Laboratory Manual in Physical Geology [Spiral-bound]

Richard M. Busch (Editor), Dennis Tasa (Illustrator)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0132666936 | ISBN-13: 978-0132666930 | Publication Date: November 27, 1996 | Edition: 4

With the input of more than 100 contributing authors and peer reviewers, this work offers a laboratory manual for teaching introductory geology and geoscience.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

A lab manual placing great emphasis on student understanding of the earth as a complex, evolving system having interacting processes and cycles of change; designed for the introductory course (lab component) in physical geology. Practical consistent exercise format, concise background information, 15 exercises, and full-color illustrations. Includes Internet Activities.

From the Back Cover

Key Benefit: With the input of more than 100 contributing authors and peer reviewers, Laboratory Manual in Physical Geology is the most richly-illustrated, state-of-the art, user-friendly laboratory available for introductory geology and geoscience. Key Topics: This manual consists of fifteen laboratories on the most widely- requested topics. Each laboratory is comprised of introductory materials, 3-7 laboratory exercises, and handy tear-out worksheets. Laboratories are written in a consistent, user-friendly style and format based on contributions from 45 geologists and geoscience educators. A highly flexible format allows to pick and choose labs. Stimulating visuals! Dennis Tasa, a highly-respected geology illustrator, provides superior art that is pedagogically effective and geologically accurate. Also included is an abundance of high-quality photographs, images, stereograms, maps, and charts to reinforce the visual aspect of geology and enhance student learning.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Spiral-bound: 272 pages
• Publisher: Prentice Hall College Div; 4 edition (November 27, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0132666936
• ISBN-13: 978-0132666930
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.6 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (34 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #917,015 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #55 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Earth Sciences > Geology > Physical

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Terrible lab manual, February 23, 2007

By 

Brenna E. Lorenz "heptune" (State College, PA United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Laboratory Manual in Physical Geology (7th Edition) (Spiral-bound)

I inherited this lab manual when I started teaching physical geology this semester, and I told my students to return it to the bookstore. It contains factual errors (such as referring to hornblende and other non-metallic minerals as metallic, which they are not - metallic minerals are opaque in thin section), and the pedagogy is highly questionable. In the rock and mineral sections, it relies too heavily on photographs. Students already have a tendency to want to simply match minerals and rocks to pictures, which doesn't work, and this book encourages this. The book is too much talk and not enough action. Students in a lab should be guided to work with objects, not to simply answer questions out of a book. There is too much explanation provided, with little left for students to figure out on their own. Labs should be presented to students as mysteries to be solved, and this book takes all the mystery out of everything.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Geology Prof., January 5, 2007

By 

RC (TX. USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Laboratory Manual in Physical Geology (7th Edition) (Spiral-bound)

This "lab manual" is VERY thick and far too wordy. Really, it's more of a spiral-bound textbook than a lab manual. Additionally, the lab questions appear in list format at the end of each section, so there is virtually no standardized answersheet for students to record their work on. That not only makes it harder on the students, but efficient grading is nearly impossible unless the instructor makes his/her own taylor-made answer sheets for the students to use on EACH lab. As if that weren't bad enough, the lab manual's companion web site is horrid. I am amazed that the AGI and the NAGT produced this lab manual.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the title is kind of lying, September 19, 2008

By 

Envirodork (College Park, MD) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Laboratory Manual in Physical Geology (8th Edition) (Spiral-bound)

I bought this book for my Geol 110 class at the University of Maryland in College Park. It's completely unlike every other lab manual I've used in college. It does not directly relate to the lab project, its more like a textbook or information packet to prepare you for the concepts you'll cover in lab. It has glossy pages instead of the usual paper so I'm discouraged from writing notes and lab findings in it. I feel like we probably could have gotten this information out of our normal textbook rather than buying a separate lab manual.