Physical Elements of Geography
BakersfieldCollege
Spring 2017
Tentative Syllabus
Instructor:Dr. John Menzies
Office and Hours:MS 27, M – 5-6 pm, T – 4-6 pm, W - 11-12 pm R - 10-11 am
Email and Phone:, 661-395-4563
Website: www2.bakersfieldcollege.edu/jmenzies
Class Time: MW – 9:35 – 11 am
Required Text:Christopherson, R.W. (2014) Geos. Custom ed. New Jersey:
Prentice Hall.
Course Objective: A study of the basic elements of physical geography and the world as a system. Important elements include the atmosphere, weather and climate, geomorphology, and Earth's structure. The main goal of the course is to provide students with a greater understanding and appreciation for their physical environment, with special attention given to terrestrial relationships.
Student Learning Outcomes:
- Demonstrate an understanding of the earth as an open physical system where all elements interact with one another.
- Demonstrate an understanding of how the earth’s atmosphere, geology and biological processes shape the earth’s surface.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the earth’s size, orientation and revolution in space.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the global distribution of Earth’s weather, climate, and landform features.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the scientific method as it applies to real world geographic problems.
Etiquette:The lectures presented in this course will enhance your understanding of information provided in the textbook. It is essential that you take notes in class in order to comprehend the course material—the responsibility of the student. Failure to do so will ultimately result in an unsatisfactory grade on tests. Attendance is also mandatory for each lecture period. If a student obtains 1 absence before the census date (January 30), I will drop the student from the class. After the census date, BC policy states that if you miss 2 week’s worth of classes the instructor may drop you from the course.
Withdrawal Deadlines: Last day to drop without a W on your record: January 29, 2017
Last day to drop with a W on your record: March 24, 2017
Census Date: January 30, 2017
Grading:During the course of the semester, you will be required to complete one research paper, eight quizzes, three regular examinations (882-E scantron sheets required), and one final examination (882-E scantron sheet required). The quizzes are designed to provide understanding and help students learn attention to detail and concentration. These exercises will provide both your understanding and ability to comprehend course material in an effective fashion.
The research paper will have several very important requirements:
- Format – Any university or college-acceptable research paper format is permitted (ie. APA, MLA, etc.). Please be sure to utilize in-text citations following the chosen research format and include the following:
- an introduction outlining the main points of the paper
- body paragraphs expanding on these points and offering evidence to support your claims
- a conclusion to summarize the paper’s main points
- a reference page or bibliography
- Length – Must be a minimum of 10 pages of text in length, double-spaced, 12 point font, maximum 1” margins
- References – Must have a minimum of 8 legitimate references provided in a reference page or bibliography (ie. Peer-reviewed academic journal articles or books)
NO INTERNET WEBSITES, that includes .org, .edu, .gov, .com or anything else on the web
You may use Ebscohost to find peer-reviewed articles
- Topics – You must choose from one of the 3 topics listed below:
- Choose your favorite scientist and explain how their work contributed to physical geography.
- Explain how the discipline of geography has evolved over the past century. Be sure to provide evidence from both the past and present to back up your arguments.
- Explain how the physical environment affected and shaped a famous ancient civilization (eg. How the nature of the Sahara Desert affected the development of Ancient Egypt).
A grading rubric has been provided on the following page for guidance.
Grading Rubric:
Points(out of 60) / Good / Satisfactory / Needs Work / Poor
Length (20) / (20)
Paper is at least 10 pages in length, double spaced, 12 font / (13)
Paper is between 8 and 9 pages in length, double spaced, 12 font / (6)
Paper is between 6 and 7 pages in length, double spaced, 12 font / (1)
Paper is 5 pages in length, double spaced, 12 font
Content (20) / (20)
Paper is well-organized, contains exceptional grammar, punctuation and spelling, and content is well researched and presented / (13)
Paper is somewhat well-organized, contains some grammar, punctuation and spelling errors, and content is somewhat well researched and presented / (6)
Paper is somewhat well-organized, contains many grammar, punctuation and spelling errors, and content is somewhat well researched and presented / (1)
Paper is poorly organized, contains many grammar, punctuation and spelling errors, and content is poorly researched and presented
References (20) / (20)
Paper contains at least 8 legitimate references, with no internet websites used / (13)
Paper contains at least 6 or 7 legitimate references, with no internet websites used / (6)
Paper contains at least 4 or 5 legitimate references, with no internet websites used / (1)
Paper contains 3 or fewer legitimate references, with no internet websites used
*Note: Any paper that is less than 5 pages of text in length will not be graded.*
Important:If an exam, quiz or the research paper could not be attended or turned in on time, I require written documentation in advance!!! If these rules are not abided by, make-ups will not be permitted!!! Any excused papers, quizzes, or exams that are 1 week or more overdue cannot be turned in under any circumstances!!!!
Grade Distribution:ElementPoints EachTotal
Research paper 60 60
8 Quizzes 20 160
3 Exams 70 210
Final Exam 70 70
College Grading Policy (+90% A, 89-80% B, etc.)
Plagiarism: BakersfieldCollege does not tolerate academic misconduct such as
plagiarism. If a students’ assignment is found to be copied directly from
another source, the instructor reserves the right to award an F to that
student for the assignment. Be aware that students’ work can be verified
for its originality at
Course Outline:
Lecture /Lecture/Exams/Quizzes
1 / Introduction2 / Latitude and Longitude, GIS and Remote Sensing
3 / Quiz 1, Solar System
4 / Solar System Film
5 / Earth Sun Relationships, Profile of the Atmosphere
6 / Quiz 2, Air Pollution
7 / Atmospheric Processes, Greenhouse Effect
8 / Quiz 3, Temperature Controls, Marine vs. Continental Climates
9 / Exam # 1 Review, , Circulation and Atmospheric Forces
10 / President’s Day Holiday!!!
11 / Exam # 1
12 / Exam # 1 Review, Cyclones and Jet Streams, Ocean Currents
13 / Quiz 4, Earth’s Water
14 /
Adiabatic Processes, Air Masses and Lifting Mechanisms
15 / Quiz 5, Thunderstorms, Tornadoes, Hurricanes16 / Climate Classification
17 /
Climatology Film
18 /Climatology Film
19 /Quiz 6, Exam # 2 Review
20 / Exam # 221 / Exam # 2 Review, Rock Types, Plate Tectonics
22 / Surface Properties, Folding and Faulting, Earthquakes and Volcanoes
23 / Quiz 7,Weathering and Karst Landscapes
24 / Spring Break!!!
25 / Spring Break!!!
26 / Fluvial Processes, Eolian Processes,Research Paper is due
27 / Quiz 8, Glacial Processes
28 / Landform Film
29 / Exam # 3 Review
30 /
Exam # 3
31 / Final Exam Review32 / Final Exam
Students with Disabilities:
Students with disabilities who believe they may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact Disabled Student Programs & Services located at Student Services Building, 1st Floor, Counseling Center (661-395-4334), as soon as possible to better ensure such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.