Course Syllabus

GEOG-G123 LAB - Soil Survey (24347)
Lecturer:  Andy Baker
Email:  bakeran@iu.edu
Office:  Cavanaugh Hall, 207 C

This is a 1-credit hour, online laboratory. 
GEOG-G123 material begins Monday, March 9 and ends Sunday, May 3.

There is no required textbook or lab manual. 
All lab materials are available to students for free.

This lab is Asynchronous Online (AO). 
We do not have any required on-campus, off-campus, or online meetings.

G123 is in the General Education Core - Life & Physical Sciences.

Please read the following course guidelines carefully & completely.

It will be useful if you can do as many of the following:
-scan and upload documents to Canvas,
-screenshot your device/computer, or
-capture/upload photographs from a smartphone/device

FYI:  Any text in blue font and highlight like THIS is a link to specific course content.

Course Description
“An introduction to soil geography, soil development processes, USDA soil survey map interpretation, physical and mechanical soil properties, and land use analysis.”
–from the Indiana University Bulletin

Student Learning Outcomes

  1. Demonstrate knowledge of a soil survey and the data, methods, and techniques used by Geographers to analyze our soil.
  2. Understand and distinguish between the key characteristics of and processes impacting soils across our world’s different physical environments.
  3. Use and interpret published USDA soil survey maps, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), and Remote Sensing to study the soil types and processes that most impact their local area.

Grading and Assessments of Learning
There are 110 total points in this course.

Quiz 1:  5 points
Lab 1:  10 points

Quiz 2:  5 points
Lab 2:  10 points

Quiz 3:  5 points
Lab 3:  10 points

Quiz 4:  5 points
Lab 4:  10 points

Quiz 5:  5 points
Lab 5:  10 points

Quiz 6:  5 points
Lab 6:  10 points

Final Exam:  20 points

Final Course Grades (Grading Scale)
106 - 110 = A+
102 - 105 = A
99 - 101 = A-
95 - 98 = B+
91 - 94 = B
88 - 90 = B-
84 - 87 = C+
80 - 83 = C
77 - 79 = C-
73 - 76 = D+
69 - 72 = D
66 - 68 = D-
0 - 65 = F

Lab Exercises
There are 6 labs, each one worth 10 points. This means there are 60 total points for the labs comprising two-thirds of your final grade.  You can find the labs in Modules, Assignments, or by clicking on each link in blue below.

Each 10-point lab will be structured differently, but you will submit all of your completed lab reports online via "Assignments" in Canvas. 

The due dates for each lab is listed below.

Lab 1:  Opens Monday, March 9 and is due before 11:59pm Sunday, March 15

Lab 2:  Opens Monday, March 23 and is due before 11:59pm Sunday, March 29

Lab 3:  Opens Monday, March 30 and is due before 11:59pm Sunday, April 5

Lab 4:  Opens Monday, April 6 and is due before 11:59pm Sunday, April 12

Lab 5:  Opens Monday, April 13 and is due before 11:59pm Sunday, April 19

Lab 6:  Opens Monday, April 20 and is due before 11:59pm Sunday, April 26

Lab reports should be written neatly and concisely.  Any calculations should be clearly indicated, and you must state any assumptions you make.  The majority of points will be for the correct method, not the final numerical answer.  In other words, always show your work. 

Your completed labs will be returned to you with my grading feedback and notations as soon as possible.

Quizzes
Before you begin each lab, you will also complete a corresponding quiz.  The quiz is worth a total of 5 points and will typically contain multiple-choice questions.  Occasionally, other types of quiz questions will be used, including short response, essay, and true/false.  The intent of the quizzes is to merely introduce you to the concepts, terms, and techniques used in a lab exercise.

Each quiz will be taken and submitted online via “Quizzes” on our Canvas page.  You are allowed 2 attempts for each quiz, with Canvas recording the highest of your two attempts.  Most questions are automatically scored after you take the quiz and are available after quiz completion in “Grades” in Canvas. However, the correct answers for the quizzes will be revealed and available to you after all students have completed each quiz.

See below for the quiz schedule, including the open and close (due) date/time.  All quizzes are available for two weeks. 

Quiz 1:  Opens Monday, March 9 and is due before 11:59pm Sunday, March 15

Quiz 2:  Opens Monday, March 23 and is due before 11:59pm Sunday, March 29

Quiz 3:  Opens Monday, March 30 and is due before 11:59pm Sunday, April 5

Quiz 4:  Opens Monday, April 6 and is due before 11:59pm Sunday, April 12

Quiz 5:  Opens Monday, April 13 and is due before 11:59pm Sunday, April 19

Quiz 6:  Opens Monday, April 20 and is due before 11:59pm Sunday, April 26

Final Exam
The Final Exam will be available Wednesday, April 29 and is due before 11:59pm on Sunday, May 3.  Details regarding the Exam, including format, will be announced April 20.

Course Materials

There is no required textbook or laboratory manual to purchase.  Instead, we will utilize a mix of publications available online (for free!) as well as our Canvas page to deliver all lab materials.  FYI:  Below is a list of some resources we will use excerpts from this semester.

Student Resources Available on Campus & Other Course Information

University Information Technology Support:
Please contact the UITS Support Center (317-274-4357) if you have a computer, network, or technical problem.  They have an online chat option here:  https://ithelplive.iu.edu/.  They are very helpful. I have called them many times and in every instance, they provided information to correct my problem. You will have to provide your user-id to speak with one of the consultants employed there. This is a free service to IU students, faculty, and staff.

Accessible Education Services (AES):
Students needing accommodations because of a disability will need to register with Accessible Educational Services (AES) and complete the appropriate forms issued by AES before accommodations will be given. The AES office is located in Taylor Hall, UC 100. You can also reach the office by calling 274-3241. Visit Accessible Education Services for more information.

Dean of Students/Student Advocate:
You should be aware that the campus Student Advocate Office can help you overcome obstacles towards your academic goals. The Advocate will answer your questions, direct you to the appropriate departments and people, familiarize you with university policies and procedures, and give you guidance as you look at ways to solve problems and make choices. The Student Advocate Office is located in UC002 and can be contacted by phone at 278-7594 or email at stuadvoc@iu.edu.

Withdrawals and incompletes:
You may withdraw with an automatic “W” through the stated date in the Academic Calendar. Withdrawals after that date will be assigned a grade of “F”. Incompletes will not be given except in cases of documented medical emergencies or illness.

IU Indianapolis Withdraw Deadlines
Click HERE or contact IU Indy Registrar at 317-274-1519 or indyregr@iu.edu.

Administrative Withdrawal:
A basic requirement of this course is that you will participate in all class activities and assessments and conscientiously complete all required course activities and/or assignments. Keep in touch with me if you q1are unable to attend, participate, or complete an assignment on time. If you miss more than half of the required activities within the first 25% of the course without contacting me, you may be administratively withdrawn from this course. Administrative withdrawal may have academic, financial, and financial aid implications. Administrative withdrawal will take place after the full refund period, and if you are administratively withdrawn from the course you will not be eligible for a tuition refund. If you have questions about the administrative withdrawal policy at any point during the semester, please contact me.

Academic Integrity and Misconduct:
Please read the IU Student Code of Conduct carefully by clicking HERE.  I assume that you have read and agree with all terms of the Code and will grade your submitted assessments & evaluate your communications accordingly. The consequences of academic dishonesty range from a warning, penalty, or removal from university, depending on the severity of your fraud.

What is cheating? Any one of the following situations involves cheating:

  • copying the answers from a lab obtained from another person in the class or from a previous term
  • having the aid of another person, electronically or physically, to assist you in selecting an answer on a quiz
  • having another person complete a lab or take a quiz for you