• Syllabus Concepts and Key words 
• Quizzes 
• Response Papers
• Practice Maps  

Geography

PSU

Geography is the study of human and physical phenomena in a spatial perspective. Human phenomena include things like population growth and change; migration; industrial patterns; agricultural processes; cultural features such as language, ethnicity, and building styles; and economic development. Physical phenomena include weather, climate, vegetation distributions, geomorphology, and hydrology. The spatial perspective means that geographers look at overall patterns, the processes that create those patterns, and their visible or tangible manifestations on the earth's surface. One of the strengths of geography is the skill that geographers have in bringing together physical and human phenomena as a matter of course in their analysis of contemporary or historic issues. Examples include geographic contributions to the analysis of the complex factors involved in the human causes and consequences of tropical deforestation and desertification, social impacts of global climate change, and environmental and social costs of industrial relocation. 

Geographers use a series of ideas and concepts to guide their work. These ideas and concepts- regions, landscapes, ecology, location, movement of goods, people and ideas, and the spatial perspective- are the foundation of the discipline. 

This class has two purposes:  First  is to demonstrate how physical phenomena (the environment) and human phenomena (society) interact to create patterns of culture and economy in various parts of the world (the global perspective).  Second is to introduce students to the fundamental concepts of geography and how they can be applied to specific regions or places across the globe. 

Textbook:

Text:   Diversity Amid Globalization: World Regions, Environment and Development Texts are available at the Portland State University Bookstore.

Requests for Academic Accomodation:  If you are a student with a documented disability and registered with the Disability Resource Center, please contact me as soon as possible to arrange needed supports.

Policy on Academic Honesty:  Any type of academically and ethically dishonest work
(plagiarism, copying someone else's work, etc.) may result in an automatic "F" for the assignment and, when appropriate, a report filed with the Office of Student Affairs.  The PSU Bulletin includes the following statement on Academic Honesty:  "The Student Conduct Code, which applies to all students, prohibits all forms of academic cheating, fraud, and dishonesty.  These acts include, but are not limited to, plagiarism, buying and selling of course assignments and research papers, performing academic assignments including tests and examinations) for other persons, unauthorized disclosure and receipt of academic information, and other practices commonly understood to be academically dishonest."

Please see the PSU Bulletin or the following web sites for more information:

http://education.indiana.edu/~frick/plagiarism/ 
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/research/r_plagiar.html
http://www.indiana.edu/~wts/wts/plagiarism.html

Class Requirements:

• EXAMS: there will be three exams. The three exams will be weighted equally. Each will be worth 100 points. The exams will be primarily multiple choice with some map questions. The exams are comprehensive with regard to the conceptual material but specific to the region being covered. For example you will be responsible for knowing concepts like distribution, relative location, geomorphology, and primate city throughout the class. However, for the final exam you will need to know only how those terms apply to East Asia, Southeast Asia and the Pacific Rim.  Check current syllabus for exam dates.  


• Make-up exams will be given prior to the scheduled time only in the case of documented  and reasonable conflicts.  Make-up exams will be given after the scheduled exam time only in the case of documented emergencies. 
 
• 2 Response papers
• Attendance:  Please make every effort to come to class on time and to stay for the scheduled class time.   Please do not leave class early or begin packing up materials early or as it disturbs other students and is rude.  Students who attend regularly typically get better grades and get more from the course.  I will take attendance occasionally. 

 
• Key word lists or study guides are available on the web page for this class:  http://web.pdx.edu/~mworks/geog230syl.html. Link:  Syllabus, Concepts and key words.