INSTRUCTOR:     Donald E. Hallinger
OFFICE:                 PS A 
ON CAMPUS:       (562) 860-2451 x 2663 OR dhallinger@cerritos.edu  - day time
OFF CAMPUS:      (626) 791-2250   OR  dhallinger@sbcglobal.net - night time
OFFICE HOURS:  MW 3:30-4:30, T 12:30 - 1:30
TEXTBOOK:         Lecture  Evolution of the Earth: Prothero & Dott 8th
                                Laboratory  Interpreting Earth History - A Manual in Historical Geology: Petersen
                                    & Rigby 6th

My e-mail addresses and phone numbers are listed above.  When contacting me by e-mail you must put your name and class or ticket number in the subject heading.  If you are in need of answers before an exam, you must also put the word "HELP".  I scan my e-mails for subjects that include that word and will answer them before any others.

I think it appropriate to summarize the objectives that I have for you in this course. These are in addition to your mastering the subject matter of the course.

1. This is a science class and I hope to show you that science can be fun. I hope that you will have as much fun in this class as I will have in teaching it. It may surprise you how much about the subject matter you already know. One of my jobs is to bring out what you already know and show you how it becomes the base of knowledge in this class.

2. This is a class about history, the history of the earth and all that have lived on it. But it is different than the other history classes you have taken. This history covers a very long period of time, 4.6 billion years to be exact. A time for which we have no eye witnesses as to events. So we have to infer this history by the traces left behind. These traces can be interpreted in various ways, which complicates our endeavor. Thus one of the most important parts of this class is to learn how we interpret the traces and why we make the interpretation that we do.

3. For your own enjoyment, I hope that after taking this class you will never look at the scenery around you without thinking of its history, how it formed, and how it is likely to change in the future.

4. Finally, our understanding of the history of the Earth and its life forms changes with each new discovery.  sometimes the new ideas do not stand the test of time, subsequent discoveries.  One of the most important facets of this history is how we use the data from the rocks to reach the conclusions we have reached.  Our present concept of Earth's history is radically different from the concepts when I went to school.  Conclusions we can reach today we could not even think about when I went to school, because we didn't know enough.  As new data is discovered, we should therefore expect changes in our concepts of Earth's history to also change.  My undergraduate world was a world without plate tectonics.  Today we embrace plate tectonics and this new paradigm has radically changed our thinking.  It is intriguing, however, that despite such a paradigm shift, many of our basic concepts have not changed, such as the geologic time scale, or the broad concept of evolution of life forms.

Our School and Society have several objects for you as well.

1. Become Educated. Our Republic depends upon an informed citizenry. This requires that our people become educated. What is an educated person? Does knowing facts make us educated?

2. Develop Critical Thinking Skills. Whatever your career interests are, they will be advanced with the development of good analytical reasoning and communication skills. You will be able to hone these skills on homework assignments, hands-on class work, the research paper and exams. Yes, the exams are also a learning experience.

3. Develop a Sound and Accurate General Knowledge of Science. Scientists and scientific ideas have had and will have a powerful influence on the world we live in. Will that influence be good or bad? By knowing how science differs from other categories of human knowledge, you will be in a better position to judge.

I will have an Exam after each unit or theme block on the day indicated in the course outline. My Exams contain true/false, multiple choice and matching questions as well as some thought problems. For the later, I usually start with some easy fill-in-the-blank questions, followed by questions requiring short statements or paragraph answers.

Sketches or labeling diagrams can also be a part of this type problem. You will NOT be graded on your artistic ability. I only ask that you make them legible.

Each of the Exams will concentrate on the material covered in lecture since the last Exam. Note that I said lecture. I will be presenting some material that is not in your textbook. I may however, have some questions from the subject matter covered by the prior exam. For instance, if the majority of students miss questions on a topic, we will go over that material again and you will see it or some version of it on the next Exam. Plate Tectonics is very important so you will see that one every Exam after it has been covered.

I will provide Exam study guides. They will highlight the material that I think is important. Exam questions will be drawn from the study guide. Because of time constraints, however, not everything on the study guide will appear on the Exam. Time permitting I will offer some review on the last class before the Exam. By this I mean I will answer your questions. I will not just repeat my lectures. I will also offer an opportunity for questions prior to the Exam itself.

During the next class period following the Exam I will go over the questions with you.

I will allow you to have one 8 ½ by 11 inch sheet of paper on your desk during the Exam. You may put on this paper whatever you wish and on both sides. This is your Cheat Sheet.

All students should take the exams at the scheduled times. However, makeup exams will be given for special circumstances only if you contact me before the exam. You must present documentation verifying the reason you were absent in order to receive a makeup exam. The make up exam will not be the same as the exam given to the rest of the class. Make up exams must be taken by the end of the week following the regularly scheduled exam. There will be NO makeup final exam.

As indicated below I will be dropping the lowest exam grade. That is I will drop the lowest of the grades you have earned. Not taking an exam does not earn a grade and I will not drop that exam from consideration in your final score.

This is a science class and all sciences have their own technical terms. In geology, most technical terms are from Latin or Greek roots. It is important that you understand and be able to use these terms. Therefore they will be the subjects of quizzes.

There will be 10 quizzes. The total for all ten quizzes will count as one Exam grade. The quizzes will be drawn from the Key Terms found at the end of each chapter. These are also the words that appear in bold print in the chapter and at the end of the text in the Glossary. The quizzes will be given on-line and administered a week before we cover the material in class.  I do this so that 1) you will be familiar with the vocabulary before we discuss it, and 2) so that I may catch any misunderstandings of the prose in the text book.  If you don't do the quizzes they can't hurt you.  they are really extra credit. However, they can replace a bad exam grade and therefore can be of real benefit to you.  I have found that generally, those students who take the quizzes do better in the class than those who do not take the quizzes. 

Click on the quiz during the time it is available and you will be taken to a quiz form. Answer the questions in the boxes provided. The text box will expand if you get wordy. When finished, click on the "submit" button at the bottom of the page and your quiz will be e-mailed to me. Do not just copy the URL for a quiz and think that you will be able to access it at a later date. I will e-mail you your results and I will keep a copy of my e-mail for record keeping.

If you have any question as to whether you are completing the quiz correctly on-line, you may print a copy of your quiz. This copy will have the date and time you attempted to submit it to me. I will accept this print out in lieu of receiving your e-mailed submission.

Some answers may be taken out of the textbook. Some answers will have to be phrased in your own words. Quizzes from multiple people with the same answers, word for word including typos, misspellings, and incorrect answers will be deemed to have been worked on as a group. This is cheating!

These quizzes will total one Examination grade. Thus I will be able to drop the lowest of the Examination grades.

While all of the geologic processes we will talk about in class are working here in California, some are better displayed elsewhere in the world.  This is especially true when dealing with major impacts on man.  We will be using these major events as examples.  Therefore you must have a familiarity with place names around the world.  I will be giving you seven (7) quizzes of twenty (20) place names each in class.  I have posted on my web page a list from which I will draw each group of 20 names.  the quizzes will be given at the start of class, so don't be late!  I will provide maps for study before the quizzes and during the quizzes.  Of the seven quizzes I will only count the six best scores.  I will then mathematically reduce those scores to a total of 60 points.  Take these quizzes seriously!  There will be no make up for these quizzes without a very good reason!.

Field Trips:

there are no required field trips for this course.  However, there are several museums in the vicinity that house excellent collections of paleontological interest.  We will be going to these locations.  Since there are a one stop field trip we will be able to use private transportation. 

It is your responsibility to withdraw, if you so wish, from this class.

I have listed my formal office hours at the top of this document.  I typically am in my office from 8 AM until the termination of my last class for the day, except during class time.  Office hours can be arranged at other times on M through Th.  I am not on campus T and Th afternoon as I am at Cal State Long Beach during those hours.  Also I am not on campus on Fridays.

January 22      Last day to drop or withdraw from all classes and receive full refund for fees and tuition.
February 16    Last day to drop classes without a "W" grade.
February 16    Last day to file for CR/NC grade option.
April 23          Last day to drop with a "W" grade.

I have not had, fortunately, and do not intend to have a problem with electronic devices and other things that go beep, ring, or make a noise in class. However, I have found that they are a great distraction to other students. Cell phones are especially bothersome because we all talk louder on the phone than we do in ordinary conversation. Your time and my time during the class is suppose to be directed towards the subject matter, not conversing with someone. Therefore, electronic devices must be turned off or turned to the silent mode in class. Failure to do so and if it goes off will result in my confiscating the device for the duration of the class. I will consider exceptions in the event that a family emergency necessitates their use.

Your final grade will be based upon the following:

Exams and Quizzes (total of 4 grades)         400
Final Exam                                                  150   
Laboratory                                                  190
Total Points                                                 740

Your grade in this course will be based upon classroom participation, Exams and quizzes, field trips and homework. There will be a total of 750 points. Your final grade will be determined as follows:

666 points + A
592 to 665 points B
518 to 591 points C
444 to 517 points D
less than 444 points F

 Success in this Class:

For success in this class, three things are extremely important. First is the taking of complete notes. Much of the material to be tested on in the Exams will come from lectures, handouts, and films. As much as possible I will attempt to follow the organization in the Textbook so that you may use those headings as a general outline for note taking in class. If you must miss a lecture, be sure to get notes from a friend. Remember, however, that most people take notes on what they do not know, so be sure to talk over with your friend what is not in their notes. You may use a tape recorder.

Secondly, you must be at class on time. I will begin my lectures at the time specified for this class. Being late will cause problems with your note taking. Films, when shown, will frequently start at the beginning of the class period. Questions on the exams will come from my lectures and films. Habitual lateness will therefore make it more difficult to earn the grade you desire.

And finally, talking with your instructor. I am here not only to lead you in a classroom discussion of the material, but also to help you learn. Yes, I was in school once. Yes, I had to learn to take notes. Yes, I had to learn how to study and how to prepare for and take exams. I have many suggestions that I will be happy to share with you along these lines. And don’t forget to ask questions in class. Don’t be shy or bashful. As far as I am concerned, the question you do not ask is the only stupid one, because you cannot get an answer to it. I guarantee that someone else in class wants to know the answer to that same question that you are afraid to ask. You will not break my train of thought if you ask a question. Asking questions helps me help you. By asking the question, you are telling me that I am not explaining things so that you understand. I have many different

ways of explaining the subject matter, so give yourself the chance. Ask questions. Pain and suffering are optional. They are not designed into this course.

YOUR GRADE SHEET

LECTURE

LABORATORY

To determine your class standing, total the points earned and the points possible.  Divide the points earned by the points possible to get a percentage.  If the percentage is 90 + you have an A, 80 - 90 you have a B, 70 - 80 you have a C, 60-70 you have a D, and below 60 you have an F.