Introductory Oceanography

Earth Science 120

 

Suggestions for Success in this Course

 

This is NOT an easy course, however, we NEVER have failures among those who work hard at learning the material, regardless of their background.
PLEASE ALSO NOTE: the course covers a very broad range of subject matter (including aspects of geology, chemistry, physics, biology, astronomy, meteorology, climatology, and environmental science). It is NOT just about the mating behavior of whales and sharks - indeed marine biology (the subject that many of you may have thought you were getting into) is only a small component of what is covered in oceanography. Although we will gladly explain and re-explain everything that we cover, much of this material may be unfamiliar to you. The key to success, therefore, is to:

Attend and carefully listen to all lectures because this is where you will get the needed explanations as well as strong clues as to what material is important to learn for exam purposes.
 
Have the appropriate study skills, reading habits, note-taking ability, and academic preparation to take an introductory university no-prerequisite science course. If you have problems with any of these skills, and many students do, please see us and we can discuss strategies for improving your grade. You are also welcome to contact us about any problem or question you have concerning other science issues, including the possibility of a career in science or simply an interest in science. We are almost always available after class and during office hours, and we normally return email messages the same day that we receive them.
 
Scan the appropriate textbook chapters BEFORE the appropriate lectures. Make a short outline of each section (based on headings in the book) and note any technical terms you don't fully understand. This will allow you to take better notes in class and will give you the confidence to ask questions in class or after class regarding material that you do not fully understand. Finally, fully and carefully reread appropriate book chapters as soon as possible (within days, rather than weeks) after the lecture. Much of the material is cumulative, so once you fall behind it is difficult to catch up. In particular, make sure you understand the principles and concepts as well as the specialized vocabulary covered in each chapter. Despite what librarians have said to you over the years, your book is an expendable item. Invest the ca.$70 it costs for the book and use it fully — that means read it, mark it up, tear it up or otherwise make its information yours. Selling it back to the bookstore at the end of the semester should not be your major objective. Highlighting important, new, or incomprehensible phrases and concepts will help you learn the material, especially if you follow up with questions. Remember that there is about 1-2 hours of "outside the classroom" work for every in-class hour. In this course, that involves mainly reading and understanding the textbook.
 
Ask questions during class, come up to ask questions after class, or come in for help about anything you don't fully understand. There really are no "stupid" questions and you would be amazed at how many other students in the class will also not know the answer to your question. Questions are interpreted by most faculty (myself included) as a very welcome sign of interest, not ignorance! Furthermore, we have never turned down a student's request for time to review material, so take advantage of this "free service". The only exception to our willing help comes when 50 students all want assistance on the day before an exam; there simply is not enough time to deal with everyone individually on that basis.
 
Review the terms and questions at the end of each chapter in the book. If you cannot answer them, it should be a warning sign that you do not fully understand the material. Some exam questions may even be taken from this pool of material. In addition, we have put a large bank of past and possible future exam questions on this net site. Although there are no guarantees that ALL exam questions will come from this bank, it is likely that many will. You can also find other students in the class and form study groups — comparing notes and knowledge can be very helpful in understanding complex material.
 
Get interested in the subject matter of the course. Get interested despite the fact that the course is not just about "fun" things, despite the fact that it will take significant amounts of your time, and despite the fact that your purpose in taking this course simply may be to pass the NMT breadth requirement. This course will describe the earth you live on, how it functions, and how man must cope with its inexorable forces. It deals, in part, with fundamentals of existence on a delicate planet on which man has had great influence. Pollution, global warming, water and energy resource problems, the ozone shield, coastal zone management, fisheries management and other questions of immediate political and social interest will be covered. But to intelligently deal with these complex issues, you must develop a background of fundamental information which bears on the problems. If this type of basic understanding is of little or no interest to you, you would be well advised to drop the course and try something else. So look over the syllabus and decide now if this course is really for you. If so, work at it; if not, drop it!