Spring 2012
Dr. Sublett Felmley 104 309-438-5808
Office Hours: 8:15-8:45 & 11:00-11:30 TR.
I am also available at other times on TR, as well as on MWF. Check to make
sure please.
Email: mdsuble@ilstu.edu
Homepage: http://lilt.ilstu.edu/mdsuble
Textbooks/Supplies: (1) Working World 101. (2) EasyWriter: A Pocket Guide. (3) PIP packet #8 (five readings). (4) 8.5" x 11" spiral notebook (avoid perforated pages; choose a light color for cover). (5) an acceptable camera.
Course Goals: (1) to assist you in making the transition from college to the world of work; (2) to help those of you whose program of study requires an internship to find a meaningful position for the coming summer and to encourage the rest to consider an internship as a career-enhancing step; (3) to develop and assess your research, writing, speaking, and group skills; and (4) to provide the faculty hard evidence of what you have learned in your Geography program.
Grades: Expect 700 points in the course. I use a scale of 90/80/70/60 percent for grades.
250 from logbook
200 from Senior Field Problem essay
50 from short essay
50 from resume and cover letter
50 from taped
mock job
interview
50 from response
to text on Senior Field Problem
50 from attendance, promptness, attitude,
participation
Note: To pass Geography
315, you must prepare an acceptable one-page resume.
Logbooks: Commit yourself now to filling your logbook with prose (perhaps also maps, drawings, photos) pertinent to this course. I will ask you to make several directed entries, either in or out of class, and many (at least two per week) independent entries as you reflect on Geography 315. Here are just a few ideas for independent entries: "I am curious about . . . .;" "As I was reading page, . . . .;" "You said in class today . . . .;" "You will not believe what I just heard on the news . . . .;" "I really liked . . . in class today . . . .;" "Are you ever going to talk about . . . .;" "Here is something important I forgot to say in my entry yesterday . . . .;" "Some people in my GEO 315 class are . . . ." Most important, and in every entry, I expect to read your thoughts about the subject. I will collect logs irregularly on an announced and unannounced basis. ALWAYS BRING YOUR LOG TO CLASS. If I collect logbooks, you must have yours ready to submit at that time. At my discretion, for half credit, I may allow you to turn in a forgotten logbook later that day. If you will be missing a class period, hand me your logbook ahead of time, ready for me to grade. I base logbook points on number of entries, entry quality, format, timeliness, and an end-of-semester index and evaluative essay. The standard format includes day, date, and title. For your first entry use "Tuesday, 17 January 2012: My Goals for this Course." Begin each entry at the top of the next blank page. Use fronts and backs of all sheets. Entries may occupy more than one successive page. Place your name on the outside of the log in the upper right-hand corner of the front cover. Use your logbook only for logbook entries. Do not tear pages out of your logbook.
Senior Field Problem: Each of you will conduct field research and submit the written, illustrated, and documented results of that research near the end of the semester as part of the the Seminar class. This problem helps the faculty assess the level of learning that you have achieved as a Geography major. In order to conduct your research for the Senior Field Problem, you will be dealing with human subjects as sources of information. Prior to beginning these interviews with the general public, you need to complete a short course in research ethics. I am setting 31 January as the deadline for completion of this training.
Research Ethics Training: Illinois State University subscribes to a comprehensive research ethics training program called the Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative (CITI). Hundreds of colleges and universities across the country have used this program to provide computer-based instruction and testing on various areas of research ethics and regulatory compliance. This training is freely available to all members of the Illinois State community. Courses cover human subjects research, vertebrate animal research, good clinical practice, and responsible conduct of research. Instructions for participating in CITI training are available at www.citiprogram.org. Once your have registered, you will go to Main Menu and scroll to "Add a course...." Then you select "Human Subjects Research Training," "Basic Courses in the Protection of Human Subjects," and then "Students Conducting No More Than Minimal Risk Research." The short course should take an hour or two. When finished, print out your certificate and notify me of your completion via email. Our Office of Research and Sponsored Programs will also keep a record of completions.
Attendance: I expect you to be in class whenever we meet. Employers frown on unexcused absences. If you know you will be absent, warn me.
Promptness: Employers also take a dim view of those who arrive late for work and lack of timeliness of work completion. I sometimes ask those who arrive late for class to explain to the class their tardiness, and I will impose a penalty on late submission of course assignments (perhaps even refuse to accept them).
Attitude/Participation: Attending class and arriving for class at the appointed time are necessary but not sufficient for being an outstanding student citizen. Get with the program and be ready to participate voluntarily in the discussions that address the topics we pursue. Stay in the classroom unless you experience an emergency. The great majority of phone calls are not emergencies. See me privately if you have a medical condition that requires you to visit the latrine during classes. Getting up and leaving the classroom while class is progressing, unless you have cleared the event in advance, is disruptive.
Food/Drink/Cell Phones: Do not consume food or drink (soda, coffee, hot chocolate, etc.) in the classroom. Consuming water is fine, but keep containers on the floor. Turn off cell phones before class begins, and leave them in the off mode.
Academic Dishonesty: This department will not tolerate academic dishonesty. I expect you to do your own work in my course, except when I specifically call for a team effort. If you suspect academic dishonesty, please inform me immediately.
Special Accommodation: If you need a special accommodation to participate fully in this class, please contact Disability Concerns at 438-5853 (voice), 438-8620 (TDD).
Contact me via email at mdsuble@ilstu.edu
Go to Geography 315 Welcome Page.
Go to Geography 315 Course Outline.
Learn more about me at my homepage.
Created 30 December 1997. Last revision occurred 29 December 2011.