Geography 205

Introduction to Map Reading and Map Interpretation

Fall 2006

Professors Laney, Clark, Freidel, and Scott

Course Syllabus

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Course Coordinator: Damon Scott, Department of Geography

Office: Stevenson, Room 3064

Office Hours: Tuesday and Thursday, by appointment.

E-mail: damon.scott@sonoma.edu

Course Instructors: Rheyna Laney, Mateo Clark, Dolly Freidel, Damon Scott

 Meeting Times and Location:

We will meet from 1:00 pm-2:50pm on most Tuesdays and Thursdays during the first six weeks of the semester—the three dates we will not meet are incorporated into the calendar below. To pass the course, you must attend and participate in all class sessions. We will meet in Stevenson, Room 3065.

 Course Content:

This course introduces you to mapping fundamentals such as map projections and reference systems, scale concepts, coordinate systems, air photo interpretation, and topographic maps. This course, or its equivalent, is required for entry into GEOG380: Digital Image Processing, GEOG385: Computer Cartography, and GEOG387: Geographic Information Systems. It replaces the now defunct GEOG280. No prerequisites. One unit credit.

Class Format:

In our initial meeting, we will go over the course content, format and calendar. During the subsequent meetings, we will spend a week on each of the four general topic areas, with a different instructor introducing the course material for that section. Each instructor will lecture on the topic as well as assign and grade an exercise on important mapping concepts. In the event that you are unable to finish the exercise in class, it will be due at the start of the next class session. Additionally, you will periodically be asked to complete an in-class, twenty minute quiz over the previous week’s material. At the last class meeting (September 28th), a final take-home map exercise will be handed out covering the final topic, Topographic Maps. It must be handed into the course coordinator—Damon Scott, Stevenson 3064—by 1:00 pm on Tuesday, October 3rd.

Grading:

Each of the four class topic areas is worth 25% of your grade. Each instructor will calculate that portion of your final grade based on the exercises and/or quizzes they assigned to you. The course coordinator will calculate your final course grade based on these individual four components. The course may be taken for a letter grade only. Attendance is required!! You will not be allowed to pass the class if you do not attend and participate in all sessions.

Course Materials:

A lab manual for the class is required and is available at College Copy Center on East Cotati Avenue. Be sure to purchase it and bring it to class beginning on August 29th. Several sections have readings that must be done before associated class session.

Course Calendar:

Dates:	Instructor	Class Schedule
T, August 22	Damon Scott	General Introduction to the content, format, and schedule of the class
Th, August 24	No Class	Purchase reader and begin first reading assignment.
T, August 29 Th, August 31	Rheyna Laney	Geodesy, Projections and Reference Systems Reading to be done prior to class
T, September 5 Th, September 7	No Class	APCG Annual Meeting
T, September 12 Th, September 14	Mateo Clark	Scale Concepts [Quiz: Geodesy, Projections and Reference Systems]
T, September 19 Th, September 21	Dolly Freidel	Coordinate Systems and Air Photo Interpretation Reading to be done prior to class [Quiz: Scale concepts]
T, September 26 Th, September 28	Damon Scott	Topographic Maps [Quiz: Coordinate Systems and Air Photo Interpretation]
T, October 3	No class meeting	Exercise on Topographic Maps due. Hand in to Damon Scott--course coordinator-- [Stevenson 3064] by 1:00 pm

 

Academic Dishonesty:

Cases of academic dishonesty will be handled according to University policy. Plagiarism and cheating will result in course failure, and cases will be forwarded to the Dean of Students for further action.

Students with Disabilities:

In accordance with University policy, students with special needs that require accommodation for successful completion of this course must register with the Disabled Student Services program, Stevenson 1038 (phone: 664-2677). No accommodations can be made without DSS authorization. Please see the instructor by the end of the second week of class if you need (or think you need) accommodation.

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Last updated 8/22/06