2024 SES Syllabus

Grades and Granting Credit in SES 2024

The SES program will distribute a "Recommendation for grades and credit" to your colleges. Your grades will be based on written lab reports (both group and individual) or problem sets, exams, class participation and oral presentations and final papers/projects.

Aquatic Ecosystem

Aquatic Core Lecture

50%

Class participation

10%

*Mid-term exam (10/7)

15%

*Final exam (11/4)

25%

Aquatic Core Lab

50%

Water Profiles (Foreman)
Problem Set

10%

Biomass and Primary Production (Foreman)
Group report and presentation

10%

Trophic Pyramids & Secondary Prod. (Lloret)
Group report and presentation

10%

Biogeochemistry, Stoichiometry/Fate of Organic Matter (Giblin)
Group report and presentation

10%

Cross-System Flux & Nutrient Budgets** (McClelland/Lloret)
Group report and presentation

 10%

Food Webs (Lloret) Discussion***

* This exam is a combined Aquatic and Terrestrial Exam
** Combined aquatic and terrestrial lab report and presentation
*** Counted as part of Trophic Pyramids

Terrestrial Ecosystem

Terrestrial Core Lecture

50%

Class participation

10%

*Mid-term exam (10/7)

15%

*Final exam (11/4)

25%

Terrestrial Core Lab

50%

Terrestrial Biomass (Cardon)
Group Data Entry

5%

Biomass and Primary Production (Cardon)
Group Presentations

15%

Photosynthesis and Primary
Production Individual problem sets

5%

Biogeochemistry, Soil Respiration & Decomposition (Koop-Jakobsen)
Group report and group presentation

12.5%

Cross-System Flux & Nutrient Budgets** (McClelland/Lloret)
Group report and presentation

12.5%

Project

Projects will be graded by your Mentor. Each student will receive an individual grade.

Concept Paper of project proposal ungraded
Oral proposal - 10%
Final written proposal - 20%
Oral presentation of results - 25%
Final written paper* - 45%
*must include electronic file copies of all data, PowerPoints and final Word document

Math Modeling Elective

Homework - 7.5%
Quizzes - 7.5%
Class Participation - 15%
Modeling Project Presentation - 25%
Modeling Project paper - 45%

Microbial Methods Elective

Problem Sets - 95%
Participation - 5%
Final - If the problem sets are done independently, there will not be a final exam.

Science Writing Seminar*

Writing assignments - 75%
SES Seminar Speaker Discussions - 15%
Participation - 10%
*Certificate of Completion will be provided for students when credit is not granted by home institution.