GEOL351-17S1 (C) Semester One 2017

Advanced Field Techniques

15 points

Details:
Start Date: Monday, 20 February 2017
End Date: Sunday, 25 June 2017
Withdrawal Dates
Last Day to withdraw from this course:
  • Without financial penalty (full fee refund): Friday, 3 March 2017
  • Without academic penalty (including no fee refund): Friday, 19 May 2017

Description

Extended field work and related exercises aimed at broadening geological experience in the understanding and interpretation of rocks at outcrop, field map, and regional scales.

The course is designed to integrate different types of geologic data to interpret a geologic history of a region through examination of sedimentary, metamorphic and volcanic rocks. Students will chose between one of two concurrently running field trips outlined below (West Coast or Oamaru). Both field trips have the same teaching goals and both support study in other 300 level courses. Each trip covers, with varying emphasis, New Zealand tectonic events, metamorphic basement geology, structural geology, basin analysis and sedimentary depositional environments. Field teaching takes place off-campus and a reasonable degree of physical fitness is desirable.

Field trip options and dates – students to choose one only

West Coast (18-25th April) – Bassett/Nichol - This trip to Westport focuses on the Cretaceous history of Gondwana breakup and the development of the New Zealand landmass.  The history starts with examining metamorphic core complex deformation and associated basin deposits leading up into the Cenozoic sequence and coal basins. Dates to be confirmed by the start of semester one.

Oamaru (22-29th April) –Reid/Kennedy - This field trip focuses on Cretaceous to early Miocene geological history and facies patterns in response to tectonics through interpretation of basaltic volcanics, and siliciclastic and carbonate sedimentary environments.

Lectures and labs
There are no lectures for this course

Labs: An information session in the first week of term to brief students on the content of each field trip. Students will then get to choose their preferred field course option – however as the number of places on each trip is limited students may not get their preferred option, and we reserve the right to shift students to best manage field trip logistics. A compulsory meeting will be held in the last week of term one to brief students on the equipment and logistics of each field trip.

Learning Outcomes

  • Goal of the Course:
    To develop advanced field skills in data gathering. The emphasis is on synthesizing different types of data into an interpretation of regional geology based on these field data.

    Learning Outcomes
    Students completing this course will learn how to
  • Gather quantitative volcanic or sedimentary composition data
  • Gather and interpret field structural data
  • Collect and present stratigraphic data
  • Deal with spatial and temporal geological variation
  • Present data and concepts in written form
  • Synthesize data to develop a coherent tectonic history

    Summary of the Course Content
    The topics coved by this course are:
  • New Zealand basement geology
  • Cretaceous tectonic events
  • Cenozoic sedimentation in active and passive tectonic settings

Prerequisites

(1) GEOL240 and GEOL241, and (2) GEOL243 (3) 30 points from other GEOL 200-level courses.

Co-requisites

15 points from GEOL331-357 offered in the same semester.

Course Coordinators

Kari Bassett and Catherine Reid

Lecturers

Alex Nichols and Ben Kennedy

Assessment

Assessment Due Date Percentage  Description
Field exercises 60% Field exercises
Post field trip report 40% Post field trip report


Both Oamaru and Westport field trips will have assessed items to be completed on the field trip, as well as a post-trip report that will be due approximately 2 weeks after the completion of the trip. Dates for this hand-in will be advised when trip dates are confirmed.

Examination and Formal Tests
There is no written exam for GEOL351

Textbooks / Resources

Recommended Reading

Boggs, Sam; Principles of sedimentology and stratigraphy ; 4th ed; Pearson Prentice Hall, 2006.

Dalrymple, Robert W. , James, Noel P., Geological Association of Canada; Facies models 4 ; Geological Association of Canada, 2010.

Powell, Derek; Interpretation of geological structures through maps : an introductory practical manual ; Longman Scientific & Technical ;, 1992.

Prothero, Donald R. , Schwab, F. L; Sedimentary geology : an introduction to sedimentary rocks and stratigraphy ; W.H. Freeman, 1996.

Course links

Library portal

Notes

All students must read the Field safety guide and abide by it. You must complete and sign the final page of the field safety guide and return this page only to the office (Room 334) at the start of the course. Students must also attend the pre-trip meeting that will also be a field safety briefing. Students must abide by guidelines set out at that briefing and instructions of teaching staff and assistants whilst in the field.

While discussion within a pair or group is valuable, it is important that you form your own conclusions and can justify them. Whilst there may be a degree of collaboration in producing the field data, the interpretive maps and sections should be your own. Students are reminded that plagiarism (i.e. direct copying and submission of another's work) is unethical and will be penalised.

Food costs
The cost of meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) is not included in course fees and will be charged separately at the rate of $17 per day.

Essential equipment
Students will be expected to have a geological hammer, safety glasses, hand lens, grain size comparator, a plastic bag to protect map board and note-book. All are available from the department. A personal first aid kit is essential for field safety. Boots and a sleeping bag are necessary as is adequate clothing for a range of weather conditions. A more detailed list will be issued during the pre-trip briefing.

A high standard of behaviour is expected on the field class. Intoxication, harassment of other students, damage to property etc will result in exclusion from the class and consequent failure of the course.

Additional Course Outline Information

Academic integrity

GENERAL INFORMATION

Marks and Grades
The Department of Geological Sciences uses the following scale to convert marks into grades:
100 – 90 A+ 75 – 79 B+ 60 – 64 C+
89 – 85 A 70 – 74 B 55 – 59 C
84 – 80 A- 65 – 69 B- 50 – 54 C-
Below 50 D/E

The Department of Geological Sciences reserves the right to adjust this mark/grade conversion, when deemed necessary.

Late Work
It is the policy for this course that late work is not accepted. Or, late work should be accompanied with a detailed explanation of why the work is late.  The work will be marked and marks will be subtracted for each day the work is late.  Days late include week-end and holidays.  

Academic Liaison
Alex Nichols (room 321, HUalex.nichols@canterbury.ac.nzUH, phone (03) 364 2987 ext 94410) is in charge of liaison with students in geology courses.  Each year level will appoint a student representative(s) to the liaison committee at the start of the semester.  Please feel free to talk to the Academic Liaison or the student rep about any problems or concerns that you might have.

Students with Disabilities
Students with disabilities should speak with someone at Disability Resource Service. Their office is on Level 2 of the Puaka-James Hight Building (Central Library). Phone: +64 3 369 3334 or ext 93334, email: disabilities@canterbury.ac.nz

Policy on Dishonest Practice
Plagiarism, collusion, copying and ghost writing are unacceptable and dishonest practices.
• Plagiarism is the presentation of any material (text, data, figures or drawings, on any medium including computer files) from any other source without clear and adequate acknowledgement of the source.
• Collusion is the presentation of work performed in conjunction with another person or persons, but submitted as if it has been completed only by the names author(s).  
• Copying is the use of material (in any medium, including computer files) produced by another person(s) with or without their knowledge and approval.
• Ghost writing is the use of another person(s) (with or without payment) to prepare all or part of an item submitted for assessment.  

In cases where dishonest practice is involved in tests or other work submitted for credit, the student will be referred to the University Proctor.  The instructor may choose to not mark the work.  

Reconsideration of Grades
Students should, in the first instance, speak to the course co-ordinator about their marks.  If they cannot reach an agreeable solution, students should then speak to the Head of the Geological Sciences Department. Students can appeal any decision made on their final grade.  You can apply at the Registry to appeal the final grade within 4 weeks of the end of the semester.  Be aware that there are time limits for each step of the appeals process.  

Special Considerations Applications
If you feel that illness, injury, bereavement or other critical circumstances has prevented you from completing an item of assessment or affected your performance, you should complete a Special Considerations application form, available from the Registry or the Student Health and Counselling Service.  This should be within five days of the due date for the required work or the date of the examination.  In the case of illness or injury, medical consultation should normally have taken place shortly before or within 24 hours after the due date for the required work, or the date of the test or examination.  For further details on Special Consideration applications, please refer to the Enrolment Handbook or visit http://www.canterbury.ac.nz/exams/special-consideration.shtml.  You have the right to appeal any decision made, including Special Considerations decisions.  

Missing of Tests
In rare cases a student will not be able to sit a test.  In such cases, the student should consult with the course co-ordinator to the Head of the Department of Geological Sciences to arrange alternative procedures.   This must be done well in advance of the set date for the test.

Other specific requirements

Students will be expected to have a geological hammer, safety glasses, hand lens, grain size comparator, a plastic bag to protect map board and note-book. All are available from the department. A personal first aid kit is essential for field safety. Boots and a sleeping bag are necessary as is adequate clothing for a range of weather conditions. A more detailed list will be issued during the pre-trip briefing.

A high standard of behaviour is expected on the field class. Intoxication, harassment of other students, damage to property etc will result in exclusion from the class and consequent failure of the course.

Indicative Fees

Domestic fee $848.00

International fee $3,713.00

* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.

For further information see School of Earth and Environment .

All GEOL351 Occurrences

  • GEOL351-17S1 (C) Semester One 2017