Planet Earth: An Introduction to Geology

GENERAL INFORMATION

Marks and Grades
The Department of Geological Sciences uses the following scale to convert marks into grades:
100-90 A+    75-79 B+     60-64 C+
85-89 A       70-74 B      55-59 C
80-84 A-      65-69 B-     50-54 C-     Below 50 D/E
The Department of Geological Sciences reserves the right to adjust this mark/grade conversion, when deemed necessary.

Late Work
It is the policy for this course that late work is not accepted. Or, late work should be accompanied with a detailed explanation of why the work is late.  The work will be marked and marks will be subtracted for each day the work is late.  Days late include week-end and holidays.  

Academic Liaison
Catherine Reid (room 326, catherine.reid@canterbury.ac.nz, phone (03) 364 2987 ext 7764) is in charge of liaison with students in geology courses.  Each year level will appoint a student representative(s) to the liaison committee at the start of the semester.  Please feel free to talk to the Academic Liaison or the student rep about any problems or concerns that you might have.

Students with Disabilities
Students with disabilities should speak with someone at Disability Resource Service. Their office is on Level 2 in the James Hight Library. Phone: 364 2350 (or ext. 6350), email: disabilities@canterbury.ac.nz

Policy on Dishonest Practice
Plagiarism, collusion, copying and ghost writing are unacceptable and dishonest practices.
• Plagiarism is the presentation of any material (text, data, figures or drawings, on any medium including computer files) from any other source without clear and adequate acknowledgement of the source.
• Collusion is the presentation of work performed in conjunction with another person or persons, but submitted as if it has been completed only by the names author(s).  
• Copying is the use of material (in any medium, including computer files) produced by another person(s) with or without their knowledge and approval.
• Ghost writing is the use of another person(s) (with or without payment) to prepare all or part of an item submitted for assessment.  

In cases where dishonest practice is involved in tests or other work submitted for credit, the student will be referred to the University Proctor.  The instructor may choose to not mark the work.  

Reconsideration of Grades
Students should, in the first instance, speak to the course co-ordinator about their marks.  If they cannot reach an agreeable solution, students should then speak to the Head of the Geological Sciences Department. Students can appeal any decision made on their final grade.  You can apply at the Registry to appeal the final grade within 4 weeks of the end of the semester.  Be aware that there are time limits for each step of the appeals process.  

Aegrotat Applications
If you feel that illness, injury, bereavement or other critical circumstances has prevented you from completing an item of assessment or affected your performance, you should complete an aegrotat application form, available from the Registry or the Student Health and Counselling Service.  This should be within seven days of the due date for the required work or the date of the examination.  In the case of illness or injury, medical consultation should normally have taken place shortly before or within 24 hours after the due date for the required work, or the date of the test or examination.  For further details on aegrotat applications, please refer to the Enrolment Handbook.  You have the right to appeal any decision made, including aegrotat decisions.  

Missing of Tests
In rare cases a student will not be able to sit a test.  In such cases, the student should consult with the course co-ordinator to the Head of the Department of Geological Sciences to arrange alternative procedures.   This must be done well in advance of the set date for the test.

The lecture course covers such topics as the Earth and its interior, an introduction to continental drift and plate tectonics, earthquake activity, geomagnetism, absolute dating, minerals and rocks, igneous processes and volcanoes, sedimentary processes in marine, river and glacial environments, metamorphic processes, evolution and dating of the Earth’s crust. A comparison will be made with processes and rock types on the Moon and other planets as well as introducing topics related to critical zone processes (terroir) and medical geology.

Practical work includes the study and recognition of common minerals and rocks in hand specimen, and the significance of outcrop relationships in terms of geological history.

Practical classes are held in the Stage 1 classroom on the ground floor of the Geological Sciences Department. See Kate Pedley if no practical stream has been allocated or if there is a clash with other courses and you are unable to change it yourself on UC Student Web.
NOTE: There is no practical class in the first week of teaching.

Practical Class Topics
A series of practical classes in which you will learn:
• How to recognise rock-forming minerals by their physical characteristics
• How to distinguish igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks
• How to recognise the significance of patterns in rock outcrops
• How to use minerals and textures to identify different rock types
• How to interpret rock relationships from contacts.