GEOG 1301 PCM
Section 42861
16 Week Semester
Introduction to Physical Geography
Fall 2002

Instructor: Michael Pool Contact Information

Office Hours: 
  • Riverside Annex 400 
    • 223-6039, 6041 
    • MWF 11:00-12:00
  • Pinnacle 413 
    • 223-8105 
    • TTh 10:00-10:30 and 12:00-1:00
 Mailing Address:
Austin Community College
Pinnacle Campus
7748 Highway 290 West
Austin, TX  78736
Fax: 223-8900 (if more than 10 pages 7:00 pm to 8:00 am only) 
Home: 280-7654 (no calls after 10:00 p.m.)
E-mail: mpool@austincc.edu
Class Web Page: http://www.austincc.edu/pool/geog1301

Classes start Aug. 26

Aug. 26-Sept. 29

Sept. 30 Lab Manual Exercises 1-19 Due
Sept. 30 Test 1 (Chapters 1-7)

Sept. 30-Oct. 27

Oct. 28 Lab Manual Exercises 19-25 Due
Oct. 28 Test 2 (Chapters 8-12)

Oct. 28-Dec. 8 Nov. 21 Last Day to Withdraw
Nov. 28-Dec. 1 Thanksgiving Dec. 9 Lab Manual Exercises 25-40 Due
Dec. 9 Test 3 (Chapters 13-20)

Texts

McKnight, Tom L. (2002) Physical Geography: A Landscape Appreciation, Seventh Edition. Prentice Hall: Upper Saddle River, NJ. ISBN 0-13-040468-3

Hess, Darrel. (2002) Laboratory Manual for Physical Geography: A Landscape Appreciation, Seventh Edition. Prentice Hall: Upper Saddle River, NJ. ISBN 0-13-041337-2

The following information is needed when visiting an ACC Bookstore or placing an order by phone:

1) Course number
2) Section number
3) Campus location: Open Campus
Open Campus textbooks can be purchased either at the Rio Grande Bookstore or any other ACC Bookstore, by phone (512-474-2607), by fax (512-474-1837), or by mail, or on the web at austincc.bkstore.com.  Textbooks can be transferred and held 24 hours at any of the ACC Bookstores. Requests to transfer books can be made by phone or when visiting one of the bookstores.  ACC students can order books by phone and pay by credit card. Call (512) 474-2607.

You can also purchase books from MBSDirect  by internet , by phone (800-325-3252), or by fax (800-499-0143) for delivery directly to you.

Course Description

This course studies the factors that affect the earth's surface and create the environment and landscape that forms the human habitat. It shows the broad diversity of disciplines and information used in the study of physical geography: Maps and map reading, weather and climate, water, soils, vegetation, and landforming processes and the dynamic relations among these processes.

Grading

Exams (300 points): There will be three objective online tests. Each test is worth 100 points.  Links to these tests will be on the class web page (http://www.austincc.edu/pool/geog1301). You will need to request a password by email from the instructor for each test (mpool@austincc.edu)

Lab Manual Exercises (105 points): Exercises covering the material for each test are due on the day of the test.  There are 35 exercises assigned, and each exercise is worth 3 points.

The lab manual exercises require rudimentary arithmetic and algebra skills.  If you have any problem with any of the exercises, please contact me.  In some cases, we may have to meet face to face.

Internet Exercises (50 points): You will receive 2½ point for completing the concept review, quick review, and thinking spatially exercises for each chapter at the publishers web page (http://cw.prenhall.com/bookbind/pubbooks/mcknight7/).  These exercises are due by the date of the relevant test.

Chapter Summaries (50 points): You will receive 2½ point for writing a one page summary (minimum 275 words) for each chapter. These summaries are due by the date of the relevant test.

Grade Scale

Policies

1. One points will be deducted from your grade for each calendar day an assignment is late after its due date. Points will be deducted until a maximum grade of 70 can be earned; points will not be deducted below a grade of 70. After Dec. 9, a score of zero will be recorded

2. It is not my policy to drop students; it is the student's responsibility to drop the class.

3. Email me the chapter summaries and internet exercises. You can xerox or tear out the lab manual exercises and hand them in by their due date. You have the option of delivering them to me directly during my office hours, getting a date stamp from the receptionist at the Pinnacle Building and having it put in my mail box, going to any campus or center and getting a date stamp and routing the material to me through intercampus mail with "Michael Pool-Pinnacle" on the routing envelope, or fax it to me at 223-8900. Make sure that the routing envelope is put into the correct basket.

A date stamp is critical. I will accept it as the day received.

4. Incompletes are discouraged and will only be given for extenuating circumstances. Time conflicts and poor time management are not acceptable reasons; ACC has a very liberal drop policy you can use in these circumstances.

5. In cases of scholastic dishonesty (cheating) and after meeting with the student or notifying the student of the reasons for believing scholastic dishonesty occurred, a grade of 0 will be recorded for any work determined by the instructor to result from an act of scholastic dishonesty. The Dean of Student Services will be notified of the incident and the academic penalty and will determine if any further disciplinary penalty will be assessed. The student can accept the penalty or dispute in writing to the Dean, within five (5) College class days (excluding weekends) of the student's receipt of written notice of the academic penalty assessed, either the facts of the offense or the academic penalty assessed. The student is referred to the ACC Student Handbook for further details.

Copyright 2002 Michael Pool

Last Updated 8/21/02

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