gls214_syllabus

Coastal Geology is a multipurpose course that not only introduces you to coasts and the processes that form them but also provides the opportunity for field work and research. Most lab time is spent in the field learning introductory mapping techniques, beach profiling, and data collection. At the end of the semester you will write a coherent report based on your field work and research. Lectures will cover coasts and their controlling influences in progressively finer detailed. The weekly timing (Monday or Friday) of lab and lecture will vary depending on tidal phase, wave and weather conditions. You are responsible to keep abreast of the weekly schedule.

Course Goals: Upon completion of this course you will be able to assess the response of coastal systems to natural and man-induced changes, and will also have preliminary experience designing and completing a field-oriented study using scientific method.

Non-discipline specific goals

1. Effective communication of observations and interpretations in both oral and written formal

2. Cooperative group skills

3. Reading, analyzing and citing journal articles

4. Retrieving and applying data from the Internet

General information

Dr. Lindley S. Hanson, Dept. of Geological Sciences (331 E)
Office hours: Tuesday 1:30-3:30, Thursday 12:30-2:30 (see class schedule)
Phone: 978-542-6701
email: lhanson@salemstate.edu /Ref: gls214
websites:
- http://www.salemstate.edu/~lhanson/
- http://www.salemstate.edu/~lhanson/gls214

Grade Evaluation

GRADE ASSESSMENT	% of grade
Final	20
Word Quizzes	20
Participation and presentation	30
Project: Poster(10) and Paper (20)	30
TOTAL	100%

Outline of assignments and assessment

Semester-long progressive coastal analysis (lecture-based)
- Part 1: I will assigned a coast for you to assess at different scales. You will work in small groups or pairs, and each group will have time to evaluate their coast in the context of the current lecture (e.g. tectonic setting, climate, depositional features, geologic history, etc.) and assigned readings.
  - Assessment: At two points during the semester each group will give a 10-15 minute presentation of their coast. A peer and self assessment of each presentation will be completed in terms of best and muddiest points and a grading rubric. Only my grade for the second presentation will be recorded. See participation grade below.
- Part 2: Towards the end of the course the class, as a group, will diagram and analyze the similarities and differences of coasts and how they reflect their geologic and environmental setting. You should be able to apply your knowledge to unfamiliar coasts.
- Assessment: Knowledge will be assessed in the final exam and graded by a rubric.
Learning terminology
- I will post on the Internet three crossword assignments that will be the foundation for two or three short quizzes.
Beach Study
- Working in groups you will be designing, completing and presenting a field study on a North Shore beach.
- At the end of the semester you must have measured at least six profiles along your chosen profile line and have six sets of process data. If we have a storm you will need to collect field data outside of class time. There are several sites, such as oceanweather.com, NOAA Tides online(tables) GoMOOS (realtime wave and wind data, US Navy WAM wave forecasts for the North Atlantic from which you can retrieve realtime data and forecasts. Use these sites to arrange the best times for process measurements, and to collect daily weather, wave and tide data.
- Assessment
  - Step 1: Two to three weeks before the end of classes each group will present a poster that includes the following:
    - Abstract (GSA format)
    - physical description of the beach and it's setting
    - Documented changes over the course of the study
    - Discussion of processes
    - Beach model that predicts the behavior/response to storm and post-storm activity.
      - Poster Assessment: Peer and self assessment: All students will fill out a rubric with comments. I will use the same rubric for grading. The purpose of the poster session is to discuss and obtain feedback on you study and prepare you for writing your report.
  - Step 2: Individual papers, expanded from poster session, with the following additions:
    - future work (what additional work needs to be done)
    - References (must have at least two journal articles that analyze a similar beach)
    - Data appendices
      - Paper Assessment: I will grade each paper using a rubric that include quality of data, logic of interpretation, integration of journal articles, comprehension of the subject, and presentation (organization, paragraph, structure, spelling, placement and discussion of figures, etc.).
Participation and attendance is absolutely necessary for this course to succeed. I will give you 30 points to start, which you can keep or lose according to the following rules. (Maximum points = 34)
- Class absence (-1 point/hour missed)
- Failing to show up to profile during lab (-4) --also know as copping out on your partner
- Not being prepared for and failing to participate in class discussions (-1)
- Profiling and collecting data outside of lab (+2/session)
- Presentation on coast (excellent = 0, fair = -2, poor = -4)

Text:

Richard Davis Jr. and Duncan FitzGerald, 2003, Beaches and Coasts
Other books:
- Pilkey and Dixon, 1996, The Corps and the Shore (required)
- Dean, 1999, Against the Tide, The battle for America's beaches (suggested)

Updates and Assignments: Exam dates and assignments will be posted in the Updates and Assignments section. Check this page twice a week.

Course outline: Order of Presentation

Lecture Sessions and Content		Lab
Significance of the Coastal Zone Introduction to Coasts	Assignments for next session: Inman and Nordstrom: Classification of coasts Shepard's Classification of Coasts Text: The Earth's mobile crust (2) - review before reading Inman and Nordstrom Coastline variability and function (1) Think about: The advantages and pitfalls of classifications. How does your text categorize coasts.	Introduction to beach morphology , using a compass, mapping and profiling. Designing rods and data sheets
Evaluating the influence of tectonic environment on large scale coastal morphology and coastal processes Classifying coasts. Group Presentation	landform interpretation, origin of continental margins, tectonic processes, drainage basins, tectonic influence on waves and tide regime, passive (depositional) vs. active coasts. Assignments for next session: Text: Weather systems (5), Reef Coasts (19) Coastal Wetlands (14) USGS El Niño homepage	Beaches and Field Techniques Profiling Devereau Beach
		Profiling Singing Beach
Intro to influencing factors Influence of climate on coasts (one class) Group Presentation	global climate patterns, el Niño, influence of climate on biological processes, influence of biological processes on coastal processes, drainage basins and sediment supply, deltas, barrier island, reefs, estuaries and beaches Assignments for next session: Text: Sea level change (4), Estuaries (15), Glaciated Coasts (17) and Rocky Coasts (18)	Designing group beach studies Retrieving daily data and forecasts from the internet Graphing profiles and other data
Influence of geologic history on coastal (one class)	sea level changes (eustatic, isostatic, relative) glaciation, faulting, deltas, barrier island, reefs (atolls), estuaries, rocky coasts Assignments for next session: Text:Waves (6) Tides (11), Beach and nearshore environment (7) Intertidal flats (13), Tidal Inlets (12), Barrier systems (7) Coastal lagoons (10), River Deltas (16)	*Field Day
		*Field Day
Influence of hydrographic regime and riverine processes on coastal morphology and beach dynamics (five classes)	wave, tidal processes, currents, deltas, barrier islands, inlets, estuaries, and beaches, coastal systems (input - process - output) variables & parameters Assignments for next session: Pilkey and Dixon, 1996, The Corps and the Shore Text: Coastal erosion (20), Human interactions (21)	*Field Day
		*Field Day
		*Field Day
		*Field Day
Human influence on the coastal environment	coastal engineering structures (what, why, where, consequences), effects of pollution on ecology and consequences, sea level rise	Poster Session
		*Field Day
		*Field Day
There will be one weekend field trip* (13th or 20th of Sept) to beaches along the North Shore.*

* Lab time will be spent in your respective field area. All information collected will be analyzed and incorporated in your final project. Spend one day researching records and interviewing neighbors for information on past storms and restoration activities.

Lindley Hanson/email

Department of Geological Sciences, Salem State College, Salem, MA

last Updated 08/13/03

GRADE ASSESSMENT

Course outline: Order of Presentation