Geol 352 (Introduction to Geophysics) Outcomes Assessment
| Course Outcomes | Course Objectives (SWABAT) |
|---|---|
| 1. Understand the structure and composition of Earth |
1.1 Sketch the internal layers of Earth in terms of both compositional and rheological boundaries 1.2 Describe changes in Earth’s physical properties, such as seismic velocity, elastic moduli and density, as a function of depth. |
| 2. Understand the theory of plate tectonics and how it relates to processes such as volcanoes and earthquakes |
2.1 Calculate relative velocities between tectonic plates 2.2 Describe the location and type of earthquakes occurring at different plate boundaries |
| 3. Understand how to integrate the physical principles and experimental data into the study of geologic processes on Earth and other planets |
3.1 Solve quantitative problems related to Earth processes using mathematical techniques such as graphing, algebra, trigonometry, and calculus. 3.2 Utilize theoretical models to evaluate and interpret geophysical data 3.3 Determine which geophysical tools are best used to address a specific geologic question |
| 4. Understand scientific methodology, scientific standards, and how to evaluate sources of scientific information |
4.1 Distinguish between the different forms of scientific literature, including peer reviewed articles, abstracts, textbooks, popular media, and web resources. 4.2 Understand scientific publications and discuss their merits and limitations. |
| 5. Students will be comfortable using Excel spreadsheets, and/or MATLAB, and/or Mathcad for quantitative analysis |
5.1 Create and interpret graphs of geophysical data. 5.2 Apply appropriate statistical techniques to evaluation geophysical data 5.3 Propagate geophysical data and results through multiple phases of analyses toward a integrated solution. |
| 6. Students will develop problem-solving skills. | 6.1 Identify whether a result is physically meaningful and realistic and if not, determine the nature of the discrepancy. |