School of Agriculture and Natural Resources

Course Outline for NATR 142

PLANE SURVEYING

Fall 2009

WebCT Access of Course Material On-line (for students enrolled in the course)

INSTRUCTOR:

GENERAL COURSE DESCRIPTION:

NATR 142 covers the basic concepts of plane surveying as it relates to agriculture and natural resources.  Such applications include field work in land drainage, pipeline stakeout, and parcel boundaries.  In addition, review is made of survey planning and associated survey computations, including traverse surveys.  Throughout the course, emphasis is placed on the operation of modern land measurement equipment including the automatic level and the theodolite as well as the total station and GPS.

EXPECTED COURSE OUTCOMES:

At the successful completion of NATR 142, the student is expected to have:

1. Developed an understanding of the principles of plane surveying.

2. Understood the basic skills of surveying work including distance and angles measurements.

3. Developed the skill for using plane surveying instrumentation.

4. Understood how to collect, document, and analyze plane surveying measurements.

5. Learned how to conduct a variety of surveying exercises with emphasis on location surveys.

6. Developed an understanding of applying basic plane surveying techniques in the field.

7. Demonstrated an understanding of how to perform plane surveying computations, including those involving traverse surveys.

OFFICE HOURS:

The instructor has the following designated office hours per week:

• Mondays: 2:00 to 3:50 p.m.

• Tuesdays: 10:00 to 10:50 a.m. and 3:00 to 3:50 p.m.

• Fridays: 10:00 to 10:50 a.m.

If necessary, students are also encouraged to make appointments to see the instructor at other times. Students with disabilities who require accommodations to fully-participate in the course activities are requested to contact the instructor within the first two weeks of the semester.

CONTACT HOURS AND CLASS SCHEDULE:

NATR 142 is a three-credit hour course.  It includes five contact hours per week (two for lectures and three for the laboratory).  One section of the course is offered during the 2009 Fall semester.  The schedule of the offered section is as follows:

• NATR 142 - Section 1 (lecture):  Meets on Mondays and Wednesdays (9:00 to 9:50 a.m.) in Room 101, Shannon Hall.
• NATR 142 - Section 01L (laboratory):  Meets on Wednesdays (3:00 to 5:50 p.m.) in Room 106, Charlton Hall.

TEXTBOOK(S):

The following represent the required textbook and two manuals for NATR 142 which may be purchased from the campus bookstore:

1. Kavanagh, B.E.  2006. Surveying Principles and Applications (7^th  edition).  Prentice Hall, New Jersey.
2. Shayya, W.H. 2009.  Introductory Surveying Lecture Manual (4^th edition).  School of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Morrisville State College. 
3. Shayya, W. and J. Cronn.  2009.  Introductory Surveying Laboratory Manual (4^th edition).  Environmental Sciences Department, Morrisville State College.

REQUIRED MATERIALS:

• Field books (2).
• Scientific calculator.
• Ruler.

CLASS POLICIES:

• Attendance: First and foremost, students must always plan to be in class on time.  Given the nature of the course, all students are also required to attend all classes and laboratories.  Attendance will be taken during each class session and appropriate actions will be taken when students are absent for more than 20% of the course.  Very few or no absences will be considered during the grading process when the student is close to receiving the next higher letter grade.  No make-up examination will be given without a written medical excuse, family emergency, or prior permission from the instructor.  Students are responsible for all material covered in the class whether presented orally during the lectures (and laboratories) or assigned.

• Student Behavior: As students in a technical program are preparing for a professional career, all students are expected to conduct themselves as professionals (in both manner and dress).Good behavior in the classroom is expected from all students.  Students who engage in unacceptable or disruptive behavior will be asked to leave the class.

  • Eating, drinking, or the consumption of any tobacco products is prohibited in the classroom situation (lecture hall, classroom, laboratory, or field). Doing so may result in the student's dismissal from that class period and will count as an unexcused absence.

  • Cell phones and pagers must be turned off during instruction time. Use of or disruption of class by these devices will result in the student's dismissal from that class period and will count as an unexcused absence. Laptop computers may not be used during the lecture.

• Assignments: This course will include several laboratory exercises and homework assignments that will account for 30% of the final grade.  Therefore, it is important that students complete their assignments accurately, neatly, and submit them on time.  Assignments received past the due date will be devalued 5% for each day that the item is late.  No class assignment of any student will be graded (for credit) once the same assignment is corrected and returned to the class.

• Examinations: Class examinations will cover class and laboratory material, homework and Laboratory assignments, and assigned readings.  A study guide will be provided for each exam along with an "Equations Sheet".

• Honesty Policy and Discipline (Due Process): Honesty and integrity are major elements in professional behavior and are expected of each student. Any assignment (including those in electronic media) submitted by a student must be of the student's original authorship. Representation of another's work as the student’s own shall constitute plagiarism. Cheating, in any form, is an unacceptable behavior within all College courses. Students having academic problems should consult with their academic advisor or a college counselor. Instances of cheating will be dealt with in accordance to College policy. Standards of academic honesty and due process procedures for Morrisville State College are located in the Rules, Regulations, and Expectations section of the Student Handbook. 

• Safety Guidelines: Certain class assignments may require the student to be absent from the professor's immediate supervision. Whether the student is under immediate supervision or not, safe conduct and safe use of equipment shall be the ultimate rule. Failure to comply with prudent safety practice and/or willful disregard for class participants and/or equipment may be cause for immediate dismissal from that particular class session by the professor(s). Subsequent similar activity may be cause for dismissal from the course by the Dean.

• Things to remember: The nature of the topics covered in NATR 142 necessitates that the student keeps up with this material (understanding earlier lectures and laboratories will be critical to grasping concepts presented in subsequent lectures and laboratories).  Students are also urged to spend the time in completing laboratory exercises and course assignments on time (and independently).  Completing assignments well before the due date will give the student a chance to ask questions should s/he encounter problems.  Students also should remember to ask questions of the instructor when they face difficulties, whether inside or outside the classroom.  The instructor has an open-door policy and welcomes the opportunity to visit with students whenever needed.

GRADING/EVALUATION OF STUDENT:

Evaluation is a shared responsibility between the teacher and the student. The purpose of the evaluation is to demonstrate how well the professor has taught and the student has learned specific course materials, the principles, concepts and terms relevant to the covered topics, and to determine the students' ability to apply that knowledge to specific situations.

The breakdown of grading in this course will be as follows:

• Class Participation, Attendance, and Work Ethic ==> 5% of final grade
• Laboratory Exercises ==> 18% of final grade
• Homework Assignments ==> 12% of final grade
• Three Progress Examinations (1^st guide, 2^nd guide, 3^rd guide) ==> 45% of final grade
• Laboratory Practical Examination ==>20% of final grade

The distribution of grades in this course will be based on the A-F College grading scheme. The letter grades correspond to the following percentage scale: A (90-100%), A- (87-89.9%), B+ (83-86.9%), B (80-82.9%), B- (77-79.9%), C+ (73-76.9%), C (70-72.9%), C- (67-69.9%), D+ (63-66.9%), D (60-62.9%), and F (<60%).

OUTLINE OF TOPICS:

*The topics and corresponding dates listed in the tables above are tentative and may be subject to change during the semester.