Ola Ahlqvist, ahlqvist.1@osu.edu
Office phone: 247-7997
Office address: 1049 Derby Hall, 154 N Oval Mall
Office hours: Thursdays 1-3 PM, or by appointment (or drop-in but then I reserve
the right to busy)
Tim Hawthorne, hawthorne.20@osu.edu
Office address: 1145 Derby Hall, 154 N Oval Mall
Office hours: Mondays 2:30-4 pm, or by appointment
“Show me a geographer who does not need them [maps] constantly and want them about him, and I shall have my doubts as to whether he has made the right choice in life.” Carl O. Sauer (1889-1975)
This is an introduction to the art, craft, and science of cartography. Modern technology has changed cartography from a largely manual pen-and-paper based craft to an interactive computer based process. The full implications of this transition remain to be seen but basic principles of cartographic communication will still remain important. Throughout this course we will emphasize important aspects of cartographic communication; map purpose, geographic phenomena and their measurement, data manipulation such as classification and generalization, and various map design issues.
Much emphasis is put on hands-on experience for you to learn to apply visual and cartographic techniques to spatial information. An exciting component this quarter will be a close collaboration with the African American and African Studies Community Extension Center. Through this you will have an opportunity to learn what a real life mapping project might look like, from initial discussions of mapping needs, through the various stages of map design, to the final delivery.
Dent, B. , 1999, Cartography – Thematic Map design, McGraw Hill, 448p.
Perthes World Atlas, 1st Ed., Klett International, 315p.
Both texts are required, but the publisher has promised me a bundle, ISBN 9780073506548, that should give you a good price on both.
The most up to date schedule will always be posted on Carmen under Course info. Any significant changes to the schedule will be announced well in advance.
Tuesdays and Thursdays 12:30 PM — 2:18 PM in 0140 Derby Hall.
Class material such as lecture notes, worksheets, handouts will be made available through Carmen under the heading Lectures.
During lectures we will often spend some time to work with sample problems and discuss practical applications. These activities are meant to build a deeper understanding of the subject matter but it also relies heavily on your active participation. You will also sometimes have work to prepare before classes or other types of homework assignments.
Labs are also in 0140 Derby Hall and follow directly after the lectures Tuesdays and Thursdays 2:30 PM — 3:18 PM. Details on the labs will be posted on Carmen under the Labs heading
Overall credits for the course are given approximately as follows:
|
Lab Assignments |
~450 points (or ~45%) |
|
In-class work & Homework |
~135 points (or ~13%) |
|
Term project and related work |
~215 points (or ~22%) |
|
Exams |
~200 points (or ~20%) |
The credits given to each course component reflects my notion that I can only facilitate for you to acquire theoretical and practical knowledge. Only you can learn what we want you to. Consequently, assessments relate mainly to your own learning, such as demonstrating practical use of the covered topic matter in lab, homework and an individual project.
Final letter grades will be assigned based on how many percent of total points available you have earned.
92 <= A
90 <= A- < 92
88 <= B+ < 90
82 <= B < 88
80 <= B- < 82
78 <= C+ < 80
70 <= C < 78
60 <= D < 70
F < 60
All course work (labs, homework, individual project work) are expected by the due date. A late penalty of at least 10 percentage units will be taken off each day after the due date.
If you have a genuine reason (known medical
condition, a pile-up of due assignments on other courses, ROTC, athletics teams,
job interview, religious obligations etc.) for being unable to complete work on
time, then some flexibility is possible. However, if in my judgment you could
reasonably have let me know beforehand that there would likely be a
delay, then a late penalty will still be imposed if I don't hear from you until
after the deadline has passed. For unforeseeable problems, I may be more
flexible.
If there are ongoing medical, personal, or other issues that are likely to
affect your work all semester, then please arrange to see me in the first full
week of the quarter to discuss the situation.
Lab Assignments: You are welcome to discuss the labs amongst yourselves, in fact this is encouraged, but the final product you hand in must be your own work (see Academic Integrity Policy above). Details of the lab assignments will be posted on the course web site.
In-class work & Homework: Most classes have time allotted for discussions, in-class work and other activities. Your contribution in these and in class generally, will be noted, and used to determine part of your final grade, just showing up won't count a whole lot toward this component! Obviously, you will receive no credit for in-class work if you are not present.
During the quarter, there will be several homework assignments. The main purpose of the homework is to provide an opportunity to learn how to apply the things we cover during the lectures, and to help you and me to assess your own progress. Homework will be assigned during class, and usually due by the next class period. If you are having difficulty with assignments you should get help, whether from fellow students, from the course TA, or from me. Whatever you do, ask someone!
Exam: There will a continuous evaluation through lab, homework and in-class assignments. In addition there will be four smaller exams. These exams will be given in class, will cover material from the lectures and assignments, and will consist of multiple choice, short answer, and problem solving questions. There will be no final exam; instead an individual project will assess your ability to apply what you have learned in a practical situation.
Term project: Details of the individual project will be posted on Carmen.
There will be no make-up exams or labs except for documented medical or family emergencies.
Academic integrity is essential to maintaining an environment
that fosters excellence in teaching, research, and other educational and
scholarly activities. Thus, The Ohio State University and the Committee on
Academic Misconduct (COAM) expect that all students have read and understand the
University’s Code of Student Conduct, and that all students will complete
all academic and scholarly assignments with fairness and honesty. Students must
recognize that failure to follow the rules and guidelines established in the
University’s
Code of Student Conduct and this
syllabus may constitute “Academic Misconduct.”
The Ohio State University’s Code of Student Conduct (Section 3335-23-04)
defines academic misconduct as: “Any activity that tends to compromise the
academic integrity of the University, or subvert the educational process.”
Examples of academic misconduct include (but are not limited to) plagiarism,
collusion (unauthorized collaboration), copying the work of another student, and
possession of unauthorized materials during an examination. Ignorance of the
University’s Code of Student Conduct is never considered an “excuse” for
academic misconduct, so I recommend that you review the Code of Student Conduct
and, specifically, the sections dealing with academic misconduct.
What this really means is: If I suspect that a student has
committed academic misconduct in this course, I am obligated by
University Rules to report my suspicions to the Committee on Academic
Misconduct. If COAM determines that you have violated the University’s Code
of Student Conduct (i.e., committed academic misconduct), the sanctions for
the misconduct could include a failing grade in this course and suspension or
dismissal from the University. Please do not put yourself in that situation.
If you have any questions about the above policy or what constitutes academic misconduct in this course, please contact me.
Other sources of information on academic misconduct (integrity) can be found on the Committee on Academic Misconduct web pages (oaa.osu.edu/coam/home.html)
Students with disabilities that have been certified by the Office for Disability Services will be appropriately accommodated, and should inform the instructor as soon as possible of their needs. The Office for Disability Services is located in 150 Pomerene Hall, 1760 Neil Avenue; telephone 292-3307, TDD 292-0901; http://www.ods.ohio-state.edu/.