GEOG 2–WORLD REGIONAL GEOGRAPHY section 6335
(CAN GEOG 4)
Fall 2005Instructor : Chris P. Gaugler
Class Meets: Tsdays, 7:00-10:00 PM, Aug 18 - Dec 15, IAC 106
Office and Hours: arranged
e-mail: Voice mail : 669-1656
Required resources
World Regional Geography, edition 4, Salter, et al.
Access to any current world atlas
Access to the inter-net
Catalog description
A survey of the geography of the world’s regions. The study includes the ways in which environmental resources are utilized to satisfy the needs of mankind. There is emphasis on economic development, population, and food problems. Knowledge of the cultural and economic interaction between regions will enable the student to better understand contemporary world problems and potentials.
Course description
A survey of the political, cultural, and physical regions of the world. The course will emphasize human distribution and interaction with environmental conditions, but will also consider global and local political and economic issues.
Course objectives
-Become familiar with the field of geography and the geographic perspective.
-Appreciate the world’s diversity and organization.
-Learn about research resources and develop the skills needed to present your ideas effectively.
-Increase your understanding of our place in the world.
-Spark your interest in this broad and dynamic discipline.
By the end of this course you should be able to:
1. Discuss the areas of emphasis within geography.
2. Be familiar with the locations of the major living and non-living features of the earth.
3. Describe and illustrate methods used by geographers.
4. Illustrate the above with specific examples from the assigned materials and your own explorations.
5. Discuss and appraise the role of geography in the world today.
6. Organize and conduct research utilizing the scientific method and logic.
Guidelines
How will you do well in this course?
Approach this course as though it were important to you.
Keep up with readings and assignments.
Pay attention and ask questions.
Take useful notes.
Find one or more study-buddies.
PLEASE ask the instructor for help when you need it, not after a tragic exam!
Believe it or not, your teacher wants for you to succeed.
Missed assignments will cost you points (15% per week). Contact me with emergencies as soon as possible to minimize the pain.
Grades
Grades are assigned based upon total points in the class. Points are accumulated
according to the following assignment schedule.
EXAM I 25hw+75 = 100
EXAM II 25hw+85 = 110 A = 90% or more
EXAM III 25hw+95 = 120 B = 80% or more
FINAL 25hw+105 = 130 C = 70% or more
5 quizzes @ 10 ea. = 50 D = 60% or more
10 maps @ 20 ea. = 200
1 paper = 100
TOTAL = 810
Homework (HW) questions. Take home portion of exams.
Answer each of these questions briefly (about one page each) but completely, and turn them in at the beginning of each section exam. They may be hand written and legible, or typed, and will count toward 25 points of your exam score. You do not need to provide any maps or diagrams. You must answer all of the questions to get full credit.
note: quizzes often are not pre-announced, and cannot be ‘made-up’.
note: Running averages will be kept by the instructor and will be available regularly.
Extra credit
You can earn 5 points each for up to 5 web-site reports. For these points you need to
produce a one page description and evaluation of a good geographic web-site.
List its 1) name, 2) URL, 3) describe what it is about, and 4) discuss why you found the site interesting and useful. You might also get points for exceptional work on maps or hw.
Writing assignments
1) One five+ page research paper on a current geographical location (get approval). You must properly cite at least : 2 journal references and 2 web references (all different) for this paper. This paper will describe a current geographical location. 1) Give a geographic description. 2) Discuss how location and environment are involved in the peoples’ lives: how have people learned to live there. 3) Include anything that you found interesting about this area. 4) Suggest both an ideal strategy and a realistic strategy for people to improve their situation (if necessary) in this area. This paper is to be typed on plain paper in a common font, one inch margins, referenced in the text using (name, date) format, stapled at the top left corner, with a reference page attached at the back, and unbound.
2) Ten maps will be handed out. The student will identify and indicate the locations of a list of requested features. Exam questions will be partially based on these same maps. Higher grades for maps that look like ‘real’ maps: maps you would pay money for!
Note: Each student must also give a short (2-5-minutes) oral presentation on their research paper in class. This presentation will be open to questions, and will be assigned after written analyses have been tentatively graded. Failure to present will negate the grade for this assignment.
Note: This instructor will be glad to review any papers turned in EARLY and return them for correction by the student. This is a rare opportunity for you to avoid a poor grade!
Withdrawal & credit/no-credit: It is your responsibility to officially withdraw from courses before the withdrawal deadline. If you do not do this you will receive an ‘F’ for those courses. There is also a deadline to opt for the credit/no-credit option. A credit grade is 70%. Deadlines are printed in the semester bulletin.
All regular Merced College rules are in effect for this course. Copies of student guidelines are available in the administration office. I welcome interaction, but not distraction.
PLAGIARISM: Merced College has adopted new policies to deal with this problem. Plagiarism is essentially copying or claiming another person’s work as your own. I will clarify this, but make sure that you do understand, and that you don’t do it. The least that can happen to you if you plagiarize is a zero grade on your paper.
Course Schedule
Week Topics Text Chapters Assignments
Aug 18 What is Geography? 1 Open add week
Aug 25 Geographic Processes 2 Instr. add week
Sep 01 Oceania: the Pacific World 15 Map 1 DUE
Sep 08 Australia & N.Z. 16 Map 2 DUE
Sep 15 South Asia 10,11
EXAM 1
Sep 22 SE Asia 12 Map 3 DUE
Sep 29 The Chinas 13 Map 4 DUE
Oct 06 Japan & Korea 14 Map 5 DUE
Oct 13 Former USSR 6,7
EXAM 2
Oct 20 Europe & Middle East 3,4 Map 6 DUE
Oct 27 Europe & Middle East 5,8,9 Map 7 DUE
Nov 03 Europe & Middle East
EXAM 3
Nov 10 Sub-Saharan Africa 17,18 Map 8 DUE
Nov 17 S-S-A / Mex. & Latin A Paper DUE
Nov 24 Thanksgiving holiday Holiday
Dec 01 Mexico & Latin America 19,20,21 Map 9 DUE
Dec 08 USA & Canada 22,23,24 Map 10 DUE
Dec 15 FINAL FINAL 8:00 ???
note: Extra credit and late papers will not be accepted after Dec. 08.
note: Cheating on any assignment may result in a zero grade for that assignment, including exams.
Writing Requirements for this Class
Writing for college (and the professions) entails a number of important factors. You must write to the level of your target audience, you must write coherently and with a clear purpose, you must write in an organized and consistent manner, and you must avoid errors in such things as spelling, sentence and paragraph structure, and factual data. Also, avoid substituting opinions for hard evidence. This does not mean you can not say how you feel about your subject, only that you distinguish between feelings and facts.
You will be given a grade for papers you write in this class and others. In real life you will be judged on your communication competence. How well you write and present your ideas can determine whether you one day at work say, "Thank you all for being here this evening for my presentation on this critical issue", or ,"Would you like fries with that order?"
Pick out your geographic topic soon. You can find them anywhere. Define and discuss how the geography of an area affects the people who live there. Describe the geographic feature(s) in detail. Discuss the environment and history of the area. If there are human problems resulting from the geography (or a geographic event) discuss how they arose, how they stand now, and how they are going to be resolved (or not). Cite at least two journal sources and two web sources. All papers should be typed using a standard 12 point type face, double spaced, and with one inch margins all around. Most word processors do this for you automatically.
This topical paper is worth 100 points. Points are lost for shortcomings in
typing / spelling (0-10 pts), referencing in the text (0-10 pts), proper references (0-20 pts), writing quality (0-10 pts), and content (0-50 pts).
Don’t feel that this is something you cannot do. Remember, you can bring me rough drafts or idea sheets any time for comment and guidance. Use the writing center. Get feedback from your friends. Don’t delay getting started on these papers. The sooner you start, the more chances you will have to get it right. Most of your future teachers will not look at rough drafts. They will expect a completed paper turned in on time. Take advantage of this opportunity to develop your research and writing skills.
Gaugler’s four ‘E’s. explain, expand, examples, etc.
For Exam 1
1. Briefly describe these ten world regions: Oceania, S. Asia, SE Asia, E. Asia, former USSR, Europe, Middle East, sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and North America.
2. What do maps tell us, and how do they do it? Include topics covered in lecture, and information from the text book.
3. Explain world systems theory. Include Hardin’s lifeboat analogy and Malthus’ theory.
4. Describe the costs of being other than a first world nation.
5. Give real-life examples of each of the six essential elements of geography.
6. What are the benefits and costs of diversity?
7. Why are people, and other living things, located where they are? Think geographically.
For Exam 2
1. What have been the positive and negative effects of colonialism in SE Asia?
2. Describe the four stages of development in mainland China since 1949. Which of them do you think was the most important and why?
3. Describe the physical, political, and economic contrasts between North and South Korea.
4. Describe each of the five climatic belts of Russia. Include settlement patterns for each.
5. Why has agriculture always been so important everywhere in the world?
For Exam 3
1. List ( a,b,c,d ) four European rivers and discuss how each of them has been important in the development of their area.
2. What are the Gulf Stream and the North Atlantic Drift, and how have they affected the settlement and development of Europe? Include some countries!
3. Discuss three areas of recent (last fifteen years) armed conflict in Europe. What were the causes and what might be the outcomes?
4. What are the major climate patternS ( at least four) of the Middle East, and how do people adjust to each of them?
5. Discuss at least four ways that Turkey is unique among the Middle Eastern nations.
For Final Exam
1. Why is the history of colonialism still having such a huge effect in Africa?
2. Why is the nation of South Africa so much more successful economically than the rest of Africa?
3. How is the Sahel both a physical and a cultural boundary? Most students fail to answer this question completely, so be careful!
4. What are the cultural forces working to reduce population growth in Latin America?
What forces keep population growth rates high?
5. What are the impacts of population growth on the economies and politics of Latin America?
6. List ( a,b,c,d ) four of the eight traits of geographic richness for North America, and tell me why you think each of them is or has been important.
STUDENTS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL MATERIAL PRESENTED, INCLUDING LECTURES, FILMS, READINGS, WEB ASSIGNMENTS AND PERSONAL WRITING ASSIGNMENTS. THE INSTRUCTOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO ALTER TOPICS AND ASSIGNMENTS AS HE DEEMS NECESSARY. I SINCERELY HOPE THAT EVERY ONE OF YOU BENEFITS FROM THIS COURSE EXPERIENCE. I WILL DO EVERYTHING IN MY POWER TO ASSIST YOU. DON’T HESITATE TO CONTACT ME IF YOU ARE HAVING PROBLEMS. THAT’S WHY I AM HERE.