1. Texts and Readings

What texts do I need for this course?

Three texts are required for this course. First, de Blij and Muller's Concepts and Regions in Geography is the primary text, and you will need to read most of the book during the semester (see the Course Calendar for reading assignments). Second, the latest edition of Goode's World Atlas, a Rand McNally publication, will be your primary source of maps and geographic data. Please make sure that you bring it to you to all class meetings and both exams. Third, you need to make sure that you read the Washington Post throughout the semester. For the purposes of the course, I will expect you to read all major international stories in the print edition of the newspaper every day. You can do this either by getting hold of a copy of the paper every day, or by looking at the print edition section of the website (click on the Today's Paper llink at the top of the washingtonpost.com home page, just below the newspaper logo. It will take you to the Print Edition page) For more details see the Readings page on this web site.

The textbook is outrageously expensive. How can I get a copy more cheaply?

You may purchase a new copy of your textbook and atlas at the UMW College Bookstore, or you may be able to find it at a cheaper price at an online bookstore, or by purchasing it directly from a student who has already taken the course Used copies of the text are also available at the bookstore. I have no objection if members of the class buy a copy of the text jointly, and share it with one another. You will, however, need your own copy of Goode's World Atlas.

This course will be offered next semester, and we will probably use the same text then (latest edition Only). So at the end of the semester you may wish to consider selling your textbook directly to a student who will be taking the class. I suggest posting it for sale on Facebook marketplace or some other location where other students might find it.

2. 2.Attendance
   
   

Is class attendance mandatory?

No. It is entirely up to you to decide whether or not to come to class. I will never take attendance in class, and I will never reprimand or question you for not attending class. The course operates on the important principle that all students are adults, and are mature enough to make their own choices. It may well be that from time to time you decide that attending this class is not your highest priority. This may well be a logical and sensible decision. It is your decision to make, however, and I will respect it.For information on UMW class attendance policy, click here.

What happens if I do decide to miss a class?

You won't know what material was covered in class, and it will be up to you to find out. Please remember that your instructor never answers the question "What did I miss?" and he reacts particularly badly to the question "Did I miss anything important?" Bear in mind also that pop quizzes are held from time to time in class, and if you miss a pop quiz you won't be able to make it up.

If you don't take attendance, how can you drop students who don't attend class?

I can't. So if you decide to drop the course, please be sure to contact the Registrar's office to complete the necessary paperwork. There are generally no instructor-initiated drops in this course.

Will you excuse me from a quiz if I can't make it to class due athletic activities?

No. If athletic activities or other extra mural activities clash with class meetings, it's up to you to decide which is a higher priority for you. I will respect your decision, but I won't excuse you from quizzes.

How do you feel about students arriving in class late or leaving early?

I feel strongly about it! If you do choose to attend class, I expect you to arrive on time, and stay for the duration of the class period. Getting up and leaving in the middle of class, or walking in late, is distracting to me and to other students. It's also just plain rude.

3. Communications

How will the professor communicate with members of the class outside class time?

Your umw.edu e-mail address and the course web site are the primarily means of communication, so be sure that you check both regularly. I use Banner to send out mass e-mails; it sends mail automatically to your umw.edu address, and I cannot change this. I will often also put important notices on the course calendar page of the web site, and occasionally on the course home page. It is YOUR obligation to check your e-mail and the web site. It's also your obligation to make sure that you clear out your e-mail box regularly so that it doesn't stop accepting new e-mail messages.

What happens if my cell phone rings during class?

Allowing your cell phone to ring in class is profoundly inconsiderate to other members of the class and to the instructor. If your phone rings, I will ask you to gather your belongings and leave the room for the remainder of the class period. There are no exceptions to this rule. A laptop computer that pings as a result of an incoming instant message or e-mail falls into the same category: you ping or ring, you leave! So turn off your phone or set it to vibrate mode, and mute your laptop.

May I record lectures to help me study?

No. Recording of lectures on tape, video, digital, or any other format is expressly forbidden in this course. I will only make an exception to this for students who need to record lectures for their own personal use due to a documented disability. In such cases, students must apply to me in writing for permission befor recording any lectures, and I will only give such permission in writing. (See below for more information on the accommodation of students with disabilities.)

(There's a reason for this policy. I like to encourage open discussion in class, and I want students to feel free to give viewpoints and raise issues freely. I have found that having a recording device running often inhibits debate.)

4. Grades

How is the final grade for the course calculated?

Mid term Examination: 25 percent

Final Examination: 25 percent

Quizzes: 50 percent

Do you curve grades in this course?

It all depends. I work on the assumption that if the quizzes and exams are fair, final grades should be normally distributed with a mean of somewhere around 77-79 percent (C+). If the mean is below this, I will adjust the grading scale accordingly. If the mean is higher than than expected, I will leave the grading scale unchanged (A= 90 -100 percent, B = 80 - 90, etc).

All grades in the courses, with the exception of the final grade, will be numerical (e.g. 30/40, or 75 percent). Only when I calculate the final grades will I allocate letter grades.

How should I interpret my UMW mid-semester grade report for this course?

For the purposes of this course, the mid-semester grade report means nothing whatsoever, and you should ignore it. The mid-semester reporting system requires faculty members to assess whether each student's performance in the class is satisfactory or not. I do not believe that it is up to me to make this decision: it's up to you. You are the only person who can decide whether to be satisfied or unsatisfied with your performance.

Please don't think that this means that I am indifferent to how well you are doing in class. I'm not. I would like you to do as well as possible, and I am eager to help you in any way I can. Nor does it mean that I am concealing any information about your grade from you. You always have the right to know what your grades are, and how the final grade will be calculated. What it does mean is that I respect your right to set your own priorities and standards.

How can I find out how I am doing in the course?

All grades for the courses - quizzes, and extra credit - will be posted on Blackboard. You know how the final grade is calculated (see above), and you know what grades you have received in quizzes and exams. This means that you should be able to figure out how you are doing at any point in the semester.

I will usually tell you after each quiz what the average grade for the class was, so you can assess how you're doing relative to everyone else. If I don't tell you the average in class or post it on the web site, feel free to ask.

5. 5.Exams
   
   

How many exams are there in this course?

There are two exams, a midterm and a final. Check the course calendar for dates and further information.

What material will be covered in the exams? Is the final exam cumulative?

The first exam covers all regions up to and including the class immediately preceding the exam. The final exam covers the rest of the course material. This means, for example, that Europe will be covered in the first exam, and I won't ask you any further questions about it in the final.

Conceptual material covered during the first part of the semester may, however, also appear on the final exam. So, for example, even though we discuss latitude and longitude, the concept of a region, and the notions of site and situation in the first part of the semester, I will expect you to be familiar with them for the purposes of both the midterm and final exams.

Important note: Exam questions will come from class discussions AND from your readings. I will expect you to be familiar with the ideas and materials covered in your readings, even if we don't discuss them in class.

Will there be any exam questions based on news stories in the Washington Post?

No. I will not ask you any exam questions specifically about news stories from the Washington Post. I will, however, ask such questions in pop quizzes.

Do I need to know the material included in the recommended readings and the resource pages on this site?

No. You should make sure that you have read and are familiar with all of the required readings for the course. These are listed on the course calendar as "Readings." There will not be any exam questions dealing directly with anything listed as "Recommended reading" or "See also..." The purpose, however, of the recommended readings is to help you gain a better appreciation of the subject matter of the course, so taking a look at these sources will certainly help you in the exams and quizzes.

What will the format of the exam be?

Unfortunately, the size of the class dictates that both exams will consist entirely of multiple choice questions. This isn't ideal, I know, but practicalities dictate it. There will be about 50 questions in each of the two exams, although this number may vary somewhat if we get ahead of or behind schedule. If, for example, weather-related class cancellations or or other digressions mean that we end up covering more material in the second part of the semester, the final exam may end up with more questions that the first exam. If this happens, it will count proportionately more towards the final grade.

When and where will the exams be held?

All exams will take place in the same room where classes are held. Check the course calendar for exam dates. Please note that the exam times are carved in stone, and will not change no matter what. You MUST take the exam at the time scheduled for your section of the course.

6. 6.Quizzes
   

I'm panicking. There's a map quiz tomorrow and I don't know what material I will be expected to know. Help!

For detailed information on the quizzes, see the Quiz Information page. For a list of physical features you need to know, see What to Study for the Quizzes.

What do the quizzes cover?

There are three kinds of quizzes in this course: Regional Map Quizzes, News Quizzes, and Readings Quizzes.

In each Regional Map Quiz, I will give you several maps showing countries, capital cities, and selected physical features. Your job will be to identify these various features.  News Quizzes will cover stories in the Washington Post dealing with international news.  Readings Quizzes will cover the text and other assigned readings listed on the course calendar.

For detailed information about the quizzes, including a list of all of the physical features you need to know, see the Quiz Information page on this site.

I'm confused! Exactly what countries do we need to be able to identify? Do we need to be able to identify US states? Very small islands? Can't you just give a list of the countries we need to know for each map quiz?

I can, but I won't. And this isn't because I'm trying to make things more difficult for you. I want you to figure out which country belongs in each region yourself because this will help you study for the map quiz, and will give you practice in reading maps.

If you're having problems, I suggest that you begin by looking at the map of world realms on page 4 of the text. Then, using both the atlas and the text, make a list of the countries in each region. Then check your list against the World Political Information Table (p. 245 in the atlas) to see which of the territories you have listed are independent countries (I will only ask you to identify independent countries and their capitals in the quiz.)

When will quizzes be held?

Map Quizzes will be held on the dates listed in the course calendar. These dates are fixed, and will not change even if we get behind or ahead of schedule. News and Readings Quizzes may take place at any time.

May I make up a missed quiz?

No. Period. If you miss a quiz, you will receive a grade of zero for it. The only exceptions are for bona fide medical or personal emergencies (Athletic events, work schedules, and faulty alarm clocks don't qualify as dire emergencies.)

When will quizzes be graded?

I will usually either grade your quiz or it will be graded by a student aide. In order to preserve your anonymity in this process, you should identify yourself by your Banner ID number, not your name, on all in-class quizzes. Please be sure to remember your Banner ID number or keep a note of it with you. If you do not have your Banner ID number you will receive a score of zero for your quiz! (To find your Banner ID number, log in to Banner. Your id number appears on the top right of the screen next to your name. Your Banner ID numberis NOT the same as your student ID number)

VERY IMPORTANT! If you are at all uncomfortable about having your quiz graded by another student, please simply give the quiz to me after you take it, and I will grade it for you, without any prejudice to you.

What happens if I enter the wrong Banner ID number on a quiz, or if I forget my Banner ID number?

If this happens, I have no way of knowing which quiz is yours; I can't tell whether you were absent from class or wrote down the wrong Banner ID number. In either event, you will receive a score of zero for the quiz. I will not engage in detective work to figure out who a misidentified quiz belongs to. So make you you know your Banner ID!

Is it possible to earn extra credit in this course?

Yes. Visit the the extra credit page to find out more. Please note, however, that all extra credit work MUST be submitted at least two weeks before the last day of class.

7. Special Needs

I have a disability which may affect my needs in this class. How can you help me?

The Office of Disability Services has been designated by the University of Mary Washington as the primary office to guide, counsel, and assist students with disabilities. If you receive services through that office and require accommodations for this class, please make an appointment with me as soon as possible to discuss your approved accommodations. I will hold any information you share with me in strictest confidence unless you give me permission to do otherwise.

If you have not made contact with the Office of Disability Services and have reasonable accommodation needs, I will be happy to help you contact them. The office will require appropriate documentation of a disability.

Donald N Rallis

Associate Professor