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Module OSX-3025:
Marine Geology & Applications

Module Facts

Run by School of Ocean Sciences

20 Credits or 10 ECTS Credits

Semester 1

Organiser: Dr Margot Saher

Overall aims and purpose

The aims of this module are to provide: an understanding of the most prominent techniques used to reconstruct the history of the ocean; an understanding of the range of ways in which humans extract energy or material resources from the oceans; explanations of the physical and geological processes that must be understood in order to effectively and safely extract energy or material resources from the oceans; and finally, practice in communicating information on the topics covered as part of the module.

In these ways, students will gain an appreciation of the application of geoscientific understanding and knowledge to real-world scenarios.

Course content

This module provides insight into practical applications of marine geology. This is provided through a combination of baseline lectures by SOS marine geoscience staff as well as a series of guest lectures by specialists in the field. The baseline lectures will introduce the main underpinning physical and geological processes that need to be understood before that knowledge can be applied. The guest lectures will assume such understanding and will illustrate applications from their working experience. Key themes may include: climate reconstruction, carbon storage in marine sediments, oil and gas exploration, marine engineering (pipelines, communication cables, etc.), renewable energy, aggregate extraction, and seabed stability. These themes incorporate a variety of disciplines: palaeoclimatology, sedimentary geology, structural geology, process sedimentology, geotechnics, and geophysics.

The knowledge gained in this part of the module will then be applied in two ways: firstly, as a practical exercise in which you are presented with proxy data with which you perform a palaeoenvironmental reconstruction. Secondly, you will pick a topic of interest to you from within the module syllabus, and prepare and deliver a presentation to your peers as an oral presentation, and in written form as a Conversation-style article.

Assessment Criteria

excellent

70% / A- Demonstrating an excellent understanding of the methods used in palaeoclimatology, and an excellent ability to integrate varied datasets of marine geological and other related data into a coherent narrative. Demonstrating an excellent grasp of the applications of marine geology and their base in physical processes, and excellent skills communicating these to an audience of peers.

threshold

40% / D- Demonstrating a basic understanding of the methods used in palaeoclimatology, and a basic ability to integrate varied datasets of marine geological and other related data into a coherent narrative. Demonstrating a basic grasp of the applications of marine geology and their base in physical processes, and basic skills communicating these to an audience of peers.

good

55% / C: Demonstrating a good understanding of the methods used in palaeoclimatology, and a good ability to integrate varied datasets of marine geological and other related data into a coherent narrative. Demonstrating a good grasp of the applications of marine geology and their base in physical processes, and good skills communicating these to an audience of peers.

Learning outcomes

  1. On successful completion of this module, a student will be able to explain how offshore developments and resource exploitation are linked to the physical processes that create and have created them.

  2. On succesful completion of this module, a student will have demonstrated an understanding of the major techniques used in palaeoceanography, and be able to critically analyse their application and their limitations.

  3. On succesful completion of this module, a student will be able to integrate a range of complex datasets in order to reconstruct ocean history

  4. On succesful completion of this module, a student will have demonstrated an ability to communicate an advanced topic within palaeoclimatology or applied marine geology, both clearly and effectively, to an audience of peers

Assessment Methods

Type Name Description Weight
COURSEWORK Conversation style article

structure/style 1 (10%) Does the first paragraph set the scene and draw the reader in?

content 1 (10%) Does the text clearly set out, and explain, what the topic is?

content 2 (20%) Are the links/references relevant and up to date?

content 3 (15%) Are there enough links/references?

content 4 (10%) Is the information used correctly represented?

structure/style 2 (5%) Does it have relevant and catchy sub-headers?

structure/style 3 (20%) Does the text provide a clear narrative (e.g. two sides of a story, a paradigm shift)?

structure/style 4 (10%) Is it grammatically correct, well-spelled, and pleasant to read?

 30
ORAL (Group) Presentation

delivery (10%) Is it clear, is it engaging? Mind speed, eye contact, loudness, articulation, audience participation, etc

slides (20%) Are they clear, logical and and readable? Are all captions and keys that are required there? Are they referenced (citations in slides, refs at end)?

content (50%) Is the topic introduced, is all necessary information given, is it presented logically, is it evaluated critically, etc

timing (10%) 9:30-10:30 mins: 100%. 9:00-11:00 mins: 80%. 8:30-11:30 mins: 60%. 8:00-12:00 mins: 50%. 7:30-12:30 mins: 40%. 7:00-13:00: 20%. Beyond: 0% (multiples thereof with multiple speakers)

answers (10%) Are questions form the audience answered satisfactorily?

questions (potential penalty: -10%) This is an individual mark - does student ask peers useful question

 30
CASE STUDY Palaeoenvironmental reconstruction

Q1, 2, 3 and 5: 22%; Q4: 12%

 40

Teaching and Learning Strategy

Hours
Private study

It is expected that the student will require to manage their time in approximately this framework: On-going lecture review:46 Seminar research and preparation: 32 hours (c. 4 days) Independent research project research and preparation: 40 (c. 5 days) Exam revision: 51 (c. 6 days)

 169
Seminar

Seminars (1 full day organised as a Conference) Students pick a topic and prepare and deliver a presentation on it

 8
Lecture

Lectures, by both SOS staff and external speakers; 9 by SOS staff, and 6 remotely by guest lecturers. 2 X 1hr lecture per week (+ 1 wk with 1). (Time: 30 min prep/revision for every lecture included)

 23

Transferable skills

  • Literacy - Proficiency in reading and writing through a variety of media
  • Numeracy - Proficiency in using numbers at appropriate levels of accuracy
  • Computer Literacy - Proficiency in using a varied range of computer software
  • Exploring - Able to investigate, research and consider alternatives
  • Information retrieval - Able to access different and multiple sources of information
  • Inter-personal - Able to question, actively listen, examine given answers and interact sensitevely with others
  • Critical analysis & Problem Solving - Able to deconstruct and analyse problems or complex situations. To find solutions to problems through analyses and exploration of all possibilities using appropriate methods, rescources and creativity.
  • Presentation - Able to clearly present information and explanations to an audience. Through the written or oral mode of communication accurately and concisely.
  • Teamwork - Able to constructively cooperate with others on a common task, and/or be part of a day-to-day working team
  • Management - Able to utilise, coordinate and control resources (human, physical and/or financial)
  • Argument - Able to put forward, debate and justify an opinion or a course of action, with an individual or in a wider group setting

Resources

Resource implications for students

None

Reading list

The Talis reading list for the to-be-replaced module, OSX-3012 will be used and expanded.

Pre- and Co-requisite Modules

Courses including this module

Compulsory in courses:

Optional in courses: