Dr. David A. Tait
Associate Professor
Office: Auditorium Lower Level
(“The Bunker”)
Claremore Campus
E-Mail:dtait@rsu.edu Phone: (918) 343-7746
Website: http://www.rsu.edu/faculty/dtait/
E-mail
is often the most efficient way to communicate. Use it! You may get a quicker reply to your question
or concern than with any other method.
Your e-mail should always include the course and your full name in the
subject line. For example:
Office Hours
My office is in the basement of the Auditorium on the Claremore
campus. The easiest entrance is through
the side doors.
Office hours on the Claremore campus:
Ø
Monday 12:30-1:30 and 3:30-5:00
Ø
Wednesday 12:30-1:30
and 3:30-5:00
Ø
Thursday 11:00-12:00 and 1:00-3:00
Ø
Friday 1:00-3:00
Other times:
Ø
Available by special
arrangement
CLASS CALENDAR
This calendar
lists course topics, reading assignments, exam dates, and other deadlines. It is subject to revision by the professor
during the semester.
Up-to-date
information about this course can be found on your professor’s website. Visit
the website regularly to look for new information. If there are changes in the course calendar
and/or course requirements, you will find them there. http://www.rsu.edu/faculty/dtait/
Unit 1
Orientation to Human
Geography
August 21 & 23
Information
Cultural Landscape, chapter 1, Key Issues 1,2,3
(Space, Place, Region)
Overview
This unit introduces us to geography; to human geography as opposed to physical
geography; to the basic concepts of space, place and region; and to the use of
maps to find information.
Objectives
Maps, Concepts and Information
August
28 & 30
Information
1. Cultural
Landscape, chapter 1 (complete)
2. Lomborg, Skeptical Environmentalist,
Chapters 1 and 2
Overview
This unit
introduces key elements in the making and interpretation of maps, including
scale and projection, mathematical location longitude and latitude; the role of
geographic information systems in contemporary geography; the concepts of
culture, cultural ecology, mental maps, spatial interaction and diffusion. The unit also introduces a critical
perspective on common perceptions of environmental issues.
Objectives
Upon successful
completion of the unit, students will be able to:
Dynamics of Human Population
September
6
(No
Class September 4)
Information
1. Cultural Landscape chapter 2
2. Malthus, Essay on Population, 1798 edition: Preface, chapters 1,2,3,4
(last nine paragraphs), and 18.
3. Skeptical
Environmentalist, chapters 3, 4 and 5
4. Economist, “World Hunger,” 2003. PDF
file.
5. Economist, China and Population, PDF File
Overview
This unit examines the distribution of human
population, fundamental factors affecting the growth of human population, and
the demographic transition theory.
Objectives
Upon successful completion of the unit,
students will be able to:
Human Migration
September
11 & 13
Information
Cultural Landscape chapter 3
Overview
This unit examines patterns of human migration and factors that encourage or
discourage migration, both between countries and within countries.
Objectives
Upon successful
completion of the unit, students will be able to:
Folk and Popular Culture
September
18 & 20
First Exam September 13
Units
1-4
Information
Cultural
Landscape chapter 4
Overview
This unit introduces the concepts of folk culture and popular culture and
examines the origin and diffusion of these forms of culture.
Objectives
Upon successful
completion of the unit, students will be able to:
Language
September
25 & 27
Information
Cultural Landscape chapter 5
Overview
This unit examines the distribution of human languages, relationships between
languages, the global role of English, and efforts to preserve local languages.
Objectives
Upon successful
completion of the unit, students will be able to:
Religion
October 2 & 4
Information
Cultural
Landscape chapter 6
“The
Fight for God,” Economist, December 19, 2003 PDF link
“Therapy
of the Masses,” Economist, November 6, 2003. PDF link
Overview
This unit considers the nature of religion and discusses the global
distribution of religions, religious organization of physical space, and
territorial conflicts between religions groups.
Objectives
Upon successful
completion of the unit, students will be able to:
Ethnicity
October 9 & 11
Second Exam October 11
Information
1. Cultural Landscape chapter 7
2. Where
is Kurdistan? (Economist) PDF
3. Fears
of a Kurdish Revival (Economist) PDF
4. Kurds:
Trying to get their own back (Economist) PDF
5. Seeking
a Voice: Sunnis in Iraq (Economist) PDF
Overview
This unit defines ethnicity as a cultural category, distinguishing it from the
biologically oriented concept of race, and discusses the distribution of
ethnicities, the relationships between ethnicity and nationality, and conflict
between ethnicities.
Objectives
Upon successful
completion of the unit, students will be able to:
Political Geography
October
16 & 18
Information
Cultural Landscape, chapter 8
Economist,
“Civil Wars,” PDF File
Overview
This unit introduces the concept of states, discusses the location of states
and the boundaries between them, and patterns of conflict and cooperation
between states.
Objectives
Upon successful
completion of the unit, students will be able to:
Agriculture
October
23 & 25
Information
1.Cultural Landscape, chapter 10
2. Skeptical Environmentalist, chapter 9
3. Economist,
“Fish Farming,” PDF File
4. Economist,
“World Hunger,” PDF File
Overview
This unit discusses the origins and diffusion of agriculture and the variety of
agricultural regions in the contemporary world .
Objectives
Upon successful
completion of the unit, students will be able to:
Industry
October
30 & November 1
Information
Cultural Landscape, chapter 11
Overview
This unit examines the origin, development and diffusion of industry, factors
influencing the distribution of different types of industry, and problems
confronting industry.
Objectives
Upon successful
completion of the unit, students will be able to:
Services
November
6 & 8
Third Exam November 8
Information
1. Cultural
Landscape, chapter 12
2. Economist,
“Back Office to the World,” PDF document
Overview
This
unit examines the origin, development and diffusion of services, and factors
influencing their location in more developed countries.
Objectives
Upon successful
completion of the unit, students will be able to:
Unit 13
Economic Development
November 13 & 15
Information
1. Cultural
Landscape, chapter 9
2. Skeptical
Environmentalist, chapters 5, 6, and 7
3. Economist,
“Economic focus, God, man and growth”
4. Economist,
“If you consider people, not countries"
Overview
This unit examines the distribution of different levels of economic
development, possible reasons for different degrees of development, and
challenges facing less developed countries.
Objectives
Upon successful
completion of the unit, students will be able to:
Unit 14
Resources and Environment
November 20, 27 & 29
Regional Comparison Due November 20
Information
Overview
This unit examines the distribution and use of resources and the interaction
between human activities and other elements in natural environmental systems.
Objectives
Upon successful
completion of the unit, students will be able to:
Cities and Suburbs
December 4 & 6
Information
Cultural
Landscape, chapter 13
Overview
This unit examines the development of cities, the distribution of cities in the
contemporary world, the distribution of population within urban areas, and
challenges facing cities and suburbs.
Objectives
Upon successful
completion of the unit, students will be able to:
Final Exam
Wednesday
December 13
1:45
– 3:45 PM
12:45 –2:45
PM
KEY INFORMATION ABOUT THIS CLASS
Course Description
The
Prerequisites
This course presupposes college-level reading and writing
skills. The reading will be difficult for students who do not read
English well. Students who do not write Standard English competently may
have trouble with the writing assignments. If you have not satisfactorily
completed English Composition I, it is strongly recommended that you take it
concurrently with this class.
It is assumed that all students have basic skills in
word-processing, document production, and use of the Internet to locate and
transmit information.
It is also expected that students can perform
simple mathematical operations such as the calculation and comparison of
averages, ratios and percentages. Some exam questions may require these
skills.
Course
Objectives
Please see the detailed objectives provided in the class calendar
for each unit.
Approach to
Learning
This is primarily a lecture
class. Students learn in three principle
ways: by listening carefully to the lectures; by reading carefully all of the
assigned material; and by completing a variety of assignments, including
examinations. In addition, students my
advance their learning by asking questions in class; visiting with the
professor during office hours; reviewing the professor’s evaluations of their
assignments; talking with the professor by phone; or corresponding with the
professor by e-mail.
Required Work and Grading
Your grade in
this class will be based on attendance, a regional comparison paper, and four
exams.
Attendance (100 points)
Students are
expected to attend all classes, arriving on time and remaining to the end. (Arriving late or leaving early counts as an
absence). You will receive four points
for each class attended. Because we have
more than 25 classes, very good attendance can earn some extra credit for
you. However, a student who is counted
absent for more than 10 classes will receive a semester grade of F, regardless
of the number of points earned on exams or the regional comparison.
Exams (550 points)
There are four
exams. The first exam is worth 100
points; the remaining exams are worth 150 points each. Exams occur in Units 4, 8, 12, and 16 (final
exam). Exams may include essays (take-home or in-class), identifications,
multiple-choice and true-false questions, item matching, and map questions. Detailed advance instructions for each exam
will be posted on the professor’s website.
Regional Comparison
(50 points)
Each student will submit
a paper comparing two regions with respect to a particular topic. Instructions will be posted on the professor’s
website. This assignment is due at the
beginning of class on November 20.
Determining Your Grade
Your semester grade will
be determined by the number of points you earn for attendance, exams and the
regional comparison, providing you have met all course expectations. Students who choose not to meet the
“Expectations of Students” stated in the syllabus may receive a failing grade
regardless of the number of points earned.
A 630 points or higher
B 560- 629 points
C 490-559 points
D 420-489 points
F 419 points or lower
It is
important to keep in mind that there is no curving of grades, and also that
there is no automatic rounding up of grades (e.g., a semester total of 559
points can mean a course grade of C rather than B).
The professor may choose to add extra-credit opportunities, but any
such opportunities will be available to the whole class, not just to
individuals. Keep on top of your
grades: make sure you know what you need to do to get the grade you are aiming
for.
COURSE POLICIES
Expectations of Students
The path to
success in the class begins with the attitudes and actions of students and the
professor. This is what I expect of
students:
1. complete
all required work on or before the due date, and keep up to date on the assigned
reading;
2. conduct
yourself in class so that lectures and other scheduled activities can proceed
without distraction or interruption (no talking, whispering, or other actions
that can interfere with orderly learning). No communications devices (telephones,
beepers, pagers, etc.); if you have such devices, they must be turned off for
the entire class period. Treat other
students with respect at all times.
Students who disrupt the class in any way may be dismissed from the
classroom;
3. comply
with all relevant
4. attend
all classes, arrive on time, and stay
to the end. If you miss a class for any
reason, it is your responsibility to
obtain the notes and other necessary information from other members of the
class who are willing to help you.
Please note: class attendance is very important, because exams are based
in large part on what happens in class and because each student’s input is
needed in discussions.
The professor has certain
responsibilities, too. You can expect
that I will:
1. lecture on topics
mentioned in the course calendar, or related to them;
2. provide
reasonable advance notice of changes in the course calendar and/or required
work;
3. maintain
regular office hours for students; and
4. grade and return your work in a timely manner.
Special Student Needs
Students needing
more information about Student Disability Services should contact the Office of
Student Development at 918-343-7707.
Please make your requests for
accommodation by e-mail.
Academic Misconduct
Students are
expected to follow university policies as
put forth in the institution's
Student Code of Responsibilities and
Conduct. In accordance with
Title 12 of The Student Code (page 11),
instances of alleged academic
misconduct will follow the policies and
procedures as described in Title
12. As a general rule, faculty at
academic code. Therefore, if academic misconduct is
suspected I will
submit a letter of alleged
academic misconduct to the Office of Student
Affairs.
Non-academic misconduct
In order to
maintain an effective learning environment, students
are expected to fully comply
with The Student Code. Disruptive
behavior will not be
tolerated. It is the responsibility of
each
student to read and become
familiar with the policies of The Student
Code.
Textbooks
Many units include required readings from other sources in addition
to the textbook. These will be available
in one or more of the following ways: websites, PDF files on the professor’s
website, reserve readings in the RSU Library.
To access a PDF file you will need the free Acrobat Reader, available
from adobe.com.
Keep copies of all your work
Always
keep a copy of any work you turn in.
Although it doesn’t happen often, an assignment could get
misplaced. If it does, you need to have
a backup copy. It is recommended that
you keep a hard copy as well as a computer file.