Oceanography: CHEM 1103 and CHEM 1113

Lecture Text: Invitation to Oceanography by P. R. Pinet

Lab Text: Lab Exercises in Oceanography by B. W. Pipkin et al.

Dr. Robin Robertson

rroberts@LDEO.Columbia.edu

(845) 365-8527 (office)

Grading for Oceanography 

v    Lecture class 

Ø     Exam 1 – 20 %

Ø     Exam 2 – 20 %

Ø     Exam 3 – 47 %

Ø          Homework – 15%

Ø          Field trip – 5%  (Oct. 4) 

v    Lab class

Ø     Lab reports – 40 % (4 % for each Lab; the lowest will be dropped)

Ø          Quiz 1 – 10 %

Ø          Quiz 2 – 10 %

Ø          Quiz 3 – 20 %

Ø          Presentation – 10%

Ø          Weekly Presentation discussion – 10% (1% per week)

Ø          50 % of the Lab report points are required to pass this class.

Grading scale: straight (A - >= 90%, B – 80-89 %, C – 70-79 %, D – 60-69 %, F - <60 %)

Attendance for Labs is mandatory.  Attendance for exams is mandatory.  Attendance for Lectures is highly recommended, especially if a student wants to pass.  Students should be on time.  If a student is half an hour late to lab, he/she will not be given credit for attendance.  To pass, you will be expected to show basic comprehension of the material.  Attendance will not suffice to pass the course without effort to complete the labs and homework and to pass the exams and quizzes. 

Homework:

Homework is due the week after it is assigned at the beginning of the lecture. 

Homework will not allowed to be worked either in lecture or lab.

Homework that is turned in 1 week late will be penalized by 50%. 

Homework will not be accepted more than one week late. 

Labs:

A calculator and other necessary equipment (ruler, colored pencils, etc) must be brought to lab class every week.

Labs will be turned in with a cover sheet listing the lab objective and including a summary.

Labs will be turned in at the end of lab class. 

Exams:

      A study guide listing the terms on the exam will be provided on the website at least a week before the exam and provided in class the week before (weather permitting).

      A “practice” exam, containing 60% of the questions on the exam, will likewise be provided on the website at least a week before the exam and provided in class the week before (weather permitting). 

Quizzes:

      Quizzes will be comprised of word problems.

Expected Time Commitment Outside of Class 

Weekly- before class

      Read chapters and labs

      Homework

      Web search item for project presentation (collected in a notebook) 

Once per term

      Prepare a 10-15 minute presentation  

Three times per term – before exams

      Study for exam and quizzes 

Skills to be learned in this class 

Critical Thinking

Word Problems

Understanding Graphs

Understanding Contour Plots

Interpolation

Scientific Method

Basic Understanding of Oceanography (chemical, geological, biological, and physical)