GEOG 200 Introduction to Human Geography 3 Cr
Syllabus
GEOG 200 Introduction to Human Geography3 cr.
South Dakota State University-Brookings
Fall 2014
Course Meeting Time and Location:
This is an online course: The syllabus, brief lecture notes, weekly exercises are posted online. Students are expected to login to D2L weekly to access exercisesfrom the Content page and to post to discussion forums. Exercises anddiscussion forums require research using online library databases and other resources. Discussion Forumsin Discuss section under the Communication drop down menu in D2L are asynchronous (not live) to allow students maximum flexibility for the timing of work completion. Exercisesare submitted to the drop box within D2L. Midterm and Final exam are accessed through D2L Quizzes under the Assessments drop down menu. Midterm and Final exams have an availability window during which they must be completed. See due dates in course calendar below.
Instructor: Elizabeth Keeler, PhD
Contact Information: is my email address within D2L. You may access course mailunder the Communications dropdown menu in D2L. Contact me anytime you have difficulty meeting a Due date, have access problems, or have any questions. After access to the course ends, use the mail. It may take 48 hours to get a response to a question by email.
Course description
Systematic study of world culture from perspective of five integrating themes: cultural region, cultural diffusion, cultural ecology, cultural integration, and cultural landscape. Topics include population, agriculture, political and economic systems, religion and language, folk and popular culture, and ethnicity.
Notes: * Course meets SGR #3 or ** IGR #3
Instructional methods
My interest in geography stems from my curiosity about how places came to be the way they are. I like to approach each learning opportunity as an exploration of discovery. In this course through the readings and research about your 3 countries, I hope you will adopt the learning as an exploration of discovery approach.
This course is designed for self-motivated learners who are comfortable using Internet resources and tools. Coursework is completed on a weekly basis and requires an overall time commitment equivalent to classroom-based courses. In addition to weekly reading assignments from the textbook, there will be exercises, a weekly posting to the discussion forum, a midterm exam, and a final exam. Students are required to set up access to the library online journal databases and use those journals where possible as part of their resources for exercises. Exercises specify a specific number of scholarly sources from the library databases. Students unable to find material in the library databases for a particular exercise must describe the database they attempted to use and the search terms used in their exercise answers so I can help them improve their research skills. Students are also advised to work with librarians to become more skilled at scholarly research.
Course Requirements
Textbook required:Human Geography Landscapes of Human Activities
By Jerome Fellman, Mark Bjelland, Daniel Montello, Arthur Getis and Judith Getis
New York: McGraw Hill 12th Edition2013 ISBN: 9780078021466
Atlas recommended: Student Atlas of World Geography by John Allen and Christopher Sutton
New York: McGraw Hill 8th Edition ISBN 9780073527673. You may use the 6th or 7th edition but be certain you identify the edition used so older data does not get graded as an error.
For technical assistance, see the contact information on the D2L course page under SDSU resources and in the Student Guides area.
Academic Success/Starfish
As your professor, my goals are to help you be successful in this course and to make your learning experience as meaningful as possible. For that reason, if you demonstrate any academic performance or behavioral problems that may impede your success, I will communicate with you using Starfish. Starfish is an online student success program that allows me to send various performance updates to you and to those dedicated to supporting your success at SDSU. If you receive a notification in Starfish, please come see me or seek assistance from your advisor, the Student Success Center, or other campus resources.
Please make sure to update your Starfish profile at the beginning of each semester (including a photo and up-to-date contact information). The Starfish link is located in D2L in the top left corner of your homepage.
Additional resources recommended:
You can also use atlases in the library but will probably not be able to check them out and take them home. One inparticular you may want to look at is Atlas of the World, cartography by George Philip and Son, New York, N.Y.: Oxford University Press 2005. Online sources include
Course goals and learning outcomes
This course meets SD board of Regents General Education Goal 3
BOR System Goal 3: Students will understand the organization, potential and diversity of the human community through study of the social sciences
Student Learning Outcome 1
Identify and explain basic concepts, terminology, and theories of the selected social science discipline from different spatial, temporal, cultural and or institutional contexts.
Course Objectives: Students will
a.) study geographical understandings of culture, and culture change through innovation, diffusion and acculturation; population dynamics including rates of increase and decrease and world population trends; spatial interaction including the spread of technology and migration of people; political and economic organization of societies, and urbanization
b.) apply these concepts as they are addressed in the second half of the course to 3 countries of their choosing in weekly online exercises for the course
c.) Exhibit their understanding of these concepts of social science in exams
Student Learning Outcome 2
Apply selected social science concepts and theories to contemporary issues
Course Objectives: Students will
a.) be encouraged to think about global scale problems not only related to issues confronting human societies like cultural or political conflict, economic disparity, or warfare but also the human impact on the environment.
b.) will post weekly in discussion forums information they gather about places in the news or something new they learned that week
Student Learning Outcome 3
Identify and explain the social or aesthetic values of different cultures
Course Objectives: Students will
a.) explore human environment interactions as reflected by the values of different cultures in the first part of the course by coming to understand physical aspects of the earth like landforms, weather, climate and soils, natural resources and the human impact on the environment
b.) apply this understanding in the analysis of both the physical and cultural aspects of the 3 three countries they choose to write about in their paper
Student Learning Outcome 5
Demonstrate a basic understanding of the allocation of human or natural resources within societies
Course Objectives: Students will
a.)Explore human environment interactions by coming to understand the physical aspects of the earth like landforms, weather, climate and soils, natural resources and the human impact on the environment in the first part of the course
b.) apply these concepts as they are addressed in the first half of the course to 3 countries of their choosing in weekly online exercises for the course
c.) Exhibit their understanding of these concepts of earth science in exams
Evaluation Procedures
Students earn points for discussion forums,and exercisesbased on the content and quality of presentation of data discovered while pursuing research using scholarly resources to the extent possible in an online environment. The exercises and discussion entries must include citations for sources. Students are expected to login weekly to keep up with the work load. Midterm and final exams are multiple-choice.
Points Breakdown 200 total points for class
Weekly Exercises-12 exercises for 6 points each = 72 points; 1 exercise for 8.5 points72 +8.5 = 80.5
Weekly discussion sections -13 discussions for 1.5 point each=19.5 points
Midterm = 50 points
Final = 50 points
Total = 200 points
A =90-100%
B = 80-89%
C = 70-79%
D = 60-69%
F = below 60%
Cite the sources of your information or you will lose points. For both the discussion forums and exercises be certain to cite your sources for information. See the following source for style guides. or refer to the style guides on The Briggs library website. Material not of your own creation that does not carry a complete citation will lose points. Plagiarized material is 0 credits. Please retain copies of your exercises and paper.
Weekly Exercises (See course calendar near end of syllabus or on D2L Content for due dates)
Each student chooses 3 countries for the semester and answers the question in the exercise for each week using data found about those countries in government websites suggested by the instructor (see the urls listed below), and in online journals in SDSU library databases, and in hardcopy atlases, journals or books available to the student. You may receive fewer points for your exercises if you only use online encyclopedia sources.
Go to the at least one of the following urls to make your choice of countries. Bookmark these sites so you can return to them throughout the course for additional information.
Global Gateway: World Culture and Resources
Information, links, and online resources compiled by the Library of Congress on world cultures.
Background Notes on Countries of the World (US State Dept.)
"Background Notes are factual publications that contain information on all the countries of the world with which the United States has relations. They include facts on the country's land, people, history, government, political conditions, economy, and its relations with other countries and the United States. The Notes are updated/revised by the Office of Electronic Information and Publications of the Bureau of Public Affairs as they are received from regional bureaus and are added to the database of the Department of State web site you are now using." This resource is available on the web at
Country Studies (Library of Congress)
From the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress "This website contains the on-line versions of books previously published in hard copy by the Federal Research Division of the Library of Congress as part of the Country Studies/Area Handbook Series sponsored by the U.S. Department of the Army between 1986 and 1998. Each study offers a comprehensive description and analysis of the country or region's historical setting, geography, society, economy, political system, and foreign policy."
United Nations Development section
Encyclopedia of Nations
World Health Organization
Every Culture
Food by Country
For printable maps.
Go to to find maps and print them for reference. You may encounter other maps you think are better in the course of your research which you may use instead. This is a handy source that will allow you to copy and paste so I thought I’d suggest it.
Exams: see course calendar for dates of exams
Midterm Exam (50points)
Final Exam (50 points)
Exams are open textbook so be certain to familiarize yourself enough with your textbook so you can find the answers quickly. When the timer stops you, you are finished so be sure to keep track of your time as you take the exam.
Discussion forums( See course calendar for due dates of discussion postings
The purpose of the postings in the discussion forums is to make yourself aware of the world around you. In the discussion forum for the first week you will go in and introduce yourself and give the reason you took the class, your major and class level.
For the remainder of the semester, in discussionforumspost information for the weeks indicated about a place in the news. The focus of the news item should be the place and what it tells you about some aspect of the place. Examples include population trends, land use, landforms, vegetation, soil, plate tectonics, disease, urban growth or other aspects of urbanization, transportation, economic patterns, guest workers, employment, trade, energy consumption, impact of war on society, etc. Post the link to the news item and include a 90 word paragraph summary of the news item and what it tells you about that place. Collect information from 1) a travel show on PBS 2) you met an International student in your classes and they told you something about their country 3) a places in the news link on or or an article in your local newspaper or Time magazine,Newsweek or The Economist or one of the online news sources like cnn.com or bbc.com.
You must post new material in each forum. Try to relate your entry to the topic of the week if you can but it may not always be possible and is not required. Cite the sources of your information. To receive full credit for discussion entries, you must post complete sentences and include sources of information. Material not of your own creation that does not carry a complete citation will lose points. Plagiarized material is 0 credits. Do not write ditto or similar expressions if someone posted something similar to what you were going to post. Your online behavior should be professional and scholarly at all times. Discussion forums are asynchronous (not live) to allow you to work at your convenience but they do have due dates.
ADA Statement
Any student who feels s/he may need an accommodation based on the impact of a disability should contact Nancy Hartenoff-Crooks, Coordinator of Disability Services (605-688-4504 or Fax, 605-688-4987) to privately discuss your specific needs. The Office of Disability Services is located in room 65 of the Student Union.
Attendance policy
Student attendance and participation is governed by the South Dakota State University Attendance policy. I expect students to login weekly to submit to discussion forums, complete exercises and exams according to the course calendar which is part of this syllabus. Absences due to personal reasons due to verified medical reasons, death of a family members or significant other, or verified extenuating circumstances judged acceptable by the instructor or the Office of Academic Affairs, will be honored. If a student has an accident, falls ill, or suffers some other emergency over which he/she has no control, the student needs to gather whatever documentation is available (e.g., copies of repair or towing bills, accident reports or statements from health care provider) to show the instructor. Such exceptions must be communicated and negotiated between the student and faculty member prior to the absence whenever possible. Absences for vacations or breaks, personal interviews do not constitute a valid reason for absence.
Absences due to approved University sponsored recognized trips
Requests for excused absences must be submitted one week prior to the trip or event. Students must present the completed approved trip absence card to me prior to the trip or event to have an official excused absence. I am not required to honor incomplete or late cards.
Student Academic Integrity and Appeals
The University has a clear expectation for academic integrity and does not tolerate academic dishonesty.University Policy 2.4 sets forth the definitions of academic dishonesty, which includes but is not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, fabrication, facilitating academic dishonesty, misrepresentation, and other forms of dishonesty relating to academics. The Policy and its Procedures also set forth how charges of academic dishonesty are handled at the University. Academic Dishonesty is strictly proscribed and if found may result in student discipline up to and including dismissal from the University.
Course calendar
Week 1August 25 to August 31, 2014Introduction
Reading Assignment 1:How to evaluate information resources on D2L Links page or SDSU Briggs Library website
Reading Assignment 2: Chapter 1 Introduction Some Background Basics
Exercise Week 1: Choose your countries due in D2L drop box by midnight August 31, 2014
Choose your citation form for the exercises from the style guides at or from the suggested style guides on the Briggs library website.
Discussion forum Introduce yourself due in D2L Discuss by midnightAugust 31, 2014, 2014
Week 2 September 1 to September 7, 2014Roots and Meanings of Culture
Reading assignment: Chapter 2 Roots and Meanings of Culture
Exercise for weeks 2Explore SDSU library databases due in the D2L drop box by midnight September 7,2014
Discussion forumPlaces in the news due in D2L Discuss by midnight September 7, 2014
Week 3September 8 to September 14, 2014Spatial Interaction and Spatial Behavior
Reading Assignment: Chapter 3 Spatial Interaction and Spatial Behavior
Exercise for week 3Spatial Interaction due in the D2L drop box by midnight September 14, 2014 2014
Discussion forum: Places in the newsdue in D2L Discuss by midnight September 14, 2014
Week 4September 15 to September 21, 2014Population: World Patterns and Regional trends
Reading Assignment Chapter 4 Population: World Patterns and Regional trends
Exercise for week 4Population due in the D2L drop box by midnight September 21, 2014
Discussion forum: Places in the news due in D2L Discuss by midnight September 21, 2014
Week 5September 22 to September 28, 2014Language and Religion
Reading Assignment Chapter 5 Language and Religion Mosaics of Culture
Exercise for week 5Language due in the D2L drop box by midnight September 28, 2014
Discussion forum: Places in the news due in D2L Discuss by midnight September 28, 2014
Week 6September 29 to October 5, 2014Ethnic Geography
Reading Assignment: Chapter 6 Ethnic Geography Threads of Diversity
Exercise for week 6Ethnic Geography due in the D2L drop box by midnight October 5, 2014
Discussion forum: Places in the news due in D2L Discuss by midnight October 5, 2014
Week 7October 6 to October 12, 2014Cultural Identities and Cultural Landscapes
Reading Assignment: Chapter 7 Cultural Identities and Cultural Landscapes Diversity and Uniformity
Exercise for week 7Cultural Identities and cultural landscapesdue in the D2L drop box by midnightOctober 12, 2014
Discussion forum: Places in the news due in D2L Discuss by midnight October 12, 2014
Week 8October 13 to October 19, 2014