The Blue Planet 2008-2009

Administrative Information

Professor Contact Information

How to Find My Office

• start at the Hicks Building, which is the one with the dome
• proceed into the Life Sciences Centre (LSC), which is the contemporary concrete building behind the Hicks Building
• upon entering the LSC, veer to the left
• when you encounter a fork in the hallway, veer right, across the glass pedway and into the Oceanography wing
• turn right into the stairwell immediately upon entering the Oceanography wing
• walk up two levels to the fifth floor
• upon exiting the stairwell, turn left
• walk to the end of the hallway, where you will see a red fire door leading the the side stairwell
• my office is on the right, just before the fire door
• come on in!

Class Schedule and Room

Makeup Examinations

• Illness:  If you are ill on the day of the examination, then contact me via phone or email on that day and obtain a doctor's note on that day.
• Extracurricular Activities:  If you have an athletic event or other school-related activity that conflicts with a scheduled examination, then contact me via phone or email at least 2 weeks in advance of the event.
• Emergencies:  If you have an emergency or crisis that forces you to miss an exam, then contact me as soon as possible.  Permission to write a makeup exam will be granted on a case-by-case basis.

Office Hours

Content Delivery

Academic Information

Aims and Objectives

This class provides a general survey of Oceanography and shows how the oceans, which account for more than 70% of the earth's surface, function as a dominant environmental force. Consideration also is given to human impact on this ecological system. The course is designed to develop a basic understanding of the ocean, of what the science of oceanography is, and of what oceanographers do.  It also explores how ocean issues are presented in the media.  It is not really a basic science class in the sense that no training will be offered in actual field or laboratory methods.

Texts

Topics and Readings

Assessment

Components

Answer Before Class (ABC)---20% of your mark

• Before each class (unless otherwise notified) you are required to answer a simple question about the reading assigned for that day.  
• These questions are delivered online through BLS.
• The ABCs are posted at noon the day before class, and you must complete them by 8:30 the day of class.
• The ABCs are set up to give you credit for trying.  On each ABC, there is a True/False question that states, "I want credit!".  Answer "True".  The other question is on the reading for the day.

Weekly Hourlong Ocean Assessment (WHOA)---20% of your mark

• Each week (unless otherwise notified) there will be an online quiz consisting of 10 questions.
• The WHOAs cover material delivered during the week.
• The quizzes are delivered via BLS.
• The WHOAs are posted by 5 PM on Thursday, and they are due by 5 PM on Friday of the following week.
• The answers to the questions become available once the availability period for the quiz is over, which means after 5 PM on Fridays.

The Midterms---30% of your mark (7.5% each)

• There will be 4 in-class, midterm examinations.
• The exams will have 60 multiple choice questions and 15 True/False questions.
• The midterms are not cumulative.  They cover material delivered after the previous exam through material delivered in the last lecture prior to the exam.

The Finals---30% of your mark (15% each)

• There will be a final exam at the end of each term.
• The exams will have 80 multiple choice questions and 20 True/False questions.
• The final exams are scheduled by the Registrar.
• The final exams are 2 hours long.
• The final exams are cumulative.
• On the Fall Final, 3/4 of the questions cover material since the last midterm, and 1/4 cover material from before the last midterm.
• On the Winter Final, 3/5 of the questions cover material since the last midterm, 1/5 cover material from the beginning of the term to the last midterm, and 1/5 cover material from the Fall Term.

Due Dates

Marking Scale