Professor: Aaron S. Yoshinobu
Office: Science 231, office hours: drop by when the door is open or set up an appointment via phone, email, etc.
Phone: 806-742-4025
E-mail: Aaron.Yoshinobu@ttu.edu

Course Description: This course will evaluate the plate tectonic paradigm in terms of its historical evolution and modern application to understanding Earth evolution. Focus will be placed on defining the geometric, kinematic, and dynamic framework of the three types of plate boundaries, existing problems with rigid plate theory, and the evidence for the plate tectonic approximation. The course will analyze the geometry, kinematics, and dynamics of tectonics on a sphere and the contribution of various Earth science disciplines to the plate tectonic paradigm. Students will be expected to participate in class by presenting papers and leading dialogue on various themes presented in the class over the course of the semester.

Prerequisites: Physical Geology, Structural Geology, Petrology, Geophysics; or instructor consent.

Required Supplies: The following supplies MUST BE BROUGHT TO EVERY CLASS MEETING: Pencils, metric ruler, drawing compass, protractor, tracing paper (8.5" x 11"), calculator with trigonometric functions, colored pencils, stapler, 3-ring binder.

Learning Objectives for Tectonics: The learning objectives for this course are tied to five major conceptual themes that relate to tectonic analysis. Students should be able to:

NATURE OF TECTONIC ANALYSIS
• develop skills to distinguish observations from interpretations.
• generate complex models with predictive capabilities.
• interpret incomplete data sets to derive  testable hypotheses.
• analyze the components of kinematic and dynamic analysis. 
• distinguish evidence for rigid versus non-rigid plate evolution.
• apply scientific methodologies to evaluate tectonic phenomena.

PLATE BOUNDARY SYSTEMS
• explain the relationships between topography and surface/internal Earth processes.
• evaluate the kinematics of the three plate boundary systems.
• analyze geometrical constrains for plate kinematics.

RATES & DURATIONS OF TECTONIC PROCESSES
• recognize variation in plate velocity and predict how this will affect the nature of plate boundary zones.
• evaluate rates of deformation using various geochronometers and displacement histories.
• understand deep time, geologic rates, durations, scales, and the relationship between episodic events and time integrated history.
• simultaneously evaluate temporal and spatial relations across many scales.

GEOSPATIAL VISUALIZATION SKILLS
• develop and utilize 3-D visualization skills to understand geologic spatial relationships.
• predict the orientation and type of fault that predominates at each plate boundary.

TECTONIC DATA COLLECTION, ORGANIZATION, and ANALYSIS
• acquire basic velocity information on plate movement.
• calculate plate velocities based on geochronometric and/or paleomagnetic data.
• constrain kinematic models for triple-junction and/or plate boundary migration through time.
• evaluate sedimentological, structural, and topographic data in the context of climate or tectonic driven rock uplift.
• evaluate and critically test lithospheric scale cross section that depict plate boundary interactions.

Readings: There are no required texts. Readings will be derived from various journal articles, Plate Tectonics: How it works, by Cox and Hart, Tectonics, by Moores and Twiss, and other books. Copies of all readings will be available for reading or copying in a box in the Geoscience Reading Room. In addition to readings, I will pass out numerous handouts and maps over the course of the semester.

Assessments & Assignments: All of the assessments will be used in four ways: 1) to engage students; 2) to assess student learning after content delivery; 3) to evaluate whether or not learning objectives were met by comparing pre- and post-test results; and 4) to assign grades.

Assessment Types:
"Pre-Tests" – assesses student understanding prior to content delivery; allows the instructor to modify content accordingly and assess student preconceptions; not graded.
"One-minute papers” – assesses student reaction to and comprehension of specific topics; graded as part of attendance.
Group Discussions – assessed through summary ‘journal-style’ writing of group discussion and vocal participation; graded based on content and attendance.
Short answer questions – assess student cognitive skills, analytical skills, and higher-order thinking skills; graded.
Exercises (including oral presentations and written reports)  – assess higher order thinking skills and transference to novel scenarios; graded.
“Model building” – assess student comprehension, analytical skills, higher order thinking; graded.
“Annotated Concept Sketches” – assesses student comprehension and analytical skills and visualization skills; occasionally evaluated in class by students; graded.
“Post-Tests” – cumulative assessments of student learning; graded.

You will be given prior warning of “Post Tests” and due dates. However, you may not receive any warning for other assessments; therefore, it is imperative that you not miss a single class meeting. Assessments will be reasonable in length and expectation. All assessments will be derived from discussion and reading material. LATE WORK WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED.

Grading: TTU Operating Policy states that an "A" is excellent work, "B" is good work, "C" is average work, "D" is inferior (but not necessarily passing degree requirements), and "F" is failing to meet degree requirements. Specific grading rubrics will be handed out with various Assessments.

General Grading Rubric. If you follow the guidelines below, you should be able to submit your best possible work. However, there is no guarantee that you will be awarded an "A" even if you feel that you have followed every guideline.

Grade	General Grading Rubric - refer to specific rubrics handed out with individual assignments for additional details
A	"A" Work - is the type of work that one would feel comfortable submitting to a professional, peer-reviewed scientific journal (e.g., GSA Bulletin, AAPG Bulletin, Nature, etc.) or to the Senior Project Leader in a professional industrial environment. Therefore, "A" work should have the following attributes at a minimum: submitted as a completed assignment before the deadline for review by the professor. The assignment will then be returned to the student for revision and resubmital by the deadline. Although the student turns in a completed assignment for review early, there is no guarantee that the student will achieve a higher grade. no spelling or grammatical errors and should be printed. is well-organized in terms of presentation and is written concisely and professionally. distinguishes observation from interpretation, is supported by appropriate illustrations and other types of evidence that are presented in a systematic order, provides a cohesive and well-supported discussion of interpretations, and develops specific geological, geophysical, experimental, or some other type of tests and/or requirements of the interpretations. is appropriately referenced. contains NO plagiarism or un-referenced statements.
B	"B" Work - is completed and turned in on time and demonstrates student comprehension of the basic observational and/or experimental elements of the study and their implications to the interpretation. "B" work should have the following attributes at a minimum: no spelling or grammatical errors and should be printed. distinguishes observation from interpretation, is supported by appropriate illustrations and other types of evidence that are presented in a systematic order, provides a cohesive and well-supported discussion of interpretations, and develops specific tests and/or requirements of the interpretations. is appropriately referenced. contains NO plagiarism or un-referenced statements. "B" work generally differs from "A" work in that it does NOT develop a testable geological argument that takes the reader's understanding "to the next level". In other words, "A" work provides insight and a potentially new approach to some previously unsolved problem or experiment.
C	"C" Work - is completed and turned in on time and demonstrates student comprehension of the basic observational and/or experimental elements of the study and their implications to the interpretation. "C" work should have the following attributes at a minimum: no spelling or grammatical errors and should be printed. distinguishes observation from interpretation, is supported by appropriate illustrations and other types of evidence that are presented in a systematic order, provides a discussion of interpretations, and develops specific tests and/or requirements of the interpretations. is appropriately referenced. contains NO plagiarism or un-referenced statements. "C" work generally differs from "A" and "B" work in that it presents the minimum amount of information and synthesis for the reader to glean the relevant geological issues at hand. "C" work does NOT develop a testable geological argument that takes the reader's understanding "to the next level". In other words, "A" work provides insight and a potentially new approach to some previously unsolved problem or experiment.
D	"D" Work - may or may not be completed and turned in on time and demonstrates an inferior effort by the student to comprehend to comprehend and synthesize the basic observational and/or experimental elements of the study and their implications to the interpretation. "D" work may not have the following attributes at a minimum: no spelling or grammatical errors and should be printed. distinguishes observation from interpretation, is supported by appropriate illustrations and other types of evidence that are presented in a systematic order, provides a cohesive and well-supported discussion of interpretations, and develops specific tests and/or requirements of the interpretations. is appropriately referenced. contains NO plagiarism or un-referenced statements.

All assignments are due at the beginning of class one week after they are assigned unless otherwise noted on the assignment.

Graduate Students will give oral presentations as part of a midterm assessment. For these formal presentations, Graduate Students are required to submit their finished, one page abstract to me via e-mail (Aaron.Yoshinobu@ttu.edu) by a date to be announced as an MS WORD file (preferable) or as HTML. I will post these on the TTU Tectonics Abstracts page so that they are available for other students and faculty to read before the formal presentations (click here for past examples).

Absences and late assignments will not be excused unless the Professor is given prior notice (i.e., written note from Dr., excused absence from University Administrator, etc.). Late assignments will be docked 5% of the grade/day after the due date. Students may be excused from class during recognized religious holidays. Those with learning disabilities or who require some special arrangements in lecture should see me ASAP. Proof of the particular disability or condition must be furnished. The P.A.S.S. office in West Hall is available for special testing or studying services and counseling.

---