Statement:

    Geography 305 is an introductory course in regional geography that examines the cultural and physical geography of Texas. Geography as a discipline examines the fundamental relationships between humans and their various earthly environments. The purpose of this course is to explore the diverse geographies of Texas as well as introduce some important geographical concepts such as region and landscape. As you are aware, Texas has a strong regional personality—maybe more identifiable than any other American region—therefore it is important to discuss how "Texas" is represented to and interpreted by the world at large.

    The successful outcome of this course, which is my goal, is to (1) facilitate your understanding of the various cultural and ecological contexts found in Texas, (2) increase your knowledge and proficiency in Texan place-names and regions including their relative locations, (3) develop a dialogue of Texas in regards to landscape & representation, and (4) convey the importance of intellectual pursuits that construct geographical places, regions, and ideas.

Requirements:

    There are no prerequisites for this course, so there is no presumption of prior geographical study. I assume all university students are capable and willing to learn, and I will help you become a better student if you ask. You must take responsibility for your learning by attending lectures, completing assignments, reading textbooks, and above all else evaluating your own learning and trying to improve. One feature of a geography course that differs from other university courses is the need to use atlases and maps; be prepared for memorization of geographical features (both human and physical such as cities, landforms, and ethnicity) and their locations on maps of Texas.

–RESOURCES & ATTENDANCE: Unfortunately, no single "Geography of Texas" textbook is currently in print. The Readings for this course will have to come from a variety of sources. Occasionally, film/movie clips will be shown in class and some of these may be difficult to find at video rental stores. I will also assign internet sites for you to visit, therefore you must have internet access. In summary, most test related material will be discussed in class! Miss class at your own peril, and if you should, contact your fellow students for notes and visit the course website for handouts. The readings will be equally important to lecture, so it is imperative that you keep up with the reading schedule. Attendance is a key factor in academic performance; use your time wisely and take special note of the underlined days listed below as examination dates. The following books and reader will be necessary to succesfully pass this course.

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

1.    Geo-Texas: A Guide to the Earth Sciences. Eric R. Swanson. TAMU Press, 1995.
    ISBN# 0-89096-682-6

2.    Texas Boundaries: Evolution of the State's Counties. Luke Gournay. TAMU Press 1995.
    ISBN# 0-89096-653-2

3.    Photocopied READER (available at Copy Corner)

4.    Access to an ATLAS of TEXAS; The Texas Almanac, the Historical Atlas of Texas, or internet will do.

5.    Three Scantrons (Large Gray - TAMU forms)

6.    Internet access  

7.    Journal (details forthcoming)

Optional materials: (background to my lecture notes and/or possible book reviews)

8.    Imperial Texas, Donald Meinig 1969 (a classic cultural geographic work and should be available at book stores).
9.    Texas: A Geography, Terry Jordan 1984 (ideal "Geography of Texas" textbook but out of print).
10.    Mapping Texas and the Gulf Coast, Jackson et.al. 1990.
11.    Black Cowboys of Texas, S. Massey, 2000..

Evaluation / Grading:

    I use a total point scheme for grading. Every examination and exercise has a set value of points, and the final grade is determined from the total number of points accumulated. The primary source of points are the three exams: the two midterm exams are worth approximately 50% (25% each) and the final exam is worth 35%. The remaining 15% consists of a written journal. The tests will be electronically graded; therefore you will need to bring the appropriate scantron on examination day. The journal is a weekly writing assignment that I will collect twice (middle and end of semester). I will announce the journal topics in class, and they will derive from either (a) lecture/discussions or (b) map & internet exercises, more details will be described in the "reader" or on the course website. An optional plan  for those who choose such, you may write a book review on an approved book instead of turning in the journal for the second half of the semester. Book reviews of an exceptional quality may earn up to 10% of the possible course points (a possible 2.5% extra credit).

    The final grade is based on the total points, percentage of points, and ranking of your points. For a large class section like this, 90/80/70/60 percent of possible points can be used as an approximate guide for A/B/C/D thresholds. I reserve the right to modify the thresholds after evaluating the whole class and the point distribution.
    Excused absences are by university policy! Any examination date or due-date missed is a tentative zero (see schedule). Exam day emergencies require immediate notification (a phone call to me, the Department of Geography, or an appropriate university official) and written verification of emergency. Alternative evaluations are essay oriented and at my discretion.

Classroom Policies: 

I have high expectations of my students and in return I commit myself to reasonable expectations; here are a few key points.

• Conducive learning environment is foremost: late arrivals and early departures should be extreme situations; disruptive behavior of any sort is wrong. Food & drink are okay, but smells, crunches, and wrappers are not (pack your trash out of the room). You must minimize the distractions especially unnecessary noise because it interferes with others ability to hear me. Discretely let me know if the screen is out of focus or if my voice is too low. I will try to project my voice and I will pester those who waste our class time.
• Questions: YES, ask questions. The best questions start with why, where, or who. If you are curious or unsure, probably others in class are thinking the same thing. I will respond.
• Cheating: NO, do not do it! On evaluation days, bring ID card and only what is necessary. Instead of devising ways to cheat, devote that time to studying. I will not tolerate any form of dishonesty.
• Change of Schedule: No significant changes will be made without proper notice.
• Communication/Office Hours: I return phone calls in a timely manner and I keep office hours.
• ADA Statement:  The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) is a federal anti-discrimination statute that provides comprehensive civil rights protection for persons with disabilities.  Among other things, this legislation requires that all students with disabilities be guaranteed a learning environment that provides for reasonable accommodation of their disabilities.  If you believe you have a disability requiring an accommodation, please contact the Department of Student Life, Services for Students with Disabilities in Room 126 of the Koldus Building, or call 845-1637.
• Copyrights: All course material is copyrighted. Taping and reproducing of course material for other than personal use will be regarded as copyright infringement and referred to the University lawyers for action.

Examination / Evaluation Dates: (these exam dates / due dates cannot be missed unexcusedly)

•    EXAM 1,  Friday, September 28th         25.0%

•    Journal Turn-in   Monday, October 8th         7.5%

•    EXAM 2,  Friday, November 2nd         25.0%

•    Journal or Book Review  November 19th         7.5--10.0%

•    FINAL EXAM, December 10 (10:30-12:30)        35.0%

Tentative Lecture and Reading Schedule (last updated November 25th)

Geography Index page

Erik Prout's web-bio

Department of Geography

Texas A&M University