THE UNIVERSITY of EDINBURGH

DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2016/2017

University Homepage
DRPS Homepage
DRPS Search
DRPS Contact
DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Geosciences : Earth Science

Undergraduate Course: Earth Modelling and Prediction (GESC08002)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Geosciences CollegeCollege of Science and Engineering
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 8 (Year 1 Undergraduate) AvailabilityAvailable to all students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryEarth Modelling and Prediction (EMP) is a level 8, 20-credit course. EMP uses topical issues in Geosciences to understand and develop the essential mathematical skills required by modern geoscientists. The emphasis will be on data analysis and interpretation, including an appreciation of the importance of observation errors and the use of quantitative data in the prediction of future changes in the Earth system.

The course content will be taught through accessible applied problems (e.g., growth rate of ice sheets, balancing the carbon cycle), which are carefully designed to introduce key scientific notation and concepts that are used repeatedly through this course and more widely through the GeoSciences degree programmes.

Weekly tutorials (in groups of 5-6) will reinforce the key concepts taught in the course. The course will be examined by continuous assessment only. EMP's total contact teaching time is 35 hours (20 x 1 hour lectures; 10 x 1.5 hour tutorials). Students should also undertake self-directed study outside the contact teaching hours. The week 12 tutorial will be an open-book test that will cover the content of the whole course.
Course description Syllabus
1 1 Introduction and Objectives MB Mon 19 Sep
2 1 Basics AT Tue 20 Sep
3 2 Algebra: Solving and simplifying equations AT Mon 26 Sep
4 2 Algebra: Solving and simplifying equations AT Tue 27 Sep
5 3 Algebra: Solving and simplifying equations AT Mon 3 Oct
6 3 Algebra: Solving and simplifying equations AT Tue 4 Oct
7 4 Algebra: Solving and simplifying equations AT Mon 10 Oct
8 4 Logarithms and Exponentials MB Tue 11 Oct
9 5 Logarithms and Exponentials MB Mon 17 Oct
10 5 Statistics, Distributions, Errors, Uncertainties MB Tue 18 Oct
11 6 Statistics, Distributions, Errors, Uncertainties MB Mon 24 Oct
12 6 Statistics, Distributions, Errors, Uncertainties MB Tue 25 Oct
13 7 Statistics, Distributions, Errors, Uncertainties MB Mon 31 Oct
14 7 Trigonometry and Vectors MB Tue 1 Nov
15 8 Trigonometry and Vectors MB Mon 7 Nov
16 8 Trigonometry and Vectors MB Tue 8 Nov
17 9 Calculus: Integration and Differentiation AT Mon 14 Nov
18 9 Calculus: Integration and Differentiation AT Tue 15 Nov
19 10 Calculus: Integration and Differentiation AT Mon 21 Nov
20 10 Calculus: Integration and Differentiation AT Tue 22 Nov

Students must choose either Wednesday or Thursday tutorial and self-enrol online via Learn. Details on how to access and register will be given at the first lecture in Week 1. Please make sure that you are aware of all your other timetable commitments before signing up. If you cannot enrol online, please contact the Course Secretary in person or by email.

Tutorial topics are based on the maths lecture preceding it. In other words, the maths topic discussed at the Tuesday lecture will be covered on the following Wednesday or Thursday.

If there are extenuating reasons why you cannot attend a tutorial, you must inform the Course Secretary and your Tutor in advance. Only exceptional circumstances will be considered for non-attendance. These do not include sporting or social engagements.

For any specific questions about tutorials and class work, you should first refer to the FAQ section on Learn before contacting the Course Lecturer Organiser.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Additional Costs None.
Information for Visiting Students
Pre-requisitesNone.
High Demand Course? Yes
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2016/17, Available to all students (SV1) Quota:  None
Course Start Semester 1
Timetable Timetable
Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) Total Hours: 200 ( Formative Assessment Hours 3, Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4, Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours 193 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 65 %, Practical Exam 35 %
Additional Information (Assessment) Assessment details
Written Exam: 0%, Course Work: 65 %, Practical Exam: 35%.
Assessment consists of the following compulsory components:

- Attendance at all (10) weekly tutorials
- Completion of each tutorial worksheet
- Completion of the week 12 open-book test

During the 10 weeks of the course students are expected to attend:

- 20 lectures (20 x 1 hr)
- 10 tutorials (10 x 1.5 hr)

In addition, students are expected to undertake preparatory and independent reading, and preparation for their tutorials. These commitments amount to about 200 hours of study including 35 hours of teaching contact.

The teaching components of the course are outlined in more detail below. You are expected to arrive punctually for all lectures and tutorials and course-related commitments.

Any student who does not attend all tutorials or submit all components of class work will not be assessed for a course degree mark and, thus, fail the course.

The overall mark of the course is based on coursework (65% of the total mark) and a practical test (35% of the total mark). Tutorial sheets will be distributed in weeks 1, 3, 5, 7, and 8 and due in weeks 2, 4, 6, 8, and 9 respectively. Tutorial sheets due in weeks 2, 4, and 6 are each worth 15% of the course grade, and tutorials due in weeks 8 and 9 are each worth 10% of the course grade. You must attend all tutorials and submit the completed tutorial exercises to the Course Submission box by the due date (see below). There is an open-book test (i.e., you can bring your own notes -not the book) in week 12, scheduled at the normal time of weekly tutorials, which is worth 35% of the total course mark.

Each tutor will keep an attendance record for each session. If you don't attend a tutorial without good reason, your mark for that exercise will be restricted to 40%. It is your responsibility to inform your Tutor and the Course Secretary in advance and in writing if you have an exceptional reason for not attending a tutorial. No cases for retrospective non-attendance will be considered unless appropriate extenuating circumstances are proven.

The pass mark for this course is 40%. To pass the course, students are required to submit all tutorial sheets, to score at least 40% for the tutorials (on average), and to score at least 40% for the exam.

Assessment deadlines
You must submit the completed tutorial exercises to the Course Submission box, which you will find located on level3 of the Grant Building, Room 332, by 3:00 pm on the following dates:

Week 1 tutorial: submit week 2 on Friday 30th September
Week 3 tutorial: submit week 4 on Friday 14th October
Week 5 tutorial: submit week 6 on Friday 28th October
Week 7 tutorial: submit week 8 on Friday 11th November
Week 8 tutorial: submit week 9 on Friday 18th November

There is a penalty for late submission of coursework. The penalty will be a reduction of the mark by 5% of the maximum obtainable mark per calendar day (e.g. a mark of 65% would be reduced to 60% up to 24 hours later). This would apply for up to five days after which a mark of zero should be given.
Feedback Written feedback on the tutorial sheets will be provided by the Tutors and available at the Course Secretary Office by Thursday morning of the week following the hand-in date (e.g., 6th October, Week3, for Tutorial sheet 1). Overall feedback on the coursework and final test will be available at the beginning of semester 2. The Tutor will give immediate feedback on work during the tutorial sessions.

At the beginning of the course, two class representatives will be elected. They will represent EMP students to EUSA and the staff/student liaison committee. They will have meetings with the Course Organizer to consider difficulties, complaints, etc. regarding the course. Make use of these representatives as a channel for your comments and feedback about the course.


At the beginning of the course, two class representatives will be elected. They will represent EMP students to EUSA and the staff/student liaison committee. They will have meetings with the Course Organizer to consider difficulties, complaints, etc. regarding the course. Make use of these representatives as a channel for your comments and feedback about the course.
Exam Information
Exam Diet Paper Name Hours & Minutes
Main Exam Diet S1 (December)1:15
Resit Exam Diet (August)1:15
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Appreciate quantitative methods that are commonly used in geosciences to answer a range of questions in Earth system science.
  2. Develop a broad knowledge and understanding of how to use a range of standard methods to process and obtain data.
  3. Use and evaluate numerical and graphical data to solve problems.
  4. Carry out routine lines of enquiry into professional level problems and critically evaluate evidence-based solutions.
Reading List
Recommended textbooks
Foundation maths by Anthony Croft and Robert Davison, Pearson/Prentice Hall
Essential Maths for Geoscientists: An Introduction. by Paul I. Palmer, Wiley Blackwell
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Not entered
Additional Class Delivery Information EMP is a compulsory course for incoming Geosciences students who don't have
sufficient maths qualifications, i.e. with a D grade or below at A-level
Maths, or a C grade or below at Higher Maths. Students with sufficient
qualifications can take the course but not for credit.

1 hour(s) 30 minutes per week for 10 week(s). 2 x 1 hour lectures each

Students must choose either Thursday or Friday tutorial and self-enroll online via Learn. Details on how to access and register will be given at the first lecture in Week 1. Please make sure that you are aware of all your other timetable commitments before signing up. If you cannot enrol online, please contact the Course Secretary in person or by email.

week, plus 1 x 1.5 hour tutorial.
KeywordsEarth Modelling and Prediction
Contacts
Course organiserDr Massimo Bollasina
Tel: (0131 6)51 3464
Email: Massimo.Bollasina@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMrs Nicola Muir
Tel: (0131 6)50 4842
Email: Nikki.Muir@ed.ac.uk
Navigation
Help & Information
Home
Introduction
Glossary
Search DPTs and Courses
Regulations
Regulations
Degree Programmes
Introduction
Browse DPTs
Courses
Introduction
Humanities and Social Science
Science and Engineering
Medicine and Veterinary Medicine
Other Information
Combined Course Timetable
Prospectuses
Important Information
 
© Copyright 2016 The University of Edinburgh - 3 February 2017 4:14 am