COURSE SYLLABUS
SEMINAR (FRS 5691)
Spring 2008
Instructor: Dr. Hal O. Liechty
Office: 128 H.H. Chamberlin Complex
Office Hours: T, W 9:00-10:00; W, 1:00-4:00
Phone: 460-1452 Email: Liechty@uamont.edu
Course Description: Discussion and presentations related to forest resources.
Course Objectives: This course is designed to: 1) give students guidance and instruction in giving presentations 2) help them prepare presentations concerning their thesis topic.
Optional Readings: The Craft of Scientific Presentation, Michael Alley. 2003.
Prerequisites: Graduate status.
Attendance and
Assignment Policy: Attendance of all seminars is required unless excused for special circumstances. Students who have excessive absences, which may begin at six hours of lectures missed, may be withdrawn from a course with a grade of “W” or “F”.
Design: Classes will consist of lectures by the instructor, seminars by faculty members etc, and a seminar by each graduate student. Student seminars will be 20 minutes in length with questions following. Students will also be required to submit an abstract (100-150 words) and an outline for their specific seminar.
Preparation All students must submit a 1st draft outline at least 3 weeks before the student’s seminar. The instructor will than critique and return the outline. The final draft is due 1 week before the student’s seminar. The student must also give her or his presentation to the instructor at least one week before the scheduled seminar. Abstracts are due the first thing Monday morning 8:00 A.M. the week of the seminar. Students are responsible for scheduling the presentation with the instructor.
Outline/Abstracts: Grading of abstracts and outlines will be based on clarity, organization, and content.
Seminar: Seminars will be graded on quality, clarity, organization, graphical presentation, speaker mannerisms, professionalism etc. An example of the evaluation sheet will be given to each student to familiarize him with the seminar presentation grading procedure.
Grading Policy: Grades will be based on the content of material presented to the instructor, subject to the following:
1. Seminar Presentation 75%
2. Outline 15%
3. Abstract 10%
Final letter grades will be calculated using the 90-80-70-60 and below percentiles (A-B-C-D- and F, respectively).
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
It is the policy of the University of Arkansas-Monticello to accommodate individuals with disabilities pursuant to federal law and the University’s commitment to equal educational opportunities. It is the responsibility of the student to inform the instructor of any necessary accommodations at the beginning of the course. Any student requiring accommodations should contact the Office of Special Student Services located in Harris Hall Room 120, phone 87–460-1026; TDD 870-460-1626; fax 870-460-1926.
School of Forest Resources
University of Arkansas – Monticello Professionalism Statement
Students in the School of Forest Resources are pursuing courses of study that prepare them for careers as natural resources professionals. Professional education is much more than technical training and encompasses professional resource education as well as general education, social science and humanities courses. Collectively, these subjects constitute professional education.
Since the School is dedicated to professional education rather than technical training, the faculty and staff have certain expectations of themselves and of SFR students with regard to professionalism and personal conduct in their preparation for careers in the natural resource professions. Thus, SFR students and faculty are expected to exhibit conduct and attitudes appropriate to professionals.
Conduct and attitudes appropriate for professionals include, but are not restricted to,
1. The UA-M Code of Student Conduct published in the University catalog,
2. Attitudes appropriate for resource professionals of the 21st Century:
a. Respect for others and for their ideas;
b. Appreciation for ethnic and gender diversity in the workplace;
c. Sensitivity to environmental quality;
d. Adherence to professional ethics,
e.g. the Society of American Foresters Code of Ethics.
Instructors reserve the right to reduce student grades or withdraw the student from class for unprofessional behavior. Disorderly conduct or disruptive behavior will not be tolerated in the School of Forest Resources. Such conduct may result in dismissal from classes.
Schedule:
Jan 9 Introduction to Course
Jan 16 Lecture: Chapter 1 & 2. The Craft of Scientific Presentations
Jan 23 Lecture: Chapter 3 & 4 The Craft of Scientific Presentations
Jan 30 Lecture: Chapter 5 & Appendix B The Craft of Scientific Presentations
Feb 6 No Class
Feb 13 Lecture: Finale
Feb 20 Chris Simms
Feb 27 Todd Fearer
March 5 Curtis VanderSchaaf
March 12 Mike Blazier
March 19: Spring Break
March 26: K. Booker, K. Vale
April 2: J. Kidd, T. Whitsitt
April 7 T. Crowder, R. Araiza
April 9 No Class
April 16: G.C. Shivan , T. B. Bikash,
April 22 J. Hartley, J. Omkar
April 23: K.C. Dipesh, R. Oneill
April 29 N. Riggan