Physical
Geology
GEOLOGY
1001 Section 7
Spring
2025
Dr.
Juan M. Lorenzo
Department
of Geology and Geophysics
Lecture
|
Monday,
Wednesday, Friday
9.30 a.m. - 10.20 a.m. |
Location
|
Howe-Russell-Kniffen
Building W347
|
Office
hours |
For
appointments and all
correspondence
Please make sure the
subject
line
contains the course
name exactly as
written below,
or it may be taken for
SPAM.
e-mail:
gllore@lsu.edu
Subject: GEOL1001.7
|
Teaching
Assistant |
Mr. Satyal
e-mail:
ssatya1@lsu.edu
Subject:
GEOL1001.7
|
Required
(e) book
|
by Stephen
Marshak, 2022, 637 pp.
Seventh Edition
|
Learning
Goals:
|
A fundamental
understanding of Physical
Geology is important
for professionals
who engage and want to
better manage the
subsurface, including
agriculturalists, civil,
geotechnical, waste
management engineers, and
natural resource
specialists. This course
intends to review the
fundamentals of Earth
Science with a special
emphasis on the use of
quantitative approaches to
solving and understanding
Earth Problems. |
Course
work |
Lecture
sessions will
cover key
concepts from the
textbook.
Dates and times for
exams, review sessions
and quizzes may change
but are NOT generally
subject to change. Email
me in ADVANCE of any
mid-semester exam or
final exam day if you
foresee issues with
taking tests at the
times provided. Physical
Geology (GEOL1001)
satisfies the LSU
General Education
requirements for Natural
Sciences (Physical) by
describing energy in the
earth system and by
addressing the students'
achievement of employing
scientific and
mathematical models,
methods, and technology
in the resolution of
real-world problems.
Geology is a wondrous
and rigorous science
that requires the same
effort in study as any
other basic science such
as physics, chemistry or
biology. Excellent
grades require excellent
preparation and so I
recommend strongly that
students study
independently 2 hours
for every hour of
material covered in
class.
I expect students to
read the e-book chapters
covered in class and in
advance of the class
itself, as well as
readings I may assign.
It is a student's
responsibility to come
to class and stay
informed on the material
covered therein. All
material covered in
class may be used for
examinations.
Final and Midterm
Exams:There are two (2)
required mid-term exams
and one (1) required
final exam. If you
foresee a
university-sanctioned
absence and you provide
me with the correct
documentation in advance
of the exams in
question, I will give
you a make-up exam.
Exams will be
administered in the same
room that the lectures
are held. Exams will be
conducted via Moodle and
students should come
prepared with an
electronic device
through which they can
conduct the exam. If the
students do not have
access to a suitable
electronic device,
please inform the
instructor or TA as soon
as possible, so
that suitable
accommodations can be
made. A
typical electronic
device can be a laptop
or cellphone with access
to the internet.
In-class exams will
consist of written and
illustrated questions
with multiple-choice and
True/False answers. The
two midterm exams will
contains 50 multiple
choice or True/False
questions. In the final
exam, there are at least
100 multiple choice and
TRUE/FALSE questions.
Every exam can have
questions from any of
the material previously
covered in class, with
special emphasis on the
most recent new material
covered.
Remember that the final
exam questions cover ALL
course materials with
emphasis on the latest
unexamined
sections.
Homework Quizzes
Each Sunday at noon, I
will place 10 questions
on Moodle that deal with
course material for the
forthcoming week. These
questions will be
similar to what you can
expect in the formal
exams.
Homework
quizzes are
conducted
every Sunday,
starting at
noon through
noon on Monday
for which you
are assigned a
maximum period
of 24 hours. A
normal quiz
should take
only one hour
to complete.
Because 24
hours are
allowed for
quiz
completion and
a normal quiz
takes at most
one hour to
complete,
there are no
makeups
allowed for
these quizzes,
so make sure
to start work
on them as
early as
possible.
It is a student's
responsibility to meet
the university deadlines
and requirements (e.g.,
for seeking permission
to request make-up
exams).
This course does not
provide make-up projects
for extra credit in
order to improve letter
grades.
|
Assessment
Policies
|
IMPORTANT
NOTE: Only
the better
of the two
midterm exam results
will be used to
calculate the final
grade.
That means that your
final grade will be
calculated as
flows: (Only one)
Best Midterm Grade (30%)
+ Final Exam Grade (60%)
+ Homework quizzes via
Moodle (10%)
Example Final
Grade Calculation:
Midterm exam 1 = 60%;
Midterm exam 2 = 30%;
Final exam = 60%
Homework quizzes = 80%
Final grade calculation
= (60 x 0.3) + (60 x
0.6) + (80 x .1) = 18 +
36 + 8 = 62 (C-)
Curving is used when
deemed necessary by the
instructor.
Numeric grades for each
mid-term, the final exam
will be posted on Moodle
after ALL students
(including make-up
cases) have completed
their exams and ALL the
exams are graded. The
Quiz marks will also be
available on Moodle.
Note that Moodle will
not estimate an overall
course numeric
grade. Please look
to your final letter
grades via PAWS.
Because the overall
grade depends so much on
the final exam result
and curving I will not
be able to estimate your
overall course grade in
advance of the final
exam.
Final Grade
Assignments:
A-: 90-93.3, A: >
93.3-96.7, A+: >
96.7-100% , B-: 80-83.3,
B: > 83.3-86.7, B+:
>86.7 - 90%, C-:
60-63.3, C:
>63.3-66.7,
C+:>66.7-80%;
D-: 50-53.3%, D:
>53.3-56.7, D+:
>56.7-60%), F (less
than 50%)
|
Academic
Standards and
Expectations |
Student
Rights and
Responsibilities
Socially acceptable
courteous behavior between
students and with the
instructor is expected at
all times. Activities that
distract from learning are
considered rude and
strongly discouraged.
Academic Integrity
Louisiana State
University adopted the
Commitment to Community
in 1995 to set forth
guidelines for student
behavior both inside and
outside of the
classroom. The
Commitment to Community
charges students to
maintain high standards
of academic and personal
integrity. All
students are expected to
read and be familiar
with the LSU
Code of Student
Conduct and Commitment
to Community,
found online at lsu.edu/saa.
It is your
responsibility as a
student at LSU to know
and understand the
academic standards for
our community. Students
who are suspected of
violating the Code of
Conduct will be referred
to the office of Student
Advocacy &
Accountability.
For undergraduate
students, the outcome
will range from failing
the assignment to
failing the class along
with disciplinary
probation. For graduate
students, a first
violation leads to
deferred suspension for
at least two semesters
and a failing grade in
the course.
Plagiarism and
Citation
As a student at LSU, it
is your responsibility
to refrain from
plagiarizing the
academic property of
another and to utilize
appropriate citation
method for all
coursework. Ignorance of
the citation method is
not an excuse for
academic
misconduct.
Remember there is a
difference between
paraphrasing and quoting
and how to properly cite
each respectively. One
tool available to assist
you in correct citations
is the “References”
function in Microsoft
Word. This program
automatically formats
the information you
input according to the
citation method you
select for the
document. This
program also has the
ability to generate a
reference or works cited
page for your document.
The version of Microsoft
Word with the
“References” function is
available in most
University computer
labs. A demonstration of
how to use this tool is
available online at www.lsu.edu/saa.
|
Rights
and Student
Resources
|
Nondiscrimination,
Sexual Harassment and
Title IX
LSU provides equal
opportunity for all
qualified persons in
admission to,
participation in, or
employment in the
programs and activities
which the university
operates without regard
to race, creed, color,
marital status, sexual
orientation, gender
identity, gender
expression, religion,
sex, national origin,
age, mental or physical
disability, or veteran’s
status. LSU has
implemented a procedure
to address complaints
for those who believe
they have been subjected
to discrimination and/or
harassment in violation
of this policy. Please
know that your
instructors are here to
support you and listen
to your experience. We
also want you to know
that we are mandatory
reporters and must
report what we know to
the Office of Civil
Rights and Title IX. All
LSU employees, with few
exceptions, are required
to report instances of
sex- or gender-based
harassment and
discrimination,
including sexual
misconduct and
power-based violence
(e.g., sexual assault,
stalking, dating
violence, domestic
violence, sexual
exploitation,
retaliation, etc.) for
which they may not be
the victim, but of which
they are aware. The
Office of Civil Rights
& Title IX is the
LSU office responsible
for investigating
complaints regarding any
type of discrimination,
sexual harassment, or
power-based violence.
The Office of Civil
Rights & Title IX is
located in 118 Himes
Hall and the phone
number is (225)
578-9000. If you are
aware of an individual
who has been victimized,
you are encouraged to
contact the Office of
Civil Rights & Title
IX or file an online
report by visiting LSU’s
Domestic & Sexual
Violence Support and
Reporting website and
clicking the Report
an Incident box.
If you have been
assaulted, harassed, or
a victim of violence, we
encourage you to contact
the Office of Civil
Rights & Title IX.
Please reach out for
help immediately. Some
excellent resources
available to Baton Rouge
residents include:
• STAR
(Sexual Trauma Awareness
and Response; 24/7
hotline: (855) 435-STAR
(7827)
• IRIS
Domestic Violence
Center; 24/7 hotline:
(800) 541-9706
• The
Lighthouse Program;
(225) 578-5718
• VIA
LINK; (800) 273-TALK
(8255) [national line
but answered from New
Orleans]
National resources
include:
•
RAINN (Rape, Abuse &
Incest National
Network); 24/7 hotline:
(800) 656-4673
•
National Sexual Violence
Resource Center
For additional
information, visit www.lsu.edu/civil-rights
the Office
of Civil Rights &
Title IX and
review PM-73
(Prohibiting Power-based
Violence, including Sex-
and Gender-based
Harassment and
Discrimination, and
Sexual Misconduct).
Diversity Statement
The College of Science
is committed to
fostering exemplary
educational
opportunities that
support individuals from
all backgrounds,
regardless of race,
class, gender,
ethnicity, religion,
accessibility, or
socioeconomic status. We
recognize that our
science benefits from
diverse viewpoints,
experiences, and
perspectives and that
the promotion of
inclusive excellence is
key to all that we do.
Becoming a university
student is a significant
milestone for learners,
and the experience
involves a new community
rich in social and
cultural diversity. It
is my intent that
students from all
backgrounds and
perspectives be well
served by this course
and the course content
and class discussions
will be enhanced by the
diversity of its
students. It is my
intent to present
materials and activities
that are respectful of
diversity. Your
suggestions are
encouraged and
appreciated. Please let
me know ways to improve
the effectiveness of the
course for you
personally or for other
students or student
groups.
Students with
Disabilities
Louisiana State
University is committed
to providing reasonable
accommodations for all
persons with
disabilities. The
syllabus is available in
alternate formats upon
request. If you have a
disability that may have
some impact on your work
in this class and for
which you may require
accommodations, please
see a staff
member in Disability
Services so that
such accommodations can
be considered. Students
that receive
accommodation letters,
please meet with me to
discuss the provisions
of those accommodations
as soon as possible. You
may request a private
and confidential meeting
with me during office
hours or at a time
mutually agreed
upon.
Health Resources for
Students Your
health and safety are
LSU’s top priority. If
you are feeling ill or
overwhelmed with
anxiety, please contact
the LSU Student Health
Center for medical
advice and mental health
support. General health
care and mental health
support are available
for all enrolled
students through
telehealth appointments.
Unexpected Changes to
Courses The
format of the course
and/or requirements may
be forced to change due
to unforeseen
circumstances, and if
this is the case,
students will be given
appropriate
notification. Check your
email and the course
Moodle regularly. Stay
aware of campus
notifications via the LSU
emergency messaging
system.
Expectations
LSU’s general policy
states that for each
credit hour, you (the
student) should plan to
spend at least two hours
working on course
related activities
outside of class. Since
this course is for three
credit hours, you should
expect to spend a
minimum of six hours
outside of class each
week working on
assignments for this
course.
In the event of a
campus-wide closure,
this course may
transition to an
alternative form of
instruction. I will
notify you by [e-mail,
Moodle announcement] as
soon as possible of the
format our course will
take. For example, the
class may be held via
Zoom and recorded for
those unable to attend,
or I will provide a
lesson online that you
can do asynchronously,
or we may cover content
at a different pace or
schedule. If the
emergency closure
impacts scheduled tests,
I will make alternative
arrangements as soon as
possible. If alternative
formats are not
available due to
widespread loss of power
and/or internet or other
extenuating
circumstances, the
University may schedule
makeup days per Policy
Statement 117.
GEOL1001 - an LSU
Integrative Learning
Core (ILC) course
Integrative learning
allows students to make
simple connections among
ideas and experiences
and across disciplines
and perspectives. The
LSU Integrative Learning
Core (ILC) curriculum is
designed to develop
student abilities to
transfer their learning
to new situations and
demonstrate a sense of
self as a learner. A
fundamental goal of the
ILC is to foster
students' practical and
intellectual capacities
associated with
integrative learning in
preparation for high
competence and
functionality in their
post-baccalaureate
careers. This course
fulfills the BoR Area of
Natural Sciences
(Physical) and provides
students experience with
the ILC proficiency of
Quantitative and Formal
Reasoning.
GEOL 1001 satisfies 3
credits of LSU’s ILC
requirements for Natural
Sciences (Physical). For
an LSU baccalaureate
degree nine hours of
Natural Sciences are
required such that (1)
“two courses in
biological or physical
science area sequence
and one in the other
area and (2) Natural
sciences study both life
and physical sciences in
an approach to
understanding the
universe by studying
objects, phenomena, laws
of nature and the
physical world.” GEOL
1001 satisfies these
criteria by devoting the
semester enabling
students in their
understanding of the
physical aspects of
“Earth materials and
landforms; processes at
work on and within the
earth”. Within this
context, a significant
proportion of the class
is used to describe and
discuss the following
overarching departmental
core concepts and
topics.
GEOL 1001 - assessment
criteria for
Quantitative and Formal
Reasoning ILC
proficiency
Scientific reasoning is
used throughout the
class, but assessment of
the ILC proficiency is a
critical measure of the
effectiveness of the
course. The assessment
of the Quantitative and
Formal Reasoning
proficiency dimension of
interpretation will be
based on the performance
of students on
representative
multiple-choice
questions focused on the
interpretation
proficiency dimension
within examinations. A
common pool of
integrative
multiple-choice
questions will be used
in examinations across
all sections of
GEOL1001. The questions
will be chosen based on
their integrative
qualities. These
integrative questions
will constitute at least
20% of the course
content and evaluation
that goes into the
course grade.
Multiple-choice
questions that will
constitute 20% or more
of the course grade will
be selected that are
directly related to the
ILC proficiency of
Quantitative and Formal
Reasoning as designated
above.
|
January
Content
and Chapters
Mon.
13
Wedn.
15
Fri.
17
|
Syllabus
review,
What is
Geology?
|
Prelude |
Mon. 20
Wedn. 22
Fri. 24
|
No
class on MLK
Day
The
Earth in
Context
Plate
Tectonics |
Ch. 1
Ch. 2 |
Mon. 27
Wedn. 29
Fri.
31 |
Plate
Tectonics
Patterns
in Nature:
Minerals |
Ch. 2
Ch. 3
|
February
Content
and Chapters
Mon.
3
Wedn.
5
Fri.
7 |
Magma
and Igneous
Rocks |
Ch. 4 |
Mon.
10
Wedn.
12
Fri.
14 |
Magma
and Igneous
Rocks
Wedn.,
12 First
midterm exam
|
Ch.
4
|
Mon.
17
Wedn.
19
Fri.
21 |
Magma
and Igneous
Rocks
|
Ch. 4 |
Mon.
24
Wedn.
26
Fri.
28 |
Sedimentary
Rocks |
Ch.
6 |
March
Content
and Chapter
Mon.
3
Wedn.
5
Fri.
7
|
no
classes (Mardi
Gras)
Sedimentary
Rocks
|
Ch.6
|
Mon.
10
Wedn.
12
Fri.
14 |
Metamorphism
Faults and
Earthquakes
|
Ch.7
Ch. 8
|
Mon.
17
Wedn.
19
Fri.
21 |
Faults and
Earthquakes |
Ch. 8
|
Mon.
24
Wedn.
26
Fri.
28 |
Folds and
Mountains
Second
midterm exam
Fri. 28
|
Ch. 9 |
Mon.
March 31 to
April 4
|
No classes
(Spring Break)
|
|
April
Content
and Chapter
Mon.
7 Wedn.
9
Fri.
11 |
Folds
and Mountains
|
Ch. 9 |
Mon.
14 Wedn.
16 Fri.
18 |
Deep
Time
no
class (Good
Friday) |
Ch.
10 |
Mon.
21 Wedn.
23 Fri.
25 |
Deep Time |
Ch. 10 |
Mon.
28 Wedn.
30 |
Floods and
Levee
Protection |
Ch. 14 |
May
Fri.
2
|
Glaciers and
Ice Age
|
Ch. 18 |
Sat.
3 |
Last day of
classes |
|
Thu.
8
|
Final
Exam, 7.30
a.m. - 9.30
a.m. in
Howe-Russell-Kniffen
Building, W347
|
|
Tue.
13
|
Final grades
due
|
|
|