>Grading Policy
Home » Teaching » HYD 256: Geomorphology of Estuaries and Deltas » Grading Policy

Grading Policy

Grades for this course will be determined by considering four weighted components: a midterm, final exam, in-class presentaiton, and Field/homework reports. 

Exams:

You will take a one-hour midterm and a two-hour final exam. These exams focus on the concepts behind field, lab, and data analysis procedures. I strongly recommend you studycourse readings, lectures, and reports before the exam.

In-class Presentation:

You will give one 15 minute presentations (actual length depends on number of students in class) in which you instruct your peers on the key findings of a scientific paper which you will be given in advance. I will grade you based on how well you present all the relevant information in the alloted time (with consideration to past oral experience or lack thereof). I recommend that you use the blackboard and overhead projector to streamline and complement your presentation. Blank overheads may be obtained from Tania Heta in the Hydrology Office or purchased at any office supply store. To serve the other students in the class, you must prepare and distribute a 1 page abstract of the presentation (in your own words) along with an optional second page showing one or two key figures, graphs, or tables that convey the most essential points of the research. The abstract must contain the complete reference citation. 

A special reading to help you improve your speaking skills is available by download in .pdf format by clicking here. I recommend that you do your talk 4-8 times in practice before your day arrives.

Field reports/homework:

You will do 2 major assignments in this course- one on deltas/estuaries and one on salt marshes. An assignment is a full report consisting of data presentation and analysis based on questions that explore the field subject in depth. You will turn in your own report for individual grading once your group is through with data gathering and data analysis.

  • Late Policy: For you to get full credit, your homework must be turned in at the beginning of class on the due date. You have 3"grace days" for late homework. That is, you can turn in a total of three homework assignments a day late, one homework three days late, etc. Weekends count as one day. Assignments turned in late without "grace credit" will be penalized by 20% per day. Homework late by more than 5 days will not be graded. Exceptions require either prior arrangement or doctor-validated medical excuse.

 

Grade Weights

midterm                        = 25%
final                                = 25%
inclass presentation  = 10%
reports                           = 40%


*There is no specific portion of your total grade allocated to participation, but this is an important part of your overall performance and will be used to help assign grades in borderline situations. If you do not participate equally in field work and data analysis, this will hurt everyone in your group. I will try to identify students who are not participating equally and adjust his or her individual grade accordingly.

 


 

General Instructions for Field reports/homework

Clarity of presentation is very important. A good layout, well-organized tables and graphs, and good graphics must be used if you want your work to be understood and thus graded properly. Clear, concise writing and spell checking is expected.

Report Format

  • The first page should be a cover sheet with the student's name, date, class number, and title of report.
  • The second page should contain a written description of the student's understanding of the problem that was assigned. This is to be followed on succeeding pages by a description of the analysis, discussion, interpretation, and conclusions.
  • When you do calculations, state how they were done and show formulas whenever possible. If a computer program was used, state the name of the program and what command was used The more of the calculation process you show, the most opportunity there is for partial credit.
  • Data should be presented in a tabular format with a descriptive title. Columns should be names and data units labeled. Short explanations may be added as footnotes, if necessary.
  • Graphs should have a descriptive title, labeled axes with appropriate scales, and identified units. The source of the data in the plot should be given either in the title or under the graph.
  • Maps should have a descriptive title, a scale, and a north arrow.
  • These reports constitute 60% of your grade, so the more time you put into them, the better your grade will be. Also, if they are neat, you may find them useful in your future work beyond shool.

Collaboration Among Students

      Field exercises and data analyses necessitate collaboration in this class, just as they do in the real world. You are encouraged to work together with other students to obtain all of the necessary data, results, maps, tables, and figures. You may discuss the significance of your findings with anyone else in the class. However, when it comes time to write your report, no further collaboration is allowed. You must produce your own report in your own words. 
>Grading Policy
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Research
    • Scientific Highlights
    • Projects
      • Near-Census River Science
        • 2DMUs
        • Hydraulic Topography
        • Topographic Change Detection
        • Topographic Change Processes
        • Floodplain Inundation
        • Streamwood Storage
        • Upper South Yuba
        • Salmonid Migration
        • North Yuba River
        • Salmon Migratory Habitat
      • Geomorphic Covariance Structures
      • Synthetic River Valleys
      • Watershed Processes
        • Watershed Sediment Transport
        • Watershed Streamwood
        • Watershed Sedimentation
      • River Rehabilitation
        • Spawning Habitat Rehabilitation
        • Cobble/Gravel Injection
        • Streamwood Jams
        • Geomorphologist's Guide
      • Waterfalls
        • Horseshoe Falls
        • NSEAM 1.0
        • Hydraulic Jumps
        • Small Step Mapping
        • Small Step Hydraulics
      • Tidal Freshwater Deltas
        • TFD Introduction
        • TFD Vegetation
        • TFD Sediment Cycles
        • TFD Ecogeomorphology
        • TFD Hydrometeorology
        • TFD Sediment Transport
        • TFD Modeling
        • TFD Animal Response
        • Bush River, MD
        • Winter's Run, MD
      • Estuarine Processes
        • Salinas River Estuary
        • San Joaquin-Sacramento Delta
        • Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge
        • Long Island Sound
      • Functional Flows Model
      • Volcanic Lakes
        • VL Classification & Modeling
        • VL Bibliography
        • Keli Mutu
          • Remote Sampling Strategy
        • Lake Batur
        • Other Volcanic Lakes
      • Agricultural Sediment
      • Urban Rivers
      • Chaos in Hydrology
      • Channel Types
    • Methods
      • Net Sedimentation Tile (NST) Protocol
      • Sediment Core Processing Protocol
      • Vibracoring Protocol
      • Loss-On-Ignition Protocol
      • C-14 Sample Selection and Prep Protocol
      • Cation Sample Prep and Analysis Protocol
      • Grain Size Distirbution Protocol
      • MS Word Fig. code
      • Kite Blimp Method
      • Laser Granulometer Protocol
    • Software
      • River Builder
    • Sponsors
  • Teaching
    • SAS 004Y : Water in Popular Culture
      • Course Logistics
      • Sections
      • Syllabus
        • SAS004 Introduction
        • Water Scarcity
        • Water Scarcity Discussion
        • Floods
        • Flood Insurance Discussion
        • Water Quality
        • Water Quality Discussion
        • Water & Psychology
        • Water Psychology Discussion
        • Conquering Nature
        • Conquering Nature Discussion
        • Pro Poor Water
        • Pro Poor Water Discussion
        • Arctic Socio-Ecology
        • Indigenous Knowledge
        • Earth Stewardship
        • Earth Stewardship Discussion
        • Global Climate Change
        • Global Climate Change Discussion
        • Coastal Zone in Crisis
        • Coastal Zone Crisis Discussion
        • Course Review
      • Readings
      • Instructor
      • Classroom Behavior
      • Grading Policy
      • Movie Logs
      • Discussion Activities
      • Expository Essay
      • Study Guide
      • Online TA Help
    • ESM 125: River Conservation
      • Syllabus
        • River Conservation Introduction
        • Navigability For Title - Law
        • River Segmentation
        • Historical Hydrology
        • Indigenous River Conservation
        • Habitat Conservation Law
        • Aquatic Habitat
        • Riparian Habitat
        • Water Temperature
        • Sediment Sampling
        • Water Quality
        • CA State Water Boards
        • Biological Opinions
        • Setting Biological Goals
        • County-Level Water Management
        • River Restoration
        • Fish Passage & Fishways
        • Beaver-Assisted Restoration
        • Water Management Lessons
      • Instructor
      • Grading Policy
      • Readings
      • Exams
      • Individual Assignments
      • River Presentations
      • Video Response Canvas Quizzes
      • Reading Response Canvas Quizzes
    • HYD 143 : Ecohydrology
      • Instructor
      • Grading Policy
      • Syllabus
        • Chapter 1
        • Chapter 2
        • Chapter 3
        • Chapter 4
        • Chapter 5
        • Group Activity 1
        • Group Presentations 1
        • Chapter 6
        • Chapter 7
        • Chapter 8
        • Chapter 9
        • Group Activity 2
        • Group Presentations 2
        • Chapter 10
        • Chapter 11
        • Chapter 12
        • Chapter 13
        • Chapter 14
        • Chapter 15
        • Group Activity 3
        • Group Presentations 3
        • Chapter 16
        • Chapter 17
        • Chapter 18
        • Chapter 19
        • Chapter 20
        • Chapter 21
      • Online TA Help
      • Video Response Quizzes
      • Group Presentations
      • In-class Assignments
    • HYD 151 : Field Methods in Hydrology
      • Instructor
      • TA Info
      • Grading Policy
      • Syllabus
        • Chapter 21
        • Chapter 1
        • Chapter 2
        • Chapter 3
        • Chapter 4
        • Assignment 1
        • Chapter 5
        • Chapter 6
        • Assignment 2
        • Chapter 7
        • Chapter 8
        • Chapter 9
        • Assignment 3
        • Chapter 10
        • Chapter 12
        • Chapter 11
        • Chapter 13
        • Chapter 14
        • Assignment 4
        • Chapter 15
        • Chapter 16
        • Chapter 16b
        • Chapter 17
        • Field Equipment Showcase
        • Chapter 18
        • Chapter 19
        • Chapter 20
        • Chapter 22
        • Chapter 23
        • Chapter 24
        • Course Review
      • Readings
      • Online TA Help
      • Field Safety
    • HYD 252: Hillslope Geomorphology and Sediment Budgets
      • Instructor
      • Grading Policy
      • Syllabus
        • Week 1
        • Week 2
        • Week 3
        • Week 5
        • Week 6
        • Week 7
        • Week 8
        • Week 9
        • Week 10
        • Week 4
      • Readings
      • Safety
    • HYD 254Y: Ecohydraulics
      • Instructor
      • Grading Policy
      • Syllabus
        • Introduction to Near-Census River Science
        • Introduction to 2D Modeling
        • 2D Modeling Training
        • 2D modeling discussion & synthesis
        • 2D Modeling Terrain Variability
        • 2D Model Validation
        • Fluvial Landform Assessment
        • Ecological Analysis of Structure and Function
        • Hydrogeomorphic Processes
        • Parameterizing Boundary Roughness
        • Frontiers of River Science
      • Readings
      • Online TA Help
      • Lab Tutorials
    • HYD 256: Geomorphology of Estuaries and Deltas
      • Syllabus
        • Week 1
        • Week 2
        • Week 3
        • Week 4
        • Week 5
        • Week 6
        • Week 7
        • Week 8
        • Week 9
        • Week 10
      • Readings
      • Lab
      • Field Safety
      • Online TA Help
      • Grading Policy
    • Virtual River Methods
      • Syllabus
      • Instructor
      • Grading Policy
      • Readings
      • Assignments
      • Game Setup
  • People
    • MS Students
    • PhD Students
    • Postdocs
    • Committee Advisees
    • Technicians
    • Undergrads
    • Visitors
    • Collaborators
    • Furry Friends
  • Info for Applicants
  • Service
    • Past Service
    • Professional Service
  • Outreach
  • Curriculum Vitae

GET IN TOUCH

  • 223 Veihmeyer Hall
    LAWR Dept., UC Davis
    One Shields Avenue
    Davis, CA 95616
  • (530) 302-5658
  • (530) 752-1552
  • gpast@ucdavis.edu
  • Google Scholar
  • Research Gate
  • ORCID: 0000-0002-1977-4175
  • Dr. Gregory B. Pasternack - Watershed Hydrology, Geomorphology, and Ecohydraulics
UC Davis