Times & Locations

All sections have lecture MWF 8-9 am in GEO 100, plus a lab in GEO 219 as follows:

People

Instructor: David Hirsch Office hours: MWF 9-10 or by appointment in GEO 521. Office phone: 471-3156      *please do not phone at home email: dhirsch@mail.utexas.edu

Laboratory Instructors: Roy Fuller, rwf6@mail.utexas.edu Kate Herrell, katherr@mail.utexas.edu Staci Loewy, sloewy@mail.utexas.edu Charna Meth, charna@mail.utexas.edu Office hours: see lab syllabus Office: GEO 219 (lab room)

Texts

• After many years of relying on a textbook by Klein and Hurlbut (Manual of Mineralogy), we are moving this semester to a new text, by Nesse: Introduction to Mineralogy. While I realize that this is a bit of a financial burden for some, as there will be no used texts, the benefits of this new text for you outweigh the difficulties. Many students in past years have chosen to purchase a similar text by Nesse, Introduction to Optical Mineralogy, and with the new textbook, that should not, I expect, be necessary. This text also is likely to be one of those required for Geo 426P next spring, for those of you going on to that course.
• We will use the text extensively - bring it to lecture and lab.
• Other texts of possible interest will be on a reserve list in our geology library.

Other resources

• The tentative content of labs and lectures is available.
• The web contains superb resources for this course and for general earth science. Check out these links and others.
• Email will be a useful way to communicate with other students, TAs, and faculty. We encourage you to subscribe to our email list, geo416k. Send to listproc@lists.cc.utexas.edu the command: subscribe geo416k firstname lastname. If you are reading this from your own machine (i.e., with a mail program whose reply address is your email address), then you can have your computer send the email for you. Be sure, though, to replace the "yourFirstNameHERE" and "yourLastNameHERE" with your actual name.

Labs

• Labs will meet Wednesday, August 30 (the first day of classes!), and Thursday, August 31.
• Labs will not meet Monday, September 4 (Labor Day holiday) or Tuesday, September 5.
• Lab issues are covered more fully in the lab syllabus.
• You will need a hand lens (at least 10x) for many labs. These can be obtained at the University Co-op. They may be available at Dyer's Jewelry Tools & Supply (aka Dyer's Rock Shop) as well (4525 Guadalupe, 451-0225). Also, there are numerous Geological Supply catalogs that carry excellent hand lenses - ask me or your TA.

Grades

• about 1/3 of the grade will be based on in-class evaluations.

This portion of the grade is calculated from the results of two full-period class exams (closed book), each worth 100 points, and perhaps also of some very short quizzes. The full-period exams will be announced at least one week in advance; attendance at these exams is required. In general, a missed exam will be cause for a grade of 0, unless a written doctor's excuse is accepted. In general, make-up exams will not be given, and your grade for an excused absence on a full-period exam will be calculated as the average of your final exam and the full-period exam you did take. Some very short quizzes, each worth only a few points, may also be given: these short quizzes may not be announced in advance, and they cannot be made up if missed without an accepted excuse.

• about 1/3 of the grade will be based on the final exam.

This portion of the grade is calculated from the results of the final exam held as scheduled by the registrar (Friday, December 15, 9am to noon). The final exam will be comprehensive and closed-book, and it will cover primarily lecture material.

• about 1/3 of the grade will be based on the laboratory grade.

This portion of the grade is calculated from your Laboratory score as determined by your TA. No separate laboratory grade will be given. The lab is a required part of the course, and completion is required to pass the course. The lab score will be based upon exercises, quizzes, and exams during scheduled lab hours. Topics generally will closely follow lecture topics. See the laboratory syllabus for details. Results will be combined after weighting to ensure that the possible points are consistent with the proportions shown above. Course grades will be based upon the combined results.

Prerequisites

• Grade of C or better in Geo 401 (or 303 or 312k)
• Grade of C or better in Ch 301
• Grade of C or better in Ch 302 or concurrent registration for Ch 302 (or approved equivalents).

Important Dates

• University regulations allow a drop ". . . without a possible academic penalty" before Wednesday, September 27.
• I will continue to sign drop cards with a grade of "Q" until results of the first full-period class exam and a major lab exam are available: afterwards, class and lab performance will be taken into account.
• After Wednesday, October 25, drops or withdrawals are only possible for "... urgent and substantiated, nonacademic reasons" acceptable to your Dean.

Other Important Notes

• The University of Texas at Austin provides upon request appropriate academic accommodations for qualified students with disabilities. For more information, contact the Office of the Dean of Students at 471-6259, 471-4641 TTY.

David M. Hirsch

August 6, 2000