GEOGRAPHY 270: Cartographic Methods
Fall Term 2002
Instructor: Michael Holtzclaw Office Hours:
224 Modoc Monday/Wednesday 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.
383 - 7236 Tuesday/Thursday 10:45 - 11:45 a.m.
mholtzclaw@cocc.edu Friday By appointment
Course Description:
Geography 270 is a four credit hour course designed to introduce students to the basics of thematic map creation, interpretation, and design. The only pre-requisite for the course is a working knowledge of windows-based computer systems.
Once a student completes this course they should be able to:
i. have a basic knowledge of the history of cartography;
ii. identify the various types of maps;
iii. identify the map projection used and state its purpose and limitations;
iv. have a working knowledge of a ArcView, a geographic information system;
v. create different types of maps using ArcView computer software;
vi. understand how a map’s presentation can affect its interpretation;
vii. understand the nature of different data representation techniques;
viii. critique maps on their design and presentation; and
ix. understand the necessary components needed in different types of maps.
Course Requirements:
1) Due to the nature of this course, class participation is essential. 50% of your course grade will be based on participation in in-class exercises. Students are allowed to miss one of these exercises and still receive the full 50%. For each additional exercise missed, 5% will be lost toward this portion of the course grade. If a student completes all six assignments, then this portion of the final course grade increases to 60% and the final exam percentage is reduced to 20%.
2) There will be one midterm (November 1st). The exam will cover material presented in class and from the textbook, and will be a combination of multiple choice, short answer, essay, and true/false questions. The midterm will count toward 20% of your final course grade.
3) There will be a cumulative final exam. The final exam will be worth 30% (or 20%, see above explanation) of your final course grade and it is scheduled for December 12th from 8:00 – 10:00 a.m.
Course Text:
Dent, Borden D., 1999. Cartography: Thematic Map Design, 5th edition, Boston: WCB/McGraw Hill.
Summary of Course Requirements:
Class Participation = 50%
Midterm 1 = 20%
Final = 30%
Grading Scale:
A = 94% and above
A- = 89% to 93%
B+ = 85% to 88%
B = 81% to 84%
B- = 77% to 80%
C+ = 74% to 76%
C = 70% to 73%
D = 65% to 69%
F = 64% and below
Notes:
1) Exams will draw heavily from the material covered in class, therefore, daily attendance is strongly recommended. In the past, students who attend class regularly generally do well in my course. If you need to be absent from class for any reason, make sure and get a copy of the notes from someone in class and then schedule an appointment to see me so we can go over the notes.
2) A valid, documented excuse (a note from a Doctor, Police Report, etc.) must be provided in order to qualify for a makeup exam. Please see me if you have any questions regarding this policy.
3) Please see the attached page for your reading assignments from the textbook.
4) Inappropriate behavior that disrupts the learning process of others will result in dismissal from class.
Geography 270: Cartographic Methods
Reading List and Important Dates
Friday 8:30 - 11:50 a.m.
The reading assignments are an approximate time line. Some topics will take longer to cover than others.
Week 1: September 23 - September 27
Readings: Chapter 1
Week 2: September 30 - October 4
Readings: Chapters 2 & 3
Important Dates:
10/4 – End 100% Refund
10/4 – Tuition Due
Week 3: October 7 - October 11
Readings: Chapter 4
Important Dates:
10/7 – Begin $30 late registration fee
Week 4: October 14 - October 18
Readings: Chapter 7
Week 5: October 21 - October 25
Readings: Review chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, & 7
Week 6: October 28 - November 1
Readings: Chapter 8
Important Dates:
11/1 - Midterm 1
Week 7: November 4 - November 8
Readings: Chapter 9
Important Dates:
11/8 - Last day to drop a course with no grade on the transcript
11/8 – Last day to add or change a course to audit
Week 8: November 11 - November 15
Readings: Chapter 13
Important Dates:
11/11 – Veteran’s Day Holiday, no class
Week 9: November 18 - November 22
Readings: None
Week 10: November 25 - November 29
Important Dates:
11/28 and 11/29 – Thanksgiving Holiday, no classes
Week 11: December 2 - December 6
Readings: Review chapters 8, 10, 11, 12, & 13
Important Dates:
11/28 – Last day to withdraw from a course – signature is required
Week 12: December 9 - December 13
Important Dates:
12/12 - Final Exam from 8:00 to 10:00 a.m.