Sea Surface Temperature Map

General Information and Schedule Course Requirements Educational Goals Teaching Philosophy and Teaching Style Accessing Internet Sites Computer Searches at UW for Term Paper Topics Exams and Grading Term Paper Information Electronic Reserve Library Access From Home Course Calendar  Links Feedback Form

 

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OCEANOGRAPHY 200              FALL 2003      0930-1020, Mon, Wed, Fri         14/18 Ocean Teaching Bldg
 

INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Roy Carpenter                     206 Marine Sciences Bldg                    543-8535
TEACHING ASSISTANT: Brooke A. Love       520 Ocean Sciences Bldg                     221-6749
EMAIL ADDRESSES:      rcarp@u.washington.edu
                                          blove@ocean.washington.edu
 To both of us:                    ocean200@u.washington.edu

TEXT:  "OCEANOGRAPHY, AN  INVITATION TO MARINE SCIENCES," by T. Garrison, 4rd edition

Ocean 200 website/homepage:    http://courses.washington.edu/ocean200/

OFFICE HOURS:
Both intructor and TA will be available for half and hour before and after class each day.
Review sessions will be scheduled before exams.
Please make an appointment to meet with us at other times.
 

TENTATIVE SEQUENCE OF SUBJECT MATTER:

1. INTRO, INTERDISCIPLINARY EXAMPLES &  GEOLOGICAL OCEANOGRAPHY
 Text: Ch 1 (1-5), Ch. 2 (35-54), Ch. 3 (all), Ch. 4 (93-106, 107-115); 426-7; 306-8; 158-166; 430-434
 Handouts on:  light & sound in sea; photosynthesis vs chemosynthesis; relationship of Washington coastal geological features to plate tectonic concepts
 Movies/videos (tentative):  Great Barrier Reef;  Galapagos;  Sea Floor  Chemosynthetic Vents & Creatures; Exotic Terranes;  Quake Hunters;
 Material discussed on Internet sites to be assigned

         FIRST MIDTERM EXAM ON WEDNESDAY 22 OCTOBER -- 17% OF COURSE GRADE
         Paper Stage 1 due by 4 PM Friday Oct. 24th

2. COMPLETE GEOLOGICAL AND START BIOLOGICAL OCEANOGRAPHY
 Text: Ch.11 (288-305),  312-316; Ch. 14 (all); 50-51
 Handouts on: benthic organisms and their characteristics & processes; planktonic organisms and their characteristics & processes; hazardous algal blooms;  marine food webs & harvest from the sea
 Movies/videos (tentative):  S.W. Washington Beaches; Salt Marshes; Arctic Oasis;  Krill & Polar Oceans
 Material discussed on Internet sites to be assigned.

          SECOND MIDTERM EXAM: MONDAY  NOV. 17th-- 17% OF COURSE GRADE
          Paper Stage 2 due by 4 PM Wednesday Nov. 19th

3. COMPLETE BIOLOGICAL AND START CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL OCEANOGRAPHY
 Text: 144-157; 259-276; 284-6; 225-230; 219-225; parts of Chs. 8 & 9 to be announced
 Handouts on:  water structure and properties; density and density-driven circulation; wind belts and wind-driven currents; Puget Sound circulation
 Movies/videos (tentative):  Tides and What Causes Them;  Gulf Stream; The Big Chill
 Material discussed in  Internet sites to be assigned.
      For W credit, complete paper draft due by 4PM Friday Dec. 5th
    All final completed papers due by 4PM Friday Dec. 12th—32% of COURSE GRADE

        FINAL EXAM: TUESDAY,  DEC. 16th — 0830-1020 — 34% OF COURSE GRADE
        Students should plan their Christmas travel for after taking the exam on this date!

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OCEAN  200 COURSE REQUIREMENTS

There are no formal course requirements as prerequisites for Ocean 200-- just an interest in the oceans around us & an eagerness & willingness to learn about them.  Students will have to do some problems involving adding, subtracting, multiplying & dividing, but no algebra or calculus-- just the kind of arithmetic used in balancing a bank account or filling out IRS tax forms!

Students will need to access several specified internet websites during the quarter to learn about interesting events and developments in ocean sciences too recent to be included in textbooks.  This can be done from computer centers on campus, or from any computer with internet access.
Students also need to be familiar with writing papers on a computer word processing program and with using UW libraries computerized searches for refereed journal articles and books on interesting topics, since 32% of course grade will be based on a 13-15 page paper.  Several computers in the UW Fish-Ocean Library and elsewhere on campus are available for student use.  Ground rules for the paper are give on separate pages.

During the quarter students are expected to read & study ~300 pages of the textbook, plus websites totalling ~50 pages.  Formats of the two midterm exams and the final exam, and the grading methods are described on a separate page.

During the quarter students are also expected to participate in three 45-50 minute ‘field trips’ outside of class meeting time.  On October 15 we will have small group tours of the UW research ship Thompson and the unmanned research submersible Jason 2 & discuss how scientists plan & carry out research cruises.  During 22-24 October we will have small group tours of the UW salmon hatchery, observe fisheries students spawning the returning salmon, and learn the pros and cons of such hatcheries.  During 1-3 December we will have small group demonstrations of a model of Puget Sound circulation. The ship, hatchery and model cannot be brought into class, and can best be experienced in smaller groups. The Prof and TA will offer several time slots outside the class meeting time for students to participate in each of these ‘field trips’.  Several questions from each field trip will be on the exams.

EDUCATIONAL GOALS OF THE COURSE

Ocean 200 has been designed to fill two purposes. One is to give students considering majoring or minoring in fisheries or oceanography enough background in ocean processes & current research areas of excitement to help them confirm or change their minds, and to prepare them with the basic understanding of oceanography needed for subsequent courses in these fields.

Second is to serve as a standalone course satisfying a natural world requirement for students majoring in other fields.  Such students can & regularly do earn top grades in this class, so this is not a class just for ocean & fisheries majors!  All students will learn how processes at work in the nearby ocean affect their daily lives, how valuable ocean resources are, the current understanding of the local marine environment around Wa. state, and major issues about the global ocean.

Students have the option of making this a writing or W course by submitting an extra draft of the complete paper and incorporating feedback on it from the instructors in the final version.

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INSTRUCTORS TEACHING PHILOSOPHY & TEACHING STYLE

I encourage student discussion & participation during class--students often know more than I do about certain topics, and I encourage them to share their knowledge & not just sit passively!
During class periods I will use lots of videos, demonstrations, exhibits & material not in the textbook--and I do not go through subject matter in order presented in the text--so regular class attendance—even the day before Thanksgiving--& participation in activities definitely helps students earn better grades!
I stress current events & status of problems & processes, and include lots of local practical examples--what students might see & experience along Wa. coastal beaches etc--rather than hand-waving speculation about global theories. I was asked to start this course some years ago in response to student requests.  Both  TA Brooke Love and I are available for extra help in learning the material.

ACCESSING INTERNET SITES
 

During the quarter we shall make use of internet sites to learn about interesting events and developments in ocean sciences too recent to be included in textbooks. Students therefore must be able to routinely access specified websites.  This can be done from several computer centers on campus, including the computer lab in the Fisheries-Oceanography Library.

Students can practice by accessing the website:

 http://coastwatch.pfel.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/elnino.cgi

and learning whether sea surface temperatures off  Wa. & Oregon are warmer or cooler than normal & whether or not another El Nino event is occurring in fall 2003.  Offshore sea surface temperatures are important to fisheries biologists because warmer surface waters lead to reduced salmon populations, while cooler waters in recent years have led to returns of more and larger salmon.

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COMPUTER SEARCHES OF UW LIBRARIES FOR ARTICLES ON POSSIBLE TERM PAPER TOPICS

Students are required to search for book & journal articles on possible term paper topics by using the computerized capabilities of the UW library system to search for key words relating to the topic.  Such searches can now be done from a student’s residence using a ‘interconnectivity kit’. Direction for doing such literature searches will be given separately.
 
 
 

EXAMS AND GRADING PROCEDURES:

The two hourly midterm exams will each consist of 42 - 45 multiple choice questions. Questions will come from class lectures, videos, text readings, Web site material, handout exercises & field trips.

The final exam will consist of 85–90 multiple choice questions. Roughly 60% will be new and cover material since the second midterm exam. The remainder will be modified or "repeat" questions from the midterms—i.e., students must review material on the midterm exams.

Copies of exams I gave last year are on electronic reserve & accessible via UW library website. Paper copies are also available at the reserve desk of the Fisheries/Oceanography Library. Students are strongly encouraged to study these old exams both as a guide to kinds of questions I might ask and to test your understanding of the subject matter. Recognize that there will be some changes in material covered from year to year.

Scores on the two midterms will form 34% of the total points earned during the course. Score on the final exam will comprise 34%. Since close to 40% of the final exam questions will be "repeats," in reality each third of the quarter subject matter will amount to close to one-third of the final course grade. Score on the student's term paper will form the final 32% of the total 400 points earned.

Students may also earn up to 5 extra credit or ‘bonus points’‘ for a 2-3 minute description to the whole class of a recent paper, magazine article, website, or personal experience that illustrate interesting current events in oceanography.

The class mean score for the sum of points earned on midterms, final exam, term paper, and any bonus points will be assigned a course grade of 2.9/4.0. Students whose final combined scores are increasingly higher than the class mean will earn course grades increasingly higher than 2.9. Students whose combined scores are increasingly lower than the class mean will receive course grades increasingly lower than 2.9.

MOST IMPORTANT:  THERE WILL BE NO MAKEUP EXAMS, AND STUDENTS MUST TAKE THE FINAL EXAM TO PASS THE COURSE. IN CASE OF EMERGENCIES OR UNAVOIDABLE CONFLICTS, STUDENTS MUST CONTACT THE INSTRUCTOR BEFORE AN EXAM TO MAKE ALTERNATE PLANS.
 

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR EARNING A BETTER GRADE IN OCEAN 200:

1. ATTEND CLASS REGULARLY, ALERTLY, AND TAKE GOOD NOTES
 The class sessions will have a lot of videos and demonstrations and will cover material not in the text, so do not try to get by just reading text.
2. READ TEXT REGULARLY—DON'T WAIT UNTIL NIGHT BEFORE EXAM
 Ask instructors about relative importance of various sections, if unclear—all parts of text are not equally important.
3. ATTEND OPTIONAL REVIEW SESSIONS WHICH WILL BE HELD BEFORE EACH EXAM AND ASK QUESTIONS ABOUT POINTS YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND.
4. REVIEW OLD EXAMS SO YOU WILL HAVE A GOOD IDEA OF TYPE OF QUESTIONS TO EXPECT
 I use the old exams as teaching tool and will probably take a few questions directly from them. Note that several questions will require calculations using a hand calculator.
5. TURN IN ON TIME THE INTERMEDIATE STAGES OF YOUR TERM PAPER
 Doing so will earn you a few points directly and will also indirectly lead to a better paper by helping you not wait until the last minute to compose it and by giving you more feedback from the instructors on writing a good paper.

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TERM PAPER INFORMATION

Term paper on some topic of Ocean Processes and Problems of Current Interest
32% of total course grade, approximately 12–13 double-spaced pages
 
 

The topic can be almost anything related to the physics, geology, chemistry, or biology of the ocean, but must be approved by Dr. Carpenter or TA Brooke Love. The final paper must contain at least 6 literature references, and at least three of them must be a magazine or newspaper article published after 1995--finding such an article is a great way to find a topic and begin the research. One or two websites are also acceptable as references. A tentative title, partial abstract , and an annotated list of at least 3  references  is due by 4PM Friday, 24 October, and will earn up to 5 points out of the 32 total points toward the paper grade. Annotated means 2 or 3 sentences summarizing key information/data/points in the reference important to the chosen topic--i.e., why is the reference valuable to your paper?  An example of what is expected is given on opposite side of this page!  Students who do not turn in on Oct. 24th a tentative title, abstract, and annotated reference list will receive 0/5 points.  Students may change the topic later, but this requirement is meant to encourage students to begin defining their topic, with help of discussions with prof & TA, early in the quarter. A tentative abstract  & ~2 page outline of the paper that includes at least 6 references and results of UW Library Scientific Literature Search  is due by 4PM Wednesday, 19 November. This intermediate stage will be reviewed by prof & TA and will also earn up to 7 points, out of the 32 total points on the paper project. This requirement gives a chance for further feedback from prof and TA, and rewards students for developing most of the paper before the time crunch at end of the quarter.  Students who do not turn in this intermediate stage on 19 November will receive 0/7 points on the project. Students wanting to receive credit for a W or writing course must turn in a complete rough draft by 4PM Dec. 5th.  Dr. Carpenter or TA Brooke Love will read it and return it with comments by 9 December, so students can incorporate their feedback into the final version of the paper.  No grade will be given for drafts, and feedback will not be given on drafts turned in after 5 December. The final paper is due by 4:00pm  Friday, 12 December. Except in extreme circumstances, papers handed in after this deadline will not be read; students will receive 0/20 points. Grading of the project (32 total points) will be as follows: Preliminary tasks (12/32 total points) Selection of topic, title, and preliminary annotated bibliography (5 points max) Tentative abstract & 1-2 page outline that with at least 6 references (7 points max) The final paper (20/32 total points): Clearly defining the issue (3 points max) Explanation of the scientific background (5 points max) Analysis of  current status, future prospects, possible solution, etc. (8 points max) General organization, writing style, and understanding of literature (4 points max) Note the relative points importance of the preliminary stages--this is to allow several feedback opportunities & exchanges of ideas & references with prof & TA, and to encourage students to start on the paper idea early in the quarter.   In general, the paper should be organized with 4 main sections: 1) State and define the issue, problem or hypothesis to be covered (1–2 pages)  Introduce the paper and be sure the reader understands that this is an issue that people who aren't necessarily oceanographers should care about. Clearly state where things stand in 2003. 2) Oceanographic and scientific background (5-6 pages)  After identifying the issue, explain the science so the reader is up to speed. Demonstrate that you've learned something in Ocean 200 and apply that knowledge to explain the background of this issue at a level that is reasonable for a fellow Ocean 200 student to understand. 3) Analysis of solutions to the problem that have been tried, possible solutions that you or others have proposed, and any additional scientific information that needs to be gathered or understood before the issue can be resolved (5–7 pages)  This is where a student will apply and synthesize his/her oceanographic knowledge related to the topic. Students should demonstrate original thought and reflect on the status of the issue in the past, in 2002, and in the future (when predictions are possible). This should be more than a "book report". Truly excellent papers should teach Dr. Carpenter & TA Brooke Love something! 4) Concise summary or conclusion section giving status of the problem or topic as of fall 2003

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ACCESSING & USING CLASS MATERIAL ON LIBRARY  ELECTRONIC RESERVE

Growing numbers of classes now require or strongly urge students to make use of books, journal articles, lecture notes, old exams, discussion or chatrooms, etc made available via UW library ‘electronic reserve’.

Students can access electronic reserves for each specific class in several ways—one way is to try this link:

http://catalog.lib.washington.edu/search/r?SEARCH=Oceanography+200

If that doesn't work:

Go to main UW homepage    http:www.washington.edu
Select Libraries  link   http://www.lib.washington.edu
Under the Get It  link, select  Course Reserves   http://www.lib.washington.edu/services/course

Then select & enter either   Search by Course   or   Search by Instructor’s Name

For example,  under  Carpenter
Ocean 200  appears, and when selected the
List of electronic materials for Ocean 200 appears
Connection to this title is UW restricted, so students must click on this link and
Enter UW net ID & Password & then login
Click to accept copyright warning about use of the material
The list of electronic reserve material for the class should appear
Select any one of the three exams from fall 2002 to view
Note that four top term papers from previous year are also on reserve

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Library Access From Home:
If you want to log onto restricted library sites from home, and you are not using the UW dial in system, you need to set up a library proxy account from your computer.  Go to the following link and follow the directions to set up home access.  You will need your husky card.  If you have not activated it at the library and set up a pin, you will be prompted to do that.

Proxy Server Wizard
 

Feedback Form:Click on this link to reach an anonymous feedback form that will go to both TA  and instructor.  Please be
constructive with your comments and specific with your questions.  Thanks!