INTRODUCTION TO MARINE SCIENCE LABORATORY SYLLABUS
MSCI 111L, Spring 2017
Instructor: XXXX
Office Hours: XXXX
Text: Marine Science 111L Laboratory Manual
Catalog Description: MSCI 111L Introduction to Marine Science Laboratory. (1) (Coreq: MSCI 111) Laboratory and field experiences to demonstrate the functioning of the marine environment. Three laboratory hours per week. F, S.
Course Objectives: The labs are designed to supplement and enhance the lecture material while encouraging you to think critically. The activities you will carry out will illustrate some of the questions a marine scientist might research, the subjects the scientist might work with, the techniques he or she might use, and the problems he or she might face. There are two field trips to local marine environments.
Student Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:
1. Identify the steps in the scientific method and apply the principles of scientific inquiry. Analyze evidence using scientific methods and perform a critique of scientific results, demonstrating the ability to identify well-supported science results.
- Demonstrate familiarity with the metric system and the ability to convert units between the metric and English systems and demonstrate the ability to perform linear interpolations.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the Earth’s major interior layers, geographic features, and lithospheric plates, and of how the theory of plate tectonics explains their formation and interactions.
- Demonstrate the ability to properly collect and preserve water quality samples in the field and to make and record observations needed to interpret the results of the sample analyses.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the processes that change salinity, methods of measuring it, and the ability to perform Knudsen titrations.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the processes that change dissolved oxygen concentrations and the ability to perform Winkler titrations.
- Demonstrate understanding of how the Coriolis Effect impacts moving fluids; and demonstrate knowledge of hurricane structure, conditions for development, and factors affecting their direction of travel and wind speeds.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the major factors affecting the density of seawater in both its liquid and solid states, and conduct experiments and data analysis to indicate which factor most affects density.
- Demonstrate knowledge of how water waves are generated, measured, and modified; and how they affect beaches
- Demonstrate knowledge of the basic daily and weekly tidal cycles and the factors that produce them, as well as the ability to calculate tide times and heights using a tide correction table.
- Demonstrate knowledge of some of the basic marine biological collecting gear and its use aboard ship.
- Demonstrate knowledge of the important characteristics of the major phytoplankton and zooplankton groups, the ability to identify them, and the ability to calculate their concentrations from net samples.
- Demonstrate knowledge of adaptations observed in benthic and nektonic organisms and how they are useful, and the ability to determine in which phylum these organisms are classified using a dichotomous key.
University Core Curriculum:
This course satisfies Core Concept II. A. - Scientific Concepts (4 hours):
Objective: Students will recognize scientific evidence and apply the basic principles of scientific inquiry.
Student Learning Outcomes: Students will be able to:
1. Apply the methods of scientific inquiry
2. analyze evidence using scientific methods
Points and Grading:
The total number of points that it is possible to accumulate during the semester is 100:
8 quizzes, 7 pt each 56 pt
Final exam 20 pt
Homework 1: Math Review 5 pt
Homework 2: Huntington Beach 3 pt
Homework 3: Boat Trip 8 pt
Homework 4: Article Critique 8 pt
-- Deductions from the total may occur as listed below in the attendance/participation description - Final grading is based on total points earned (rounded to the nearest whole number): A: 90-100pts; B+: 85-89 pts; B: 80-84 pts; C+: 75-79 pts; C: 70-74 pts; D+: 65-69 pts; D: 60-64 pts; F: 60 pts.
Attendance and Participation Policy:
Attendance and full participation for the entire class period is absolutely required. There is a 2
point penalty for missing or failing to complete (this includes class participation!) any campus- based lab, and a field trip missed without a very good reason will cost you 5 pts off your final grade. You may also lose up to 1 point per class if you are late or unprepared for class (remember the calculator!), or if your cell phone ring disrupts the class.
With a University-approved excuse:
If you miss a lab with a University-approved excuse, you must present the appropriate document at least 24 hours before your next scheduled lab. The missed quiz must be made up before the next lab, with the possible exception of extraordinary circumstances.
In addition, it's your responsibility to find out what you missed. Get together with a classmate who takes good notes.
Without a University-approved excuse:
If you miss a lab without a University-approved excuse, this will result in a zero for the quiz with no make-up allowed.
Additional Lab Policies:
- One of themost important things you can do to ensure success in this course is to carefully read
each lab before the lab period. Even if you don't understand everything in it, you should strive to attain a level of familiarity with the material such that you can proceed through the lab efficiently, while asking for help as necessary. To encourage you to be prepared, each quiz will have one or more questions on that day’s lab, in addition to the bulk of the questions on theprevious week’s lab. The value of these questions will be approximately 10-15% of the total points. If you miss them consistently, your grade will suffer significantly. SO READ AHEAD!
- Show up on time and have a good attitude, even if you have to fake it. No whining! Also, make sure your cell phone is silenced and put away. You don't need to text or check messages during class; you need to be focused on listening, participating, and learning.
- You are responsible for everything in this manual, as well as additional information provided by your instructor. So stay alert and take notes. Before you leave the classroom each week, you should understand how to arrive at the answer to each question on that week’s lab. There is a text box containing Learning Outcomes at the beginning of each exercise. These Learning Outcomes highlight the facts, concepts, and skills on which you will be tested the following week. Their purpose is to help you determine whether or not you have completed the exercise successfully.
- Cheating, plagiarism, or any other type of academic dishonesty will result in immediate removal from the course and a grade of F, and possible dismissal from the University. Think about it as a very dangerous gamble – is the very small potential payoff of gaining an extra point or two from looking at someone else’s paper worth the risk of the extremely serious consequences if you’re caught?
5. You determine the grade you get, not your instructor. We will help you get the grade you want, but you'll have to earn it. If you're not happy with how you're doing, see your instructor. We'll do everything we can to assist you. Don't wait until the end of the semester to get help - it will be too late.
Dress Code and Safety Rules:
• Because this lab meets in a laboratory space that uses and houses chemicals, we will be enforcing a
dress code standard for entry into the laboratory.
• Proper Clothing Required for Entry to the lab – Shirt that covers chest, stomach, sides, back, shoulders and upper arms. Pants that cover body from waist to ankles….LONG PANTS. No shorts, short skirts, tank tops, mid-drifts, low rise jeans, etc.
• Proper Shoes Required for Entry to the lab – CLOSED TOED SHOES, must completely cover feet and have back strap. No flip flops or sandals.
• The lab manager your instructor reserve the right to refuse entry to lab room to anyone wearing inappropriate attire.
• NO FOOD OR DRINK ALLOWED
• Any student that is wearing inappropriate attire will not be allowed into the laboratory, and therefore, this will count as an absence (see attendance policy above for further information).
Behavior and academic honesty:
Be considerate of other students and your instructor. Dangerous horseplay or other actions which
may inflict harm on others are grounds for dismissal from class, with points deducted from the final grade.
• Always clean up your lab table after each session. If you instructor has to consistently clean up your mess, points will be deducted from your lab activities portion of the grade.
• Any violations of the Code of Student Conduct (including but not limited to academic dishonesty – cheating
plagiarism) will result in removal from the course and a grade of F. Poor grades earned due to cheating or plagiarism cannot be removed through the Repeat Forgiveness Policy. For information on the Code of Student Conduct, please see your Student Handbook or http://www.coastal.edu/conduct/documents/codeofconduct.pdf .
Please recall your Honor Pledge (as part of the Academic Integrity Code):
Coastal Carolina University is an academic community that expects the highest standards of honesty, integrity and personal responsibility. As members of this community, we are accountable for our actions and are committed to creating an atmosphere of mutual respect and trust.
On my honor, I pledge:
• That I will take responsibility for my personal behavior; and
• That I will actively oppose every instance of academic dishonesty as defined in the Code of Student Conduct.
From this day forward, my signature on any University document, including tests, papers and other work submitted for a grade is a confirmation of this honor pledge.
Coastal Carolina University is an academic community that expects the highest standards of honesty, integrity and personal responsibility. Members of this community are accountable for their actions and reporting the inappropriate actions of others and are committed to creating an atmosphere of mutual respect and trust.
Laboratory Schedule
Week / Lab# / Activity / Other
1 / 1 / Introduction/Math Review/Interpolation
2 / No lab; MLK Jr. Day
3 / 2 / Planet Earth and Plate Tectonics/Wilson
Cycle / Homework 1 due;
Quiz 1 (on Lab 1)
4 / 3 / Tracers: Huntington Beach State Park
5 / 4 / Density Ocean Circulation / Homework 2 due;
Quiz 2 (on Labs 23)
6 / 5 / Coriolis Effect/Hurricanes/Atmospheric
Circulation / Quiz 3 (on Lab 4)
7 / 6 / Waves and Beach Processes / Quiz 4 (on Lab 5)
8 / 7 / Dissolved oxygen / Quiz 5 (on Lab 6)
March 7-11 / No lab: Spring Break
9 / 8 / Plankton / Quiz 6 (on Lab 7)
10 / 9 / Boat Trip
11 / Boat Trip
12 / 10 / Photosynthetic Pigments / Homework 3 due
Quiz7 (on Labs 89)
13 / 11 / Subtidal Environments / Homework 4 due;
Quiz 8 (on Lab 10)
14 / Lab Final Exam
* The schedule may be subject to change at the discretion of the instructor!! *