GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY: COLLEGE OF SCIENCE
Department of Geography &Geoinformation Science
Fall Semester 2012
Course Syllabus GGS 689
The course is taught on Wednesdays in Robinson B 108 4:30 – 7:10 p.m.
Instructor: Allan Falconer
email [email protected]
phone: 703 993 1360
Office: Research Hall Room 135
Office Hours: Wednesdays 3.00-4.00 p.m. and after class or by appointment.
Name and contact information for two classmates in this course. (This is to give you
some person to contact for incidental items from class or check on class work that you
may miss or misunderstand)
Classmate 1:
Classmate 2:
Introduction: The course is designed as a graduate seminar that provides a context for discussion and
discovery of the current form and content of Geography as an academic discipline. You are expected to
contribute to class discussion and the assumption is that each of you is about to become a Professional in
the Geographic Sciences. In this capacity you become colleagues of your instructors and all other
professional geographers. You are in the final stages of the transition from pupil/student to a
professional who has mastered the subject. Your Master’s degree carries with it the responsibility to be
knowledgeable about your chosen subject and to represent it in the workplace.
Content: The course will trace the growth of human knowledge from its earliest days, the emergence of
Geography in the third century BCE and its evolution to the present. Definitions of the subject over the
centuries and the current content of academic Geography will be considered. Initially we address the
questions “What do Geographers study?” and “How do they do that?” We trace the impact of
technology on both the subject of Geography and the practice of Geographers. We conclude by
examining the content of recently published geographical work.
Learning Objectives:
Students will learn and be able to demonstrate knowledge of basic information about the origins and the
development of Geography as an academic pursuit.
Students will know the major ideas of physical and social science and be able to discuss and
demonstrate their interrelationships in Geography.
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Students will be able to analyze information, and make judgments about the validity of that information.
Students will understand the approaches and underlying values of modeling and data analysis in
understanding the world we live in.
Students will be able to communicate their knowledge about this subject orally and in writing, to a
variety of audiences.
Students will be able to apply the course information and skills to real world situations.
Students will have a greater appreciation for and interest in the Earth, its inhabitants and the impact that
the global population has on natural processes active in the ecosystems that have been revealed by the
natural sciences.
Textbook: At this stage in your career you should be looking to develop and define your own view of
your subject. Therefore choosing your own text becomes a part of this defining exercise. We will discuss
this in the early classes and agree how you wish to do this. You are encouraged to suggest publications
that we can use. This semester we will use multiple sources of material. Other materials that you
consider to be valuable in understanding Geography can be presented for discussion in the group and we
look for originality and substance.
Assignments and grading: There will be five assignments each of equal weight. Each provides the
opportunity to gain 20 points towards a possible course total of 100.
Note: In general I DO NOT deduct points. You start with the blank paper (inherently worth zero
points) on which your assignment is printed. For all the correct and relevant scholarly opinions,
arguments and reasoned viewpoints that you write you gain points. If the writing doesn’t say what
you mean then you can’t gain points for what you don’t state. My job is to help you gain the
maximum number of points by advising about content and presentation. You do not begin with
100 points that I am trying to take away from you.
Course Calendar:
August 29, 2012 Geographers study the earth. What do we know about the earth and how do we think
about it? How does our world work?? This class will include organizational items, a sharing of personal
perceptions of geography and your geographical experiences. We begin with a lecture-discussionquestion session, and an opportunity to describe what Geographers do. What do you intend to do using
Geography? How will your studies prepare you for your career?
September 5, 2012 The earth's development and the processes that govern it. Awareness of our
environment and the understanding of it, the resulting growth of knowledge. History of the study of
Geography and its purpose. How big is the earth and what does it offer? What is "out there" and why
does it matter? Environments and their evaluation, how can we use them? The concept of "resources"
and how this changes throughout time. The growth of specialization in Geography and the current
specialties identified in academic Geography.
Assignment 1 is a scholarly essay that is your reasoned and referenced personal definition of one
specialty in Geography and the history of its growth. This should be approximately 1,800 words (more
or less three typed pages, single-spaced and in 12pt. type.) and should relate your personal experiences
and viewpoint to those of the geographers of the past as recorded in literature, scholarly writings and
academic studies. The definitions should be well formulated. Maps, diagrams, photographs and other
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illustrations are encouraged and should be in addition to the 1800 word text. (You may NOT count each
"picture" as 1,000 words!) Please refer to the attached rubric for a guide to the grading standards.
September 12, 2012 “Early Days: Geography emerges as a human pursuit”. We will look at the history
of invention, and consider the effect of this on the study of Geography. Items such as the emergence of
society, and the spread of human habitation across the earth will be presented. Following a discussion,
students will prepare PowerPoint presentations to illustrate chosen events in the development of human
occupation of the Earth. These presentations are Assignment 2 and will be the discussed in the context
of the development of Geography. Each presentation must be submitted in written form with
illustrations (PowerPoint CD’s).Grading will award 10 points for the written form, 5 points for the
Power Point presentation and 5 points for your contributions to discussion.
September 19, 2012 Student presentations on the development of geography.
September 26, 2012. We will conclude student presentations on the development of Geography.
Research Task: Begin background reading on the academic development of Geography and the
emergence of internal tensions. Examples include: Determinism vs Possibilism; Cultural vs Physical;
Systematic vs Regional, Quantitative vs Qualitative, etc.
October 3, 2012 Discussion and analysis of controversy in Geography;
Assignment (3) Students will form teams and each team will address one area of tension or controversy
in the subject. Each member of the team will study a major aspect of the tension / controversy. A one
page statement summarizing the controversy will be written by the team, and copied to the class. Each
team member will write and present individual study reports in class.
The grade for this will be in three parts; 10 points for the individual study; 5 points for the one page
summary of the controversy written jointly by the group; (this will be the same for all the members of
the team) and 5 points for the quality and clarity of each individual presentation.
October 10, 2012 Student presentations of controversy in Geography.
October 17, 2012 Student presentations conclude
October 24, 2012 Research Methods in Geography-1. Lecture material on Quantitative, Qualitative,
Theoretical, Empirical and Philosophical approaches to Geography, including content analysis.
Research Task: What are Geographers actually doing? Groups will analyze content in current Learned
Society Journals, and present results with summary statistics and analysis of the empirical data.
October 31, 2012 Research Methods in Geography-2. Modeling and data analysis in Geography.
Assignment 4 Students will examine the content of current journals to determine which topics
Geographers are currently researching and publishing. Analysis may include recently published textbooks or atlases or content analysis of the professional journals. The results of the content analysis will
be written as short notes (about 1,000 words, or not more than 2 pages of single spaced typing with 12
pt. type.) and graded. Presentations illustrated by Power Point will also be required and graded.
November 2, 2012 Lecture material on Technology in Geography. Does Geography achieve synthesis
or is it a myth? Does the growth of the technology of Geospatial Science help or hinder the achievement
of synthesis?
Group presentations on Content analysis begin.
November 7, 2012 Content Analysis presentations.
November 14, 2012 Content analysis presentations conclude.
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Assignment 5 Your final Essay. Title: Geographers Contributions to Science. Data from assignment
4 may be used to support reasoned opinion on the topic of geographers' contribution to science.
Research Task: Prepare an essay on the topic “Geography’s contribution to Science” The essay text
should not exceed 3,000 words (maps, diagrams, references and citations are additional to this)
November 21, 2012 Thanksgiving Recess.
November 28 2012, Discussion topic: Does Geography have a future as an academic discipline or has it
become too fragmented?
December 5, 2012 Geography for the Nation: What are we doing? Forum.
(Submit final essay “Geography’s contribution to Science” not to exceed 3,000 words. This is
Assignment 5)
Invited speakers:
As the semester progresses I will invite speakers to address the class. There are several local
geographers who may come and speak to you including:
GMU Professor Lee Talbot, topic “What Geographers Do” Dr Talbot serves as Senior Environmental
Consultant or Advisor to the World Bank, the Asian and Inter-American Development Banks, U.N.
bodies, governments and universities. Formerly Director-General of the World Conservation Union
(IUCN), he also held the position of environmental advisor to three U.S. Presidents, and was head of
environmental sciences at the Smithsonian Institution. His credentials as a Geographer are
impeccable; his Ph.D. was supervised by Carl O. Sauer at Berekely.
One of the earliest adopters of GIS in local government Larry Stipek: Larry is the Director of the
Loudoun County Office of Mapping and Geographical Information and I have invited him to speak on
the topic “GIS: A Geographical Basis for Local Government”
A popular invited speaker is Charlie Grymes a Geographer of note recently retired from a lifetime
career in the Department of Interior that began as a member of the National Park Service. Prof Grymes
has taught for many years at GMU and has a wealth of information and experience with the discipline of
Geography especially the Geography of Virginia.
General Information:
Essays are expected to be scholarly in presentation, style and content.
Essays will be graded for content, style, grammar, spelling and all the usual points considered in the
review of papers for publication. There is 50% of the credit for relevant content and organization.
Illustration and presentation will be 25% of the assessment and grammar, spelling, style, clarity and
effectiveness of the communication will form the remaining 25% of the grade.
You are should adopt the manuscript style prescribed by a specific journal (please attach a style sheet
copied from the journal). Illustration is encouraged, maps could be important in geographical work.
All written work, essays, papers and notes, submitted will be used in the context of the seminar format
and may be copied for (anonymous) distribution to the class, consolidated into a class viewpoint on
geography, or used as the basis for discussion and examination by the group.
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The schedule of dates for submission of the assignments will be finalized in class.
It is a seminar course, active participation by students is essential to the success of the discussion and
debate in class seminars.
All students are expected to be bound by the university’s honor code especially in the context of
plagiarism, cheating, and respecting the rights of others to have and defend their own opinions.
GMU is an Honor Code university; please see the Office for Academic Integrity for a full description of
the code and the honor committee process. The principle of academic integrity is taken very seriously
and violations are treated gravely. What does academic integrity mean in this course? Essentially this:
when you are responsible for a task, you will perform that task. When you rely on someone else’s work
in an aspect of the performance of that task, you will give full credit in the proper, accepted form.
Another aspect of academic integrity is the free play of ideas. Vigorous discussion and debate are
encouraged in this course, with the firm expectation that all aspects of the class will be conducted with
civility and respect for differing ideas, perspectives, and traditions. When in doubt (of any kind) please
ask for guidance and clarification.
Consideration for other students in a seminar course is important. Cell phones must be turned off
before class, and remain off until the class is dismissed. Disruption of the seminar format by playing
computer (or other) games; catching up on email, texting, listening to the radio or personal music;
viewing portable television sets; reading newspapers; eating; drinking; baby-sitting; holding impromptu
meetings or private conversations, does not enhance the learning environment for your colleagues. If
you indulge in these activities you may be asked to leave, grade point penalties may be assessed also.
University policies applicable to students with special needs or disabilities must be followed. The
instructor is very willing to accommodate needs that are officially sanctioned in this context. If you
are a student with a disability and you need academic accommodation, please see me and contact the Office
of Disability Resources at 703/993-2474. All academic accommodation must be arranged through that
office.
Absence is often unavoidable but it is much easier to deal with if the instructor is advised in advance.
Because it is a seminar course attendance is important, discussion is difficult if attendance is poor.
Significant absence will result in grade penalties as participation is assumed and required.
General advice: We are not in a schoolroom relationship, so please communicate with the instructor as
necessary. Do not hesitate to bring to my attention any items that are causing you difficulty or concern.
Most concerns can be addressed and (usually) resolved and many are familiar to me after 43 years as a
professional Geographer. My assumption is that you are willing to take professional responsibility for
your own commitments to this course and to your program of graduate studies.
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Rubric
GRADING CRITERIA FOR WRITTEN WORK
Excellent
A (4)
Strong
B (3)
Satisfactory
C (2)
Inferior
D (1)
Clearly defined
and sustained
throughout; topic
effectively
limited.
Highly insightful.
Thesis stated;
attempts to limit
topic. Moderately
insightful
Thesis stated; no
attempt to limit
topic. Minimal
insight.
Unclear thesis; no
attempt to limit
topic; topic
inappropriate. No
insight
discernible.
Content is
accurate,
complete, clearly
stated, and
appropriately
referenced.
Several sources
other than the text
book are used.
Content is
accurate, fairly
complete, and
clearly stated.
Appropriate
referencing
attempted. Some
attempt to use
sources other than
text.
Content is
accurate, but is
incomplete, lacks
clarity, and
appropriate
refences. Source
of information is
limited to text.
Content is
inaccurate and
incomplete.
Highly organized
plan with effective
transitions.
Superior
introduction and
conclusion, which
clearly relate to
whole.
Logical
organization, but
with inconsistent
transitions.
Introduction and
conclusion related
to whole.
Logical
organization, with
some transitions.
Ineffective
introduction
and/or conclusion.
Poor organization,
lacks unity. No
transitions.
No introduction
and/or conclusion.
Superior editing.
No errors in the
following areas:
.spelling
.grammar
.punctuation
.capitalization
.format
Careful editing.
Fewer than 3
errors in the
following areas:
.spelling
.grammar
.punctuation
.capitalization
.format
Thesis
Content
Organization
Writing
Mechanics
Total rating:
Rating average:
6
Some attempt at
Careless editing.
editing. Fewer
More than 6 errors
than 6 errors in the
in the following
following areas:
areas:
.spelling
.spelling
.grammar
.grammar
.punctuation
.punctuation
.capitalization
.capitalization
.format
.format
Grade:______