ES 551 Requirements

Two, web-based, take-home exams, a mid-term and final, covering material from web lectures, textbook, and laboratory exercises. Each exam covers approximately half of the semester and may include practical GIS techniques. Each exam is worth 25% of final grade.
Weekly laboratory exercises using materials supplied by instructor. Some datasets will be provided via FTP. Labs are normally due after one week; late labs may receive a grade penalty. Labs represent 20% of grade.
GIS mapping project. Students will develop a map project of some kind, which involves creation, modification, transformation, analysis, and appropriate display of a GIS database. Projects are open to any subject matter or geographic region, as determined through consultation with the instructor. Students have the option for individual or group projects (no more than 3 students per group). Project reports shall be given in the form of a poster presentation (paper, pdf or ppt) or webpage. Project is worth 20% of final grade.

Student webpage instructions.
On-campus students may present projects in any of the formats noted above. Plan a well-organized 10-minute presentation. Distance-learning students must prepare a webpage presentation. Presentations are due by Dec. 7th. Late projects may receive a grade penalty.
Note: The project must be original and unique work created by the student's own effort and submitted for ES 551 only. Project results, images, text or other components may not be utilized for other earth science courses without prior approval by the instructor.
Class participation is determined by e-mail messages to the instructor. Such messages are expected from all students on a weekly basis and should deal with lectures, lab exercises, projects, and other comments relevant to the course. All students are expected to contribute items for the course blog. Participation is 10% of the total grade.
All students must fill out, sign, and return the student agreement for participation in this course (either paper or electronic), and review the departmental policy on plagiarism. See grading scale.

ADA statement: Emporia State University will make reasonable accommodations for persons with documented disabilities. Students need to contact the Director of Disability Services and the professor as early in the semester as possible to ensure that classroom and academic accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion. All communication between students, the Office of Disability Services, and the professor will be strictly confidential.