GEOLOGY 2500 - Sedimentary Geology II

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2021

Sediments, both ancient and recent, cover much of the earth's surface. Sediments are immensely important economically, as the host of petroleum and mineral deposits, and to the environment, as aquifers, sinks for contaminants, and the home to a large part of the biosphere. The sedimentary record is also the ultimate repository of the annals of Earth's history. By deciphering the clues held in this record, geologists have reconstructed the history of the earth surface environment, traced the evolution of life, and determined past climate changes. The sedimentology component of this course will provide a broad background to 1) the description of sedimentary rocks and recognition of sedimentary structures, 2) processes by which sediments are transported, deposited, and converted into rocks, 3) the tectonic setting and features of environments in which sediments accumulate, and 4) use of stratigraphy as a tool in Earth history. The Palaeontology component of this course will be an introduction to the fossil record, with an emphasis on the patterns of evolution during the Phanerozoic and the application of biostratigraphy.

  • General Course Information
    Course Details
    Course Code GEOLOGY 2500
    Course Sedimentary Geology II
    Coordinating Unit School of Physical Sciences
    Term Semester 1
    Level Undergraduate
    Location/s North Terrace Campus
    Units 3
    Contact Up to 6 hours per week
    Available for Study Abroad and Exchange Y
    Incompatible PETROENG 2005
    Assumed Knowledge GEOLOGY 1100 or GEOLOGY 1103 or GEOLOGY 1005
    Course Description Sediments, both ancient and recent, cover much of the earth's surface. Sediments are immensely important economically, as the host of petroleum and mineral deposits, and to the environment, as aquifers, sinks for contaminants, and the home to a large part of the biosphere. The sedimentary record is also the ultimate repository of the annals of Earth's history. By deciphering the clues held in this record, geologists have reconstructed the history of the earth surface environment, traced the evolution of life, and determined past climate changes. The sedimentology component of this course will provide a broad background to 1) the description of sedimentary rocks and recognition of sedimentary structures, 2) processes by which sediments are transported, deposited, and converted into rocks, 3) the tectonic setting and features of environments in which sediments accumulate, and 4) use of stratigraphy as a tool in Earth history. The Palaeontology component of this course will be an introduction to the fossil record, with an emphasis on the patterns of evolution during the Phanerozoic and the application of biostratigraphy.
    Course Staff

    Course Coordinator: Associate Professor Stijn Glorie

    Course Timetable

    The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

  • Learning Outcomes
    Course Learning Outcomes
    A successful student in this course should be able to:
    1 Demonstrate proficiency in common practical skills in Sedimentary Geology
    2 Interpret the processes responsible for the deposition of the sediment from the nature of the sediment and sedimentary structures present within the sedimentary rock;
    3 Understand the depositional environment of a sedimentary rock package based on recognition of facies associations; and
    4 Recognise and explain the methodology of carrying out scientific research in the field of sedimentary geology.


    University Graduate Attributes

    This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

    University Graduate Attribute Course Learning Outcome(s)
    Deep discipline knowledge
    • informed and infused by cutting edge research, scaffolded throughout their program of studies
    • acquired from personal interaction with research active educators, from year 1
    • accredited or validated against national or international standards (for relevant programs)
    1-4
    Critical thinking and problem solving
    • steeped in research methods and rigor
    • based on empirical evidence and the scientific approach to knowledge development
    • demonstrated through appropriate and relevant assessment
    1-4
    Teamwork and communication skills
    • developed from, with, and via the SGDE
    • honed through assessment and practice throughout the program of studies
    • encouraged and valued in all aspects of learning
    1,3,4
    Career and leadership readiness
    • technology savvy
    • professional and, where relevant, fully accredited
    • forward thinking and well informed
    • tested and validated by work based experiences
    1-4
    Intercultural and ethical competency
    • adept at operating in other cultures
    • comfortable with different nationalities and social contexts
    • able to determine and contribute to desirable social outcomes
    • demonstrated by study abroad or with an understanding of indigenous knowledges
    2-4
    Self-awareness and emotional intelligence
    • a capacity for self-reflection and a willingness to engage in self-appraisal
    • open to objective and constructive feedback from supervisors and peers
    • able to negotiate difficult social situations, defuse conflict and engage positively in purposeful debate
    4
  • Learning Resources
    Required Resources
    The only required resources are paper, ruler, protractor, pencils and calculator. There will be required reading issued from both the recommended textbook (see below) and from journal articles that will be available through the Library. Course notes (recordings) and digital copies of all slideshows used in lectures and practicals will be readily available on MyUni.
    Recommended Resources
    The reading list for the course on a week by week basis will be supplied during lectures and via My Uni. Make sure to keep up with any suggested readings. It is not mandatory to have a textbook, but you are encouraged to obtain the main recommended text if you can.
    This book is:
    • Boggs, S., 2011. Principles of Sedimentology and Stratigraphy. (5th edition) Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey (highly recommended and available at Unibooks)
    Many other textbooks on sedimentology are available in the Barr-Smith Library. A variety of new and used sedimentology texts may also be purchased on the web. In addition, it is strongly recommended to bring a hand lens to the practical exercises.
    Online Learning
    MyUni: Teaching materials and course documentation will be posted on the MyUni website (http://myuni.adelaide.edu.au/).
  • Learning & Teaching Activities
    Learning & Teaching Modes
    The course consists of two one-hour lecture sessions per week for 12 weeks plus accompanying practical work, most weeks. See section below for details on practical scheduling.

    • 2 x 1-hour lectures/week - see timetable
    • 1 x 4-hour practical work per week. The practicals are hands-on practice for the theory material covered in the lectures. One practical will be a field-based tutorial in a nearby location that is easily accessible by public transport (details will be given during the course).
    Workload

    The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

    A student enrolled in a 3 unit course, such as this, should expect to spend on average 12 hours per week on the studies required. This includes both the formal contact time required to the course (e.g., lectures and practicals), as well as non-contact time (e.g., reading and revision).
    Learning Activities Summary
    Schedule
    Week 1 Rock Identification, Origin and Transport of Sediments
    Week 2 Sedimentary Basins, Porosity, Permeability and Diagensis
    Week 3 Sedimentary Structures
    Week 4 Lecture test + Marginal Marine Depositional Environments
    Week 5 Shallow Marine Depositional Environments
    Week 6 Deep Marine Depositional Environments
    Week 7 Terrestrial Depositional Environments
    Week 8 Lecture test + Carbonates
    Week 9 Evaporites and Chemical Sediments
    Week 10 Palaeontology and Biostratigraphy
    Week 11 Lecture test + Intro to Stratigraphy
    Week 12 Practical Examinations


    Specific Course Requirements
    Attendance is compulsory at all scheduled practical sessions
    Small Group Discovery Experience
    Practical exercises will be carried out in teams including round-table dicussions.
  • Assessment

    The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

    1. Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
    2. Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
    3. Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
    4. Assessment must maintain academic standards.

    Assessment Summary
    Due to the current COVID-19 situation modified arrangements have been made to assessments to facilitate remote learning and teaching.
    Assessment Task Task Type Due Weighting Hurdle Learning Outcome
    Lecture Test 1- on line quiz Summative test on lectures 1-6

    Week 4

    15% No 1,2,4
    Lecture Test 2- online quize Summative test on lectures 7-12 Week 8 15% No 2,3,4
    Lecture Test 3- online quiz Summative test on lectures 13-17 Week 11 10% No 2,3,4
    Online Quizes Summative Weeks 1-3,5-7,9-10 7% No 1,2,3,4
    Practicals  Formative Not assessed- feedback via answers to the practical questions 0% No 1,2,3,4
    Practical Exercise Formative week 3 3% No 1,4
    Practical Test Summative
    Exam on all practical materials
    Week 12 30% No 1,2,3,4
    Theory Exam Summative Week 13 20% No 1,2,3,4
    Assessment Related Requirements
    The following course rules apply to Practical Class attendance and its associated assessment:
    1) Attendance at Practical Classes is compulsory and will be recorded. The learning outcomes for this course are substantially dependent on this hands-on experience and practice.
    2) You are allowed to miss one Practical Class during the course without explanation. However you are still required to complete that Practical in your own time. In case of a marked practical assignment, you are still required to submit your answers at the regular deadline, listed on the Practical notes (see hand-outs or Canvas). All other Practical classes will be assessed in a Practical Exam at the end of the semester and, therefore, it is crucial to complete the practical in your own time, before this exam.
    3) If you miss a second (or more) Practical Class, you will be required to complete a reason of absence form coupled with associated evidence of reason (e.g. medical certificate). That information must be sent to the Course Coordinator for approval. You will still be required to complete the Practical at your own time.
    4) If you are undertaking the course again because you have failed a previous attempt, you must not use previous practical sheets, answer keys or any material from previous versions of the course in the execution of Practicals. Use of such material will constitute plagiarism.
    5) If you miss more than one Practical without explanation, it will result in grade of FAIL being recorded for the course irrespective of your other marks in the course.
    Assessment Detail
    Lecture Tests: Test materials are sourced from lecture materials and assigned readings. The tests are designed to be easily completed within 45 minutes and will consist of a mixture of multiple choice and short answer questions.

    Practical Exam: The practical exam tests the skills that were learned during the practicals. This summative exam is designed to be completed within 2 hours and will consist of a number of questions, covering the practical materials and focussing on (1) identifying rock samples and fossil specimens, (2) performing stratigraphic correlations and basin analysis, (3) interpreting sedimentary logs and sedimentary structures and (4) interpreting sedimentary depositional environments.

    Practical Quiz: One practical assignment will be tested via an on-line MyUni quiz (8 short answers) in week 3.

    Theory Exam: Test materials are sourced from lecture materials and assigned readings. The test is designed to be completed within 2 hours and will consist of questions covering all lectures for the course through a mixture of short answer questions, multiple choice questions that ask to draw/sketch.

    Submission
    With the exception of one, which is tested via MyUni, the practicals are not marked and do not need to be submitted. Feedback will be provided in the format of answer sheets on MyUni.
    Course Grading

    Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

    M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
    Grade Mark Description
    FNS   Fail No Submission
    F 1-49 Fail
    P 50-64 Pass
    C 65-74 Credit
    D 75-84 Distinction
    HD 85-100 High Distinction
    CN   Continuing
    NFE   No Formal Examination
    RP   Result Pending

    Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

    Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

    Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

  • Student Feedback

    The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

    SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.

  • Student Support
  • Policies & Guidelines
  • Fraud Awareness

    Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.