The course syllabus provides a general plan for the course; deviations may be necessary!
Hassan A. Babaie
Spring Semester

Office: Sparks Halll, Room A-454
Office Hours: R: 1:00-2:00 or by appointment

Lectures: TR: 11:00-12:15
Classroom: Kell Hall, Room 314
Labs: T: 1:00-3:45 PM, Room 314 Kell Hall
Voicemail: 404-413-5766 Email: mylonite_7@yahoo.com
Course's Web site: http://www.gsu.edu/~geohab  

To access the Course Lectures, go to http://www.gsu.edu/~geohab and then:
From the "Courses Taught" section on the right side of the homepage select: 'Structural Geology', and then click on "Syllabus"
Textbooks are listed in the schedule of Lectures!

Suggested Reading Material
Structural Geology Books

Course Objectives: Upon successfully completing the course, students should explain and apply the following knowledge:

 
  • concepts of stress, strain, deformation, and rheological behaviors
  • effects of time, temperature, and pressure on deformation
  • techniques of measuring linear and planar geologic features using a compass
  • significance of brittle, plastic, and ductile deformations and their products
  • origin and mechanisms of formation of faults, fractures, and folds
  • processes and fabric that occur in shear zones & their kinematic significance
  • techniques of presentation/analysis of linear and planar fabric data (stereonet)
  • interpretation of maps from simple and complexly-deformed areas.
 

Schedule of Lectures: see the Lectures Webpage

<60 60-69.9 70-76.9 77-79.9 80-82.9 83-86.9 97-89.9 90-92.9 93-96.9 97-100
F D C C+ B- B B+ A- A A+

Grading Scheme: see the Grading System Webpage
_____________________________________________________________________________
Criteria for grading the presentation of the two mandatory research papers (talks)

Students need to present their two talks using Powerpoint (can combine with overhead projector), and effectively convey the topic to the audience in a simple and easy-to-understand fashion.
Evaluation will be based on time management, clarity of expression, effective use of illustrations, organization, and handling of the questions.


Criteria for talks

Points 63

Giving a clear introduction to the problem, using diagrams, formulas, maps, etc

1.0

Successfully discuss major issues of the problems; provide evidence for each case

1.0

Effectively convey and teach the issue to the audience

1.0

Summarize and answer the questions correctly

1.0

Total

4.0

 

 

Criteria for grading the two mandatory research papers
Each of the two rearch papers must be a balanced discussion of different aspects of the structural issue investigated. The 4% for each paper will be graded based on the following criteria.


Criteria for research papers

%

Paper follows the format provided in the Research Paper Format document

20

Paper is divided into sections that make the arguments and interpretations easy and clear

20

Paper has enough evidence, explanation, previous work, to justify its analyses and conclusions

30

Paper uses properly captioned graphs, models, maps, tables, etc., with relevant references

10

Paper is reasonably free of spelling, punctuation, and grammatical errors

10

Paper has an alphabetical list of proper references, that are appropriately referred to in the text

10

Total

100


Material Needed For Lab & Field Exercises

1. Straight edge ruler with millimeter divisions.
Tip: Wide transparent ruler, with inscribed parallel lines, is a great choice (e.g., for structural contours).

2. Transparent protractor, preferably a small one with radial lines.
Tip: Avoid those with inner cut-outs. Solid ones are more convenient for drawing cross sections.

3. Compass to draw circle (e.g., Mohr circle).
Tip: If you do not already own one, buy a good quality, high precision one to last you a lifetime!

4. Graph paper with mm & cm divisions; do not buy those in inches.
Tip: Need two packages.

5. Two fully transparent 8x11" pads of tracing paper. Do not buy larger (i.e., 9"x14") size; they are very inconvenient for putting in a folder!
Tip: Do not buy the thick, milky ones that you cannot see through.

6. Equal area net (to be provided); need to be mounted on a card board.
Tip: Make this as if you want to use it for a life time; you also need it for the field camp.

7. Thin (0.5 mm) mechanical pen with HB lead; avoid hard lead.
Tip: Do not buy the flimsy plastic pens, get a good, solid one!

8. Eraser

9. Colored pencils (very useful for maps!).  Will also need them for the Field Camp!

10. Programmable calculator, with trigonometric and logarithm functions and memory.

11. Brunton Compass

12. Highlighting pens (to color map exercises); will be of great help to highlight rock units on maps.

13. Field notebook for field trips.
 

University Policies

1.  According to the Georgia State University undergraduate catalog, class attendance is expected; failure to attend classes regularly may result in poor course performance.  The university requires instructors to verify attendance early in the term.  Failure to attend classes may result in you not appearing on the Verification Roll and being dropped from the class.  Please see section 1334 of the catalog at http://www.gsu.edu/es/catalogs_courses.html, and click on the appropriate catalog link to read about attendance policy (posted as a .pdf file).

2.  All students should be familiar with the university’s course withdrawal procedures.  These can be found in section 1332 of the undergraduate catalog.

3.  All students are required to be familiar with the Academic Honesty policy of the university and to comply with the policy.  This can be found in section 1380 of the undergraduate catalog.

4.  Each student must have access to an on-line computer and  is responsible for reading all messages sent to his/her university email address, and any other assignments that require the use of a computer.  Class changes and/or updates may be conveyed via email, in which case the student is considered to have been informed.  The student is required to check this university email box regularly.

5.  Accommodations for students with disabilities:
Georgia State University complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act.  Students with disabilities who seek academic accommodations must first take appropriate documentation to the Office of Disability Services located in Suite 230 of the New Student Center.


Course Policies
 

Missing-Exam Policy:
Exams: Include the assigned material from the text, and Lab/Map Manuals, class notes, and Exercises.

Laboratory work: Students are expected to spend the lab time completing the assignments in the classroom.

Research Paper: Each student must choose a topic from the attached list or pick another relevant topic by the end of the 3rd week. See the deadline for the paper given above.

Missing Exams/Field trips: Do not miss the scheduled exams/trips unless you have a doctor's or official university excuse which proves an emergency case. In such a case, you must contact me within one day after missing the exam for setting a date for a make-up exam (to be given within 3 days). There is no make-up for a missed make-up exam.

B - Final Exam:
A zero will be assigned for missing the final exam or any field trip for any possible reason/excuse.
This means that there is no make-up for the final exam!
   
  Course Evaluations: One of the changes that GoSOLAR ( https://www.gosolar.gsu.edu/webforstudent.htm) has brought is that now Student Course Evalutions will be filled out online. When you go to the student GoSOLAR screen, one of your link choices will be the evaluations. Please take advantage of this opportunity to give me feedback on this course. Your submission is anonymous, and I cannot view it before I assign your grade. Also, you must submit the evaluation before you know your grade. I will remind you again to fill out the evaluation as we near the end of the course.
 

E-mail Contact - You all have a GSU e-mail address that looks like this:
userid@student.gsu.edu

This is the address I will use when I need to contact you, either individually or as a class. You are responsible for reading any requirements, changes, announcements, etc. that are sent to you via this e-mail address. Hence, you should check it at least once daily. If you prefer to use another e-mail account(s), you must activate the mail forwarding feature under Options>Mailbox Management while in your GSU e-mail, so that e-mail from me will reach whatever other e-mail account(s) you have specified. I emphasize that you are responsible for this.
To read about your GSU e-mail account, go to: http://www.gsu.edu/help/information_students.html?


Method of Instruction:
Although lectures will follow the assigned topics in the Textbook and Lab Manual, they include additional material, which may not be in the textbook. It is the students' responsibility to obtain the class notes from my website when they miss the class. It is recommended that students read the assignments before coming to the class. Exams will include material from both the class lecture/notes, the assigned chapters of the textbook and the lab manual.