 239 points. There is no extra-credit." The final grading scale may be adjusted at the discretion of the instructor. If you have any questions about the grading of an exam, please discuss the situation with me immediately after receiving the graded exam. If I decide to regrade an exam, the entire exam will be regraded, not just a specific part. Grades can go up, down or remain the same upon being regraded. Exams or other assignments will not be regraded at the end of the semester. Papers, assignments etc. that are turned in late will have 5 points per day (including holidays & weekends) deducted from the total. NO assignments will be accepted more than three (3) calendar days after their due date and no assignment will be accepted after the last day of lecture. All assignments must be STAPLED (not paperclipped, folded etc.; points will be deducted if they are not stapled). Any material not picked-up by the end of the semester will be discarded within 60 days of the end of the semester. I reserve the right to adjust the point totals for this course if the need arises. You will be notified of such changes in lecture and/or via the bulletin board.

GRADES WILL NOT BE POSTED at the end of the semester. If you want your grades early, bring a stamped, self-addressed envelope or postcard to the final. Or, provide me with your e-mail address.

Academic Honesty: Every KSU student is responsible for upholding the provisions of the Student Code of Conduct, as published in the Undergraduate and Graduate Catalogs. Section II of the Student Code of Conduct addresses the University's policy on academic honesty, including provisions regarding plagiarism and cheating, unauthorized access to University materials, misrepresentation/falsification of University records or academic work, malicious removal, retention, or destruction of library materials, malicious/intentional misuse of computer facilities and/or services, and misuse of student identification cards. Incidents of alleged academic misconduct will be handled through the established procedures of the University Judiciary Program, which includes either an "informal" resolution by a faculty member, resulting in a grade adjustment, or a formal hearing procedure, which may subject a student to the Code of Conduct's minimum one semester suspension requirement.

You are expected to follow the regulations as stated on page 314-321 of the 2000-2001 Kennesaw State University Undergraduate Catalog. Plagiarism and cheating of any kind will not be tolerated. This includes copying papers and not providing proper literature citations. Any violations of the Student Conduct Regulations will be handled through the University Court.

Withdrawal Policy: The withdrawal policy as stated on page 42 of the 2000-2001 Kennesaw State University Undergraduate Catalog will be followed; see also the current schedule of classes. For this semester, the last day to withdraw without academic penalty is 23 October 2000. Make certain to follow all procedures if you decide to withdraw; failure to do so will result in your being assigned a grade of  "F" for the course.

Recycling Policy: REDUCE WASTE AND RECYCLE. If possible, please use (purchase) recycled goods. On campus, paper can be recycled in the bins found in the front of each classroom and aluminum cans can be recycled in the big, blue, circular containers in the hall. Please do not mix waste with the materials to be recycled. It's your planet, your campus, your health and well being and your economy -- help them all by recycling. See page 325 of the current catalog for the KSU Position Statement on Environmental Awareness.

URL: Copies of this syllabus, along with other material relevant to this course, can be found on the course Homepage. The URL for the course Homepage is:

http://facultyweb.kennesaw.edu/rmatson/sci1102.php

You may be required to utilize this web site to obtain course materials. See me if you have any trouble accessing this web site.

Office Hours: My office hours are listed on the first page of this syllabus. I encourage you to avail yourself of them.  If you cannot make it to any of these scheduled hours, please make an appointment. I'm certain that we can find a mutually acceptable

Time to meet. Furthermore, note that my e-mail address is on the top of the first page. Feel free to e-mail me. I will respond as soon as possible.

Your continued presence in this course signifies your acceptance of the policies and procedures outlined above.