Instructor: Dr. John C. Sencindiver
1100 Agricultural Sciences Building
Telephone: 293-6256
E-mail: jsencind@wvu.edu

1. This syllabus is in effect only for the course, semester and instructor listed above.

2. Course Objectives:

a. To provide a basic understanding of the fundamental soil physical properties and their relation to soil productivity, soil and water quality, and movement of water, air, heat and solutes through soil.

b. To present common laboratory methods used to evaluate soil physical properties.

3. Format: Lecture, Monday and Wednesday, 9:00-9:50 a.m., Room G29 AGS. Laboratory, Monday or Wednesday, 2:00-4:50 p.m., room to be announced. Attendance in lecture is not required, but make-up work will not be allowed for unexcused absences. If you will miss class for a field trip or other planned event, please notify the instructor of this course in advance of the event. Attendance in laboratory is required.

4. Required textbooks:

a. Hillel, Daniel. 1998. Environmental Soil Physics. Academic Press. San Diego, CA.

b. Sencindiver, J.C. 2000. Soil Physics Laboratory Manual. NextPrint. 3109 University Ave., Morgantown. (Available January 12).

5. Additional information will be distributed as handouts at various times during the semester. You will be responsible for information in these handouts.

6. Exam Schedule:

(1) February 16
(2) March 15
(3) May 2, 8:00-10:00 a.m., Final Exam

7. In-class assignments: Periodic graded assignments/activities will be conducted in class.

8. Out-of-Class Assignments: At various times during the semester, several questions and/or problems will be assigned for you to complete outside of class. Twenty-five percent (25%) of the total points possible for any assignment will be deducted for being submitted late. Any assignment submitted more than two days late will receive a grade of zero. Exceptions will be made only for extenuating circumstances.

9. Laboratory reports will be required for each experiment, and will normally be submitted one week after the completion of each experiment. The details of the reports will be discussed during the first laboratory period. Twenty-five percent (25%) of the total points possible for any laboratory report will be deducted if a report is submitted late. Any report submitted more than two days late will receive a grade of zero. Exceptions will be made only for extenuating circumstances.

10. Grading:

93-100 A
90-92 A-
87-89 B+
83-86 B
80-82 B-
77-79 C+
73-76 C
70-72 C-
67-69 D+
63-66 D
60-62 D-
Below 60 F

Calculation of Final Grade:

In-class assignments = 5% of final grade
Out-of-class assignments = 10%
Laboratory attendance = 5%
Laboratory reports = 20%
Two hour exams = 40%
Final exam = 20%
Total = 100%

11. This syllabus is meant only as a guide for the convenience of the student. The attached lecture and laboratory schedules are approximately correct, and an effort will be made to follow them. However, some deviations may occur during the semester. New material will not be added, nor will exam times be changed, unless an announcement has been made during a regularly scheduled class period prior to the addition or time change. I will make every effort to keep the exam schedule the same as listed above, even if the lecture schedule is altered.

12. Please refrain from using tobacco products and wearing caps or hats in lecture and in- door laboratories.