Geography of Texas

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.

There are no prerequisites for this course, so there is no presumption of prior geographical study. However, it is an upper-level course that assumes a sophisticated level of reading comprehension, note-taking, and study habits on your part. 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. I highly recommend you form a small study group as soon as possible. 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 culture regions) and their locations on different maps of Texas. Summer Sessions also present us with some additional difficulties of intense focus and concentration as well as distractions. Stay focused.

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 and most are available on electronic reserve. You will need to acquire two books and have regular internet access for NEO, WebCT, and the WWW. In summary, most test related material will be mentioned in class! Miss class at your own peril, and if you should, contact your fellow students for notes and handouts. The readings compliment and supplement the lecture, so it is imperative that you keep up with the reading schedule. Attendance is a key factor in academic performance and becomes a crucial component to success in Summer Sessions. Use your time wisely and take special note of the days listed below as evaluation dates.

1. Access to electronic reserve. (Evans Library website or in person on 2^nd floor)

Contains the “Readings” which include chapters and articles by various geographers.

3. Texas Almanac, 2006-07 edition. DMN & TAMU Press, 2005. {ISBN# 0-914511-38-6}.

4. Historical Atlas of Texas. Stephens and Holmes, OUP. 1989. {ISBN# 0-8061-2307-9}.

5. Access to the Internet: (NEO for communication) and (WebCT for evaluation results).

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 sources of points are the exams: the two midterm exams and final exam are worth 250 points each. The remaining 250 points consists of an atlas exercise (75 points); an Initial Test (75 points); landscape photography project (100 points).

The tests and quizzes will be electronically graded; therefore you will need to bring the appropriate scantron on examination day (large gray type). A note on electronically scanned grading: you are responsible for providing a scantron that is free of folds, rips, or any deformity that prevents it from running through the machine.

The final grade is based on the total points and ranking of your points, not the percentage of points. There is no rounding up of points. For a large class section, 900/800/700/600 of the possible 1000 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 entire 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 may be essay oriented 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 including newspapers). 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. Cell phones and audio devices must be turned off before entering the lecture hall.

• 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. Please communicate with me; I realize this is a very large lecture section so if you are hesitant to ask questions in front of everyone, at least ask after class or during office hours.

• Academic Dishonesty: NO, do not do it! On evaluation days, bring ID card and only what is necessary. Instead of devising ways to cheat or plagiarize, devote that time to studying. I will not tolerate any form of dishonesty.

• Communication/Office Hours: I return phone calls and emails in a timely manner and I try my best to keep office hours. When emailing me, please write out your name and exact course inside the message as well as filling in the subject line.

• 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. Before tape recoding, ask me first. Professional note takers must be enrolled in this course (university policy) and receive my permission prior to any commercial transaction involving course notes (state law).

• Night: We've mutually agreed to be here for one evening a week; commit yourself to being here and taking responsability for learning effectively with this lecture schedule.

Some advice, suggestions, and observations of common misconceptions I’ve noticed at TAMU.

1. Rule of thumb on TIME: for every hour of lecture, you should anticipate 2-3 hours of study time outside of class. Therefore, a three unit lecture implies an average commitment of ten hours a week. That is why 12 units is called full time. Obviously, certain weeks require more time than others, but you should be spending a minimum of 1-2 hours reviewing each week. Then of course, you need to plan for much more time when tests and due dates come around.
• Don’t claim you study enough if you’re not putting in over 5 hours a week. Likewise, don’t claim you study hard if you’re not putting in over 10 hours a week. Many students claim to study “a lot” but do they study enough? More importantly, are students studying effectively?
• Study hard but balance your time with those things that make you happy, healthy, and/or proud to be an Aggie. There are numerous activities to occupy your time (both university excused and pure distraction), but in the end, I evaluate your academics, not your spirit.

2. The essence of an educated person is LITERACY. University studies require a high level of reading and writing. Reading a textbook is a rite of passage—yes they are boring and fact laden—deal with it.
• Read, read, and read. Not all material can be covered and elaborated on during lecture; textbooks and readings are an essential component of higher education. On occasion, students ask me about how to do better on the next test, and when asked, they confess they did not read the textbook. There is no excuse for not reading.
• Texas A&M is a top-notch university! A colleague of mine likes to say, A&M is the big leagues. The value of a university degree is related to how difficult it is to obtain; TAMU is a special place with high standards. Not everyone can get here nor can every person succeed here.

3. Student—faculty interactions. The atmosphere on our campus is generally very good, but students should be aware of how academic rank and distinguished titles work.
• Titles: “Doctor” is appropriate for anyone with a Ph.D. as well as M.D. (it is an honorary title that comes with the highest educational degree). Not all instructors have Ph.D’s but most everyone at TAMU does, so error on the side of using Dr. instead of Mr./Mrs./Ms. etc. “Professor” is a title associated with an appointed position (at a University and usually exclusive to having a doctorate).
• Salutations: “Howdy” is a common and friendly greeting in Aggieland. Not all professors are howdy people, but I personally like it and use it. Know who you are addressing and don’t mistakenly insult them. When emailing or calling me, Howdy Dr. Prout is a perfect salutation.

All Evaluation & Due Dates: (chronological)

Wed.    Sept. 14      Atlas Exercise and Test
                                     Part One: Introduction
Wed.    Oct. 12        MIDTERM TWO
                                     Part Two: Culture-Historical Geography
Wed.    Nov. 9         MIDTERM THREE
                                     Part Three: Physical Geography
Wed.    Nov. 30       Landscape Project
                                     Follow directions carefully
Fri.        Dec. 9        FINAL EXAM   (scheduled 7:30-9:30)
                                     Parts Four/Five: Contemporary Geographies & Conclusion

Geography Index page

Erik Prout's web-bio

Department of Geography

Texas A&M University

Standard Disclaimer & Online Ethics:

* I accept (& welcome) criticism of my facts and ideas;

if you disagree, communicate your own views.

* Please ask before citing me in publications;

double check accuracy of everything before using sources for yourself.

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Evaluation	Possible Points	Mean Points	Your Points
Atlas exercise & First Test (9/14)	150	133
Midterm Two (10/12)	250	183
Midterm Three (11/9)	250	191
Landscape Exercise (11/30)	100	89
Final Exam (F 12/9 7:30 AM)	250	202
TOTAL	=1000	799